Windowsill Herb Garden
Windowsill Herb Garden
How to Start a Healthy, Productive Windowsill Herb Garden
There are many good reasons to start a windowsill herb garden in your kitchen and it is a lot easier than it is generally believed to be. Some of the basic reasons to do so is not only the economy or the practical aspects of growing herbs. it is also for the beauty that they add to your surroundings and the growing plants emit a wonderful fragrances in the air that you breathe. Then, of course, there is the pleasant gratification of having grown them by yourself and the joy of the proximity of having a steady supply of fresh flavorful herbs to add to your meals all year long.
And then there is the climate issue that is a major point for many of us depending of where we live. Plants that are grown outside of the home can be harvested only during the warmer months and, like any other plants, are not very happy when the colder weather season begins.
Below are the steps that you should follow to start growing a strong and healthy windowsill herb garden.
A. Using the most appropriate windowsill
One great thing about herbs is that you don’t need to grow humongous quantities obtain the supplies needed. More often 1 or 2 plants will be adequate to feed a family so using a single windowsill should be enough for a small garden. The kitchen is the room we are aiming for if you are growing culinary herbs and preferably near the area where you do your cooking. The window facing the direction where you get the most sun in the day will be your best choice. The garden needs al least 4 to 6 hours of sunlight a day to grow strong and healthy so it is important to choose wisely to obtain the maximum effect.
If you feel your herbs are not getting enough warmth from limited sunlight you can always cover the plants with a garden cloche that will add another level of warmth and humidity to help the growing herbs.
B. Choosing the containers
You can use pretty much any container for your windowsill garden as long as they meet 2 important conditions : if they are made of plastic, they should be thick enough so that the sunlight won’t melt them and that they offer ample drainage. If you live in an area where winters are very cold, terracotta pots instead of plastic would be a wise choice. The clay is warmed by the sun and insulate the potting medium during the dark hours of the night. Believe me, living in Montreal has been a good test for the better containers to use.
I also strongly suggest using reservoir saucers or bowls under all your containers. Drainage is a very important factor the assure the success of all your efforts and if too much water remains in the pot itself it could rot, if not drown, the roots and cause irremediable damage to the plant.
C. Selecting the windowsill herbs
Once your containers are ready and you are set to plant the herbs, it would be time to decide exactly which herbs that will be grown. Many will choose herbs for culinary usage and the kitchen windowsill is use to that effect but other herbs can be placed on other windowsills which is discussed in details on my website.
Be aware, however, that not all herbs are destined to be grown in pots and should be restrained to outdoors gardening. Fennel, dill and comfrey are among the plants to avoid mostly because of their size.
Here is a partial list of herbs that will be very happy growing on your windowsill:
Basil
Oregano
Parsley
Marjoram
Vietnamese Mint
Peppermint
Tansy
Borage
Chamomile
Yarrow
Lemon Thyme
Coriander
D. Taking care of your windowsill garden
Taking good care of the plants growing inside, on the windowsill, should be similar as it would be out in the garden. Fertilizer is required throughout the growing season of the young plants. You should favor using foliar fertilizer over the ”normal” one, however, consider that a yearly application of slow-release will do wonder to the plants providing them with a boost. The usual application is to be given at 4 to 6 weeks interval.
Watering is another important factor in the well-being of the plants and should not be taken lightly. Too much water is as bad as not enough. Well-balanced watering must be upheld at all time. It is alarming that improper quantities can damage a plant within a single day. One good way to avoid such a drastic mishap is to make sure that the soil is moist to the touch and that only very little water remains in the underlying plate 24 hours after watering.
These basic tips should helps start off easily in this fascinating world of creating a windiowsill herb garden and soon you will enjoying fresh homegrown herbs in your daily meals and you will surely wonder why you didn’t start this great hobby a long time ago.
About the Author
Eustache Davenport is a gardening enthusiast and author. He lives in Montreal and enjoy teaching his gardening secrets to work groups on how to setup, optimize and maintain an amazing herb garden. For more great tips and information on windowsill herb gardening, visit http://www.herbgardeningonlineguide.com.
Home Herb Garden
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