It’s Easy to Grow a Home Herb Garden in the Winter
There are a lot of myths that surround gardening. New gardeners can easily become overwhelmed and confused by the conflicting data that they read and hear. Even seasoned gardeners may be unfamiliar with certain aspects, such as seed saving and indoor gardening.
A home herb garden is a great way to get your feet wet. Not only will you have fresh food throughout the winter, but you will get an up close and personal look at the entire growing process. After all, you can’t miss what’s happening when it’s right before your eyes.
Almost every herb can be propagated indoors. In fact, it’s almost impossible to think of any exclusion, though it’s likely they are out there. When you first start to plan your home herb garden, begin with what you are most familiar with.
If you like Italian food, try a combination of thyme, oregano and basil. For fans of Mexican food, put in a pot of cilantro. Tarragon, rosemary and marjoram can be planted in a kitchen that prepares a lot of meat dishes. All of these herbs are comfortable growing in containers or pots and will do just fine throughout the winter months.
Plant them in the late summer or the fall and they will be at peak productivity right when everything else has gone to bed. After selecting the herbs to grow, you will need to prepare your pots or containers. If you have less invasive plants, grow similar varieties in one large container.
However, some plants, such as mint, can completely take over a container and choke out their neighbors. These should be placed in their own individual pot to avoid problems in your home herb garden.
Pots should have drainage to avoid drowning delicate roots. Almost any decent soil mix should work fine, although garden dirt isn’t really ideal. Finally, make sure to check the germination times and planting instructions when you plant your seeds.
Some herbs need light to germinate and will need to be placed on top of the soil and gently pressed in. Also, it’s not uncommon for herbs to take longer than usual to germinate. Parsley, for example, won’t even show itself for about two weeks.
Of course, as your herbs come up, you will need to be sure to stay on top of the watering. Your home herb garden should give you good indications of when it needs a drink. Dry soil and wilted leaves are all signs of under watering. However, by properly caring for your herbs, you can be sure that you’ll be enjoying these plants all winter long.
