Making the Perfect Little Herb Garden: Indoors or Out!
Finding joy in simple pleasures has become more important than ever. One such pleasure is nurturing your own herb garden, whether you have a spacious outdoor area or a cozy corner indoors. A herb garden brings a burst of freshness, fragrance, and flavor to your surroundings while offering a convenient source of culinary delights. In this guide, we’ll explore how you can create the perfect little herb garden, regardless of your available space.
Selecting the Ideal Location for your Herb Garden
The first step to crafting a successful herb garden is choosing the right location. For an outdoor garden, select a spot that receives at least 6-8 hours of sunlight each day. If you’re creating an indoor garden, choose a spot near a sunny window or invest in a grow light to provide artificial natural sunlight.
When planting your herbs, make sure to leave enough space between each plant so that they have room to grow. Most herbs prefer to be planted in full sun, but some, such as cilantro and parsley, can tolerate partial shade. Pin the image below for quick reference!
Choosing the Right Herbs
The first step in creating your herb garden is choosing which herbs you want to grow. Consider what you like to cook with and what herbs will thrive in your environment. Some popular choices for a small herb garden include basil, mint, rosemary, thyme, oregano, parsley, and chives. And guess what? Most herbs are perennial, which means they come back every year. A few are biennial (comes back a second time), and others are annual. Here’s a popular list:
Preparing the Soil
Whether you’re planting indoors or outdoors, good soil is essential for healthy herb growth. Use well-draining soil that is enriched with compost or organic matter. Standard potting soil works just fine, but you can also purchase potting soil specifically formulated for outdoor or indoor planting. Want to get fancy? You can create your own by mixing equal parts compost, perlite, and peat moss. All these choices work well, and will provide the necessary nutrients for your herbs to flourish.
Picking the Right Containers for your Herb Garden
For indoor herb gardens, choose containers that have proper drainage and are appropriately sized for the herbs you’re planting. Outdoor gardens can be planted directly in the ground or in raised beds. Get creative with your container choices – you can use traditional pots, hanging baskets, or repurpose items like wooden crates or tin cans. Hydroponic pots have become increasingly popular for indoor gardening, and are quite successful – many come with their own grow lights!
Planting and Caring for Your Herbs
It’s worth mentioning again: When planting your herbs, follow the spacing guidelines provided for each herb to ensure proper growth. Water your herbs regularly, but be mindful not to overwater as this can lead to root rot. For indoor pots, you may simply need to spray them with water every few days, rather than a solid dunking. Every few weeks, you can easily fertilize your herbs with a little compost or a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer (I like Miracle-Gro). These practices will help the herbs stay healthy and vibrant.
Pruning and Harvesting the Herbs
Regular pruning encourages bushier growth and prevents your herbs from becoming too leggy. When harvesting, trim leaves just above a leaf node to encourage new growth. It’s good to remember that herbs are most flavorful when harvested just before they flower. However, they are perfectly good otherwise. Keep the herbs trimmed, and you will have a steady supply during the growing season!
Conclusion: Should you grow herbs Indoors or Outside?
Creating the perfect little herb garden, whether indoors or outdoors, is a delightful and rewarding experience. The process of nurturing your herbs from seedlings to flourishing plants can be a therapeutic and fulfilling. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a beginner, a herb garden offers a connection to nature and the opportunity to savor the vibrant flavors and aromas of freshly grown herbs. So, roll up your sleeves, gather your gardening tools, and embark on the journey of crafting your own little herb haven. Your taste buds and your senses will thank you!
