| When starting a home herb garden, you may find it | | | | potting soil for 1 part coarse sand. Put 1 inch of |
| difficult to decide which herbs to grow considering | | | | gravel of each pot to insure proper drainage of |
| the array of herbs from which to select. A first | | | | excess water. Add 1 teaspoon of lime for a 5 inch |
| approach would be to consult your supermarket for | | | | pot. |
| the herbs you usually buy for your cooking needs. | | | | Make yourself a list of every plant you will be |
| Another good source is a cooking book that contains | | | | growing and their individual water need. Growing plant |
| a chart of various herbs and their appropriate use for | | | | tends to need more water, however, it is important |
| flavoring food. | | | | to keep the soil moist. Avoid drenching the plant at all |
| Here is a list of the herbs that are commonly used | | | | time for too much water can easily rot the roots. |
| and can be considered as a good starting point for a | | | | Misting the plants is a good way to keep them humid |
| beginner. | | | | between watering. |
| - Herbs with a strong taste - rosemary, sage, winter | | | | South or west facing windows are always the best |
| savory | | | | choice for growing herbs indoors. Though there are |
| - Herbs strong enough to accent food - tarragon, | | | | different requirements to each variety of herbs, |
| thyme, sweet basil, dill, mint, sweet marjoram | | | | most need a sunny location to grow well. If you lack |
| - Blending herbs - chives, parsley, summer savory | | | | light during the winter months, you can supplement |
| As time goes by, you might wish to start adding new | | | | that need with ''grow lights" or fluorescent lamps. |
| plants to your selection. When selecting your choice | | | | Annual herbs will be happy spending their full life cycle |
| of additional herbs, take note that herbs can be | | | | inside the home while perennial herbs will give you |
| annuals, biennials, or perennials. | | | | better results if they are placed outdoors during the |
| - Annuals (herbs that bloom one season then die) - | | | | warm season. Fill the pot with soil all the way to the |
| anise, basil, dill, summer savory, chervil, coriander | | | | rim and place them in a protected area on the porch |
| - Biennials (herbs that lives two seasons, bloom on | | | | or patio. |
| the second season only) - caraway, parsley | | | | Always bring the plants inside before frost to avoid |
| - Perennials (herbs that ''sleep" during the winter | | | | plant damage or loss of foliage. However a light frost |
| season and bloom each season) - chives, fennel, mint, | | | | is beneficial on mint, chives, and tarragon.This will |
| tarragon, thyme, lovage, marjoram, winter savory. | | | | result in a rest period making the new growth |
| Most herbs can be grown indoors and can be | | | | fresher and firmer. |
| enjoyed all year round. These plants are as easy to | | | | Home herb gardens can be kept productive all year |
| grow inside as they would outside and have the | | | | long and for a good number of years by doing the |
| same basic needs that you need to provide them | | | | following: maintain a periodic light feeding, renewing |
| with - a lot of sunlight, well-drained soil and,of course, | | | | the annuals, moving the perennials in and out of the |
| water. | | | | home and pruning the plants occasionally. |
| When preparing the planting soil, use 2 parts sterilized | | | | |