| Do you enjoy cooking or gardening? If | | | | supply, supplement it with a fluorescent |
| so, an indoor herb garden may be a | | | | light. Follow the instructions on the |
| perfect choice for you. They are fun, | | | | seed packet or plant container and plant |
| useful, and easy to maintain. If you | | | | your herbs. If you buy herb plants from |
| live in a colder climate, you know how | | | | a nursery, be sure to ask the staff for |
| hard it can be to grow things. With an | | | | tips on planting them correctly. After |
| indoor herb garden, you can have all the | | | | planting, mist your herbs with water |
| fun of gardening year round. They also | | | | until the soil is fairly moist. Herbs |
| add a special something to a kitchen | | | | That do Well Indoors You will be able to |
| windowsill. The different shapes and | | | | grow almost all of the most popular |
| colors of the herbs make a fantastic | | | | herbs indoors. Thyme, parsley, oregano, |
| decoration as they fill your kitchen | | | | chives, and sage do especially well. |
| with a wonderful aroma. But enough of | | | | Watering and Fertilizing Herbs don't |
| those reasons! The real benefit of an | | | | like a lot of water. Keep the soil moist |
| herb garden is having delicious, fresh | | | | but not soaked. Use an organic |
| herbs at your fingertips. No more | | | | fertilizer to feed your herbs every week |
| running to the supermarket to pick up an | | | | or so. Harvesting Don't be afraid to use |
| overpriced bundle of herbs that you'll | | | | your herb garden! The more you use it |
| have to throw out in a week! Instead you | | | | the thicker it will grow. Harvest fresh |
| can simply clip off what you need and | | | | herbs like chives, rosemary, and parsley |
| toss it right into your recipe. All the | | | | as you need them. As for dried herbs, |
| while knowing that it wasn't grown with | | | | pick them at their peak flavor right |
| nasty pesticides and fertilizers. Sounds | | | | before they blossom. Wash them with |
| great doesn't it? That's because it is. | | | | gently running water and hang them |
| In fact, by now your probably wondering | | | | upside down in small bundles. Hang them |
| what you need to get started on one. | | | | indoors and in a warm area if possible. |
| Here's what you need: Six-inch pots. One | | | | You can also freeze herbs for later use |
| pot for each type of herb. Small stones | | | | by boiling them for about a minute and |
| and/or bark chips. These are for the | | | | packing them into freezer bags. With |
| bottom of the pot. They provide room for | | | | just a little work and some easy |
| drainage and aeration. Soilless potting | | | | maintenance, you'll find that an indoor |
| mix. Potting mix will drain well and | | | | herb garden will provide lots of |
| keep your herbs from catching soil | | | | delicious, gourmet herbs along with fun |
| diseases. Herb seeds, bulbs, or small | | | | and satisfaction. |
| plants. You can grow herbs from seeds or | | | | Christopher Fisher is a contributing |
| get a head start with plants from your | | | | writer for a helpful guide to growing |
| local nursery. Sunlight. Herbs require | | | | your own indoor herb garden. |
| lots of light. If sunlight is in short | | | | |