Container Garden 411

Herbs can be grown quite effectively indoors in pots or containers. They can also be grown in window boxes or hanging baskets. It is not really any more difficult than growing herbs outside in the garden. Indeed as you would expect, indoor herbs require the same conditions to grow as those outside. Click here for more: growing herbs in containers

The three things all plants need are; sunlight water and soil.  Herbs are no exception. Obviously sunlight is crucial to growing any kind of plant including herbs, indoors or outdoors. When growing indoors, place your herbs in a south or west facing position to make maximum use of the available sunlight. Although there are a few herbs with specific light needs, all of them need a sunny bright spot in the house. It is possible for some herb growers to enhance natural light sources with fluorescent or ‘grow’ lamps.

Herbs also need a well drained, not too rich soil to grow in. Add two parts of sterilized potting soil with one part coarse sand or perlite for herbs that are grown in containers. Make sure you put about an inch of sand into the base of each pot or container to help with the drainage. Indoor herbs like to be given with a teaspoon a lime (per 5 inch pot) to help sweeten the soil.
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Your potted herbs will also need a good supply of water. Misting the plants and moistening the pebbles will help to keep the herbs within humid conditions. Since they are being grown in containers they do need to have more water than herbs that are grown in a garden but, you should avoid getting the roots of the herbs drenched or soggy. One of the main advantages of growing herbs in a container or pot is the ability to move them.

Annual herbs can spend all of their time indoors but, perennial herbs do better if they were to be placed outside during the summer. Although all herbs should be brought inside before the first frost in order to avoid the loss of foliage. This rule is overlooked when it comes to mint, chives, and tarragon. That is because these herbs will become dormant in a light frost leading to a healthier growth afterward. All herbs can be grown in containers but some herbs do better then others. Mint can get out of hand if left to it’s own devices and is better contained.  

It is reasonably easy to maintain a herb garden inside. The herbs are within easy reach for cooking for example. And the information above should enable you to keep a healthy herb plant. It’s also a good idea to repot your herbs once a year and give a light feed every so often. Remember also to move perennials outside in warmer weather and to replant annuals. Plus, use your herbs as much as you want as well as harvest them occasionally. It is no secret that pruning plants it encourages new growth. Herbs are no exception. So dry them, store them and add them to your cooking recipes! Click here for more: Herb Garden Information

Why a Window Box Herb Garden

Growing your own window herb garden can be fun, rewarding and it can save you a lot of money. Any professional chef or even part time, for fun chefs can tell you that the most costly ingredients in any dish are the herbs. You may only use a pinch of this and a dash of that but initially you have to buy a whole container which is not cheap.

That’s why many people choose to grow their own herbs. And not all of us have that large garden plot to grow our herbs, so many of us resort to window boxes, window sills or containers. For more informantion on Herbs and herb gardening visit Window Herb Garden

Window herb gardens require only a pot to put the herbs in, of course the seeds, some fertilizer or just plain dirt, some water and a lot of love and attention. Herbs aren’t very difficult to grow. Provided they are not neglected too often, watered when they appear a little dry and given lots of sunshine in a bright window, you will find that they flourish quite easily without much effort.

They Add Color

Apart from the benefits to having a ready supply of herbs for cooking, herbs can add an array of color to your windowsill. Beautiful greens and whites, some yellows and other lush colors is what you get when you finally successfully grow all your own herbs in your window herb garden. The only difficult part is actually having to grow them! For more informantion on Herbs and herb gardening click here: Windowsill Herbs

How To Start

If you don’t have a green thumb and you have no idea how to grow anything at all, even weeds, then you should do a little research first. Most garden stores will have stock of window herb garden kits or pre planted herbs that just need water to get them to grow. But it is always a good idea to surf the net for ideas and information on growing your favorite herbs in your own window herb garden.

It then becomes just as easy to get your own pot, seeds and soil and do it yourself. Once done you can then watch your own self made window herb garden blossom. This way you should always  have a good supply of your own flavorful herbs to use in the kitchen. They smell pretty good too!

For more informantion on Herbs and Herb Gardening visit our homepage :Herb Garden Facts and grab yourself a free herb garden mini course.

Like any other plant, herbs come in annuals, biennials and perennials. There are many different types of herbs and each one is different. If you are interested in a specific type of herb, you should research that one to understand the care it needs and how to use it properly. This article will get you started in understanding general different types of herb plants and what they are used for. Annuals like basil, cilantro, and summer savory will not survive a frost. They need to be planted from a seed or a small plant every year. Perennials like sage and winter savory can survive colder temperatures and will return year after year. Click here for more: herb plant

Biennials are Herb plants that only survive two seasons. In the first they form leaves and in the second, befor they die, flowers and seed. Sow biennials in late spring straight into the garden. Examples of biennials are angelica, parsley and caraway. Prepare the soil first by working it to a fine texture and wet it slightly.  Shallow plant the seeds in rows before firming the soil on top of them. Fine seeds can be planted in a mixture of sand which will allow them to spread more evenly. You can also cover the bed with wet burlap or paper in order to keep the soil moist during germination. You can categorize herbs by the groups for which they are used. Culinary herbs are probably the modt useful to herb gardeners. They provide a vast range of menu options in cookery.

Because of their strong flavors, herbs like chives, thyme, basil, sage, savory, and marjoram are generally used in small quantities to add flavor to different types of food. Parsley is an extremely popular herb that is used mostly as a garnish. Fragrant herbs have wonderful smelling foliage or flowers. Oils from aromatic herbs like loyage, mint, and rosemary can be used to make different types of perfumes, toilet water, or other various scents. Parts of aromatic herb plants used intact can also be used in the home to scent linens or clothing. For more visit our blog: Herb Gardening Blog

Drying them will allow them to retain their aroma for longer and be used in products such as potpourri.  Great herbs for this are lemon verbena and lavender. Some herbs are also used for medicinal purposes. For centuries herbs have been thought to have the ability to cure the body. Present medical knowledge recognizes that some herbs are beneficial to one’s health, others are overrated. Herbs used for medicinal purposes should be used carefully. Some herbs are harmless but others can be dangerous if eaten.

Many herbs are used for entirely different reasons other than their fragrance healing properties or flavor. They can be used for their shear splendor. can have brilliantly colored flowes and foliage. Herbs like valerian have white flowers with crimson blossoms and borage and chicory have splendid blue flowers. While herbs can be categorized into these different categories of uses, many herbs have multiple purposes. For example, mint may be used for cooking, tea, and pest control. By taking the time to understand herbs, whatever your reason, you will be able to choose the ones most beneficial to you. Click here for more: Herb Gardens

Hydroponics or “working water” is a way of growing plants without soil. Through water the grower provides all of the nutrients they would usually get from the soil for the plant. Hydroponics can easily be used by the home gardener as well as used on a mass production scale. If you are new to hydroponics then a good place to start is growing hydroponic lettuce. The plants are easy to work with and forgiving to novice gardeners.

You will need to prepare for starting your hydroponics garden two weeks in advance of actually planting the lettuce. First of all, gather all the equipment you will need. Get a 5-gallon container and lid to use. Darkness helps keep algae from growing so it is best to use dark plastic containers. You can cover a clear plastic container with dark plastic film or use aluminum foil if that is all you can find. You will also need a growing medium. Oasis root cubes work well for hydroponic lettuce. Root cubes are easy to handle becasue they are a pre-formed growth medium. They should be designed for propagation and ahve a neutral ph. Lettuce seedlings will also be needed of course. Two weeks prior to planting you must insert the seedlings in the growth cube and then place them in a dish of water.

While your seedlings are in water, you can prepare the lid of your container for planting. Take plastic planting cones, and trace their outlines on the lids. Four to six should fit, evenly spaced on a 5 gallon lids; just try to not get too close to the edge. After tracing circles with the plastic planting cones cut them out and insert them into the holes.

Now you can create your water nutrient solution. In hydroponic growing the most crucial step is to remember you must supply via water all the nutrients plants would normally get through the soil. There are many pre-mixed hydroponics solutions on the market, and one of these should be the base for your solution. In a 5-gallon drum you take 2 tsp of pre-mixed hydroponic fertilizer or you can also use 8-15-36, 1 tsp of Epsom salt, and 2 tsp of calcium nitrate. One ingredient at a time should be dissolved in a cup of water and then pour it in the drum. Once you have added your nutrients, fill the drum to near the top with water.

After your seedlings have been sitting in water for two weeks, they are ready to add to the planters. First all secure the lid on the drum with duct tape. Then next thing is toplace the seedlings inside the root cubes and then into the plastic planting cones that you previously prepared and placed in your drum lid. Plenty of sunlight is necessary to grow hydroponic lettuce and equal amounts of indirect as well as direct sunlight works well.

You will need to keep an eye on the plants for any insects or worms. If by chance you see any insects you must remove them by hand. Pesticides are not recommended for growth projects on such a small scale as this even though they are used in hydroponic gardening. Also, keep an eye on the water in the drum, make sure the plants are taking water, and make sure the water level is not getting too low.

Within 4 to 5 weeks, you should have fully grown lettuce plants, ready to pick. It is simple to pick just remove the leaves. Root cubes should not be used more than once though some kinds of hydroponic growth mediums can be recycled.