Container Garden 411

If you are like me, I absolutely love the smell of fresh herbs. However, buying fresh herbs at the grocery store would often make my wallet cry, so I would pass them up. Often times I didn’t buy enough or they would spoil before I used them all.  So like me, Container Herb Gardening can give you an abundant, readily available supply of fresh herbs. It doesn’t matter if your living quarters are small because you can put the containers inside in the kitchen within reach.  Even next to the coffee pot.

Growing herbs in containers is the perfect gift for gardening friends, as well as for cooking. Take into account these 3 tips for the successful container herb garden, for some flavorful and or smelly results.

Tip #1.  Select the herbs you want to grow. Choose from basil, oregano, rosemary, sage, thymes, parsley, mints and dill. All are easy to grow in containers, require very little maintenance, and are adaptable for a wide variety of dishes. Plants such as lavender and yarrow spread quickly and can take up all your space, so these are ideal for container herb gardening in small batches.

You will want to grow herbs that you will actually cook with. Because your fresh herbs are full of flavor and not diluted, you only need to use half the amount of fresh herbs as store bought herbs in recipes. In fact, when substituting dried herbs for fresh herbs, one tablespoon of fresh herbs equals about one teaspoon of dried herbs. You might even consider growing a container full of organically grown herbs. It’s safer for you and less expensive because you aren’t using pesticides. Organic pest control is a comprehensive approach instead of a chemical approach.

Tip #2.  Seeds or budding plantings’ are viable options. Growing herbs in a small garden is quite affordable especially if you start from seeds. Don’t skimp on seeds of good quality, go ahead and spend a little more. Remember seeds can spoil just like other natural food products.  I typically don’t get my seeds from plants, but it’s your choice. In doing that, you just need to understand how to properly dry out and store the seed. Remember to check the dates on the package, to ensure your seeds are fresh.

If you are using plants to start your container garden, plant the plants at the same height.  If you plant them too shallow, some hair roots may be exposed. If you plant them too deep, they may choke or suffocate due the all the soil overhead. Also, check to see if your plants have become root bound. If roots start coming out of the drainage holes, replant them in a larger container. Roots have feelings too. Have you ever worn a pair of pants and have gotten a wedge. Ouch. !

Tip #3.  Where are you placing the containers (pots, etc.)? Mother Nature will not provide the right amount of water and sunshine. Container herb gardening provides the mobility necessary to protect your herbs from bad weather and seasonal conditions, as well as hungry animals and insects. Inside, you can place your containers in the right location for the herbs they contain. Most herb plants require similar growing conditions: a minimum of six hours of sunlight per day. Plants may need full sun, partial sun or partial shade. For example, parsley and thyme like to be in a sunny spot. Plants will only receive what you give them; therefore, you will be able to regulate the pH, nutrients, nutrient strength, water amount, and light amount. This makes it important that you research the plants you will be growing so you know what they need to survive.

Now that your vision has been expanded, you can see that the possibility of creating that special herb container garden that can happen now. You will be able to incorporate all of your 5 senses; touch, taste, smell, feel. What you will hear is everyone applauding the wonderful flavor or smell you create. Using these 3 tips for a successful container herb garden will have you well on your way to herb heaven.

See also: Herb Container Garden Soil Needs

For people who reside in an apartment or condo and are interested in planting a garden but have a modest amount of space on hand to them, growing herbs inside is the ideal answer. And for those who desire to have fresh herbs right through the year, growing herbs inside whether it’s one plant or five, can provide what you require.  Whether you’re growing herbs as a food additive or to have an large quantity of flowering and fragrant herbs to display on the windowsill, balcony, patio or screened porch, growing herbs inside is easy to do and requires little maintenance or time.  

Successfully Growing Herbs Inside  

Growing herbs inside can be very successful but in order to achieve this requires several specific steps in order to make it possible. First, the herbs need to be planted, either from seed or a plant, in a large enough container that will allow the plant to grow and expand. Next, the soil needs to be a high quality potting soil and there needs to be good drainage within the container. For growing herbs inside that will be healthy, it is vital that they be placed in a location that provides at least 6 hours of full sun. Grow lights can be used to aid in prolonging the light needed. It’s also important that the temperature be moderate for the plants. Some herbs are better suited for indoors such as rosemary, chives and oregano while others, such as basil and fennel, are not well-suited to growing indoors. 

Options For Growing Herbs Inside

For ornamental herb plants such as sage and scented geraniums, growing herbs inside is possible but there is also the option of creating a container herb garden. A container herb garden works well when there are areas available such as a patio or screened porch where large containers can be filled with different types of herbs as well as flowering herbs.  While the indoor herbs are usually in smaller containers and regulated to windowsills, container gardens can use larger vessels such as clay pots or even window boxes that are not only decorative, but will also allow for a larger number of herb plants to be grown year round. As the weather changes, container gardens can be easily moved inside. Container gardens are an asset when it comes to having little or no yard space for a traditional garden.  

Reminders For Growing Herbs Inside 

In order to have the best tasting and most fragrant herbs, keep in mind when growing herbs inside that they need a lot of sunlight, good drainage, moderate temperatures, watering only when needed, a quality potting soil and depending on the type of herb, a minimum of plant food.