The Window Sill Herb Garden
With a window sill herb garden just outside you kitchen, for example, you will be adding color, warmth and fragrance to your home. There is an abundance of reasons why people might prefer to have a window sill herb garden as opposed to one that grows outside. One of those reasons is that by having their herb garden indoors, they don’t have to deal with the elements of weather and can grow them all year long.
Most common herbs will be very happy growing on a windowsill herb garden, but some happier than others. Plants like oregano are ideal because it is compact in size and has a truly wonderful flavor. Basil, as well as rosemary, are two additiional herbs which will do wonderfully in your windowsill herb garden. Herbs can serve different purposes. Some, like rosemary, can repel pests and fungus while others may flower and bring beauty, provide wonderful taste to your dishes, or have medicinal uses.
These herbal plants will invariably do best on windowsills that face south or southeast, since, for northern hemisphere locations, that is the direction of greatest sunlight. Most plants prefer maximum sunlight for growth and health and herbal plants are no different. Herbal plants prefer at least five hours of sunlight per day. Also, remember to keep them from enduring drafts, especially during the cooler winter months.
You can grow from seed if you like, but many people find it advantageous to start by purchasing seedlings in pots which are 6-12″ deep. You also have the option to buy herb garden kits. These window sill herb garden kits come complete with the containers, the plants (usually already sprouting or with seed planted within the soil), and instructions on the different varieties of herbs and how to care for them.
But plants are living things and can’t just be put on auto-grow. You need to know about them, such as their gestation periods, when to cut back and prune, harvest and dry, store and use. Plants can compete with each other and you need to be aware of when one is overcrowding another and will need to be cut back. Since wanting the windowsill herb garden to look as good as it can is one of your objectives (I assume), you can be sure it will need your presence mentally as well as physically.
Be careful about the amount of water you give your herbal plants. They don’t do well in damp soil, so water sparingly, but don’t leave them without water, either. If your new kit is already in flower, go slowly. Don’t jump in and cut them back right away. Give them time to acclimatize to their new environment. Also, if you live in a location, such as an apartment complex in a city, and don’t have access to good sunlight in any window, you can purchase artificial light. Generally, your plants will thrive under this kind of light, but it’s always good to check with the nursery or kit maker to be sure.
A window sill herb garden is a great way to spend your free time and if you’re an avid cook, you understand that there is no substitute for having fresh spices and herbs at your disposal. Having your own herb garden sitting on your windowsill will inspire new and wonderful creations in your kitchen, as well as fill your home with the warm and inviting fragrance of some of the world’s favorite plants.
