If your mother grew her own vegetables and herbs, you no doubt remember those wonderful smells and tastes with fondness, especially in the summertime. When the season ended, especially if you grew up in one of the northern states, the food tended to become humdrum. If you long for those wonderful foods seasoned with herbs and don't have space to grow the herbs outdoors, why not try growing them indoors? They will grow and flourish and you can still use organic principles even though they are growing indoors. You don't need an outdoor garden; you just need a sunny window. Be patient with yourself at first because even if you've been successful as an outdoor gardener, indoor gardening calls for different skills. Successful indoor gardeners develop that same sense that successful outdoor gardeners do–they know when their plants are in trouble and need attention, and they have a “feel” for the best growing conditions. Following are some tips that deal with some of the most-often-reported problems.
Watering Indoor Beds
In watering, your first goal should be to avoid the rotting of your herbs’ roots, so use a mix of soil that will drain well. As a guideline, look at cactus-growing soils, which are intended to drain exceptionally well. If you don't want to buy the cactus soils, just go to your garden store and look at the content and imitate it. However, mixing sand in a planting mix that is soilless and using one portion of sand to four of soil is a good way to go. The second goal, of course, is to avoid letting the plants get too thirsty, so when you add water, test the soil with your finger. It should be dry to about your second knuckle before you add more. Fish fertilizer is a good choice for indoor herbs and should be added once a month. There is some smell at first but it soon goes away.
Moisturize the Air
Just as important as the soil environment is that of the air surrounding your herbs. They need to breathe in moist air. Pebbles in your tray are a good solution here. You don't want the bottoms of your pots to come in contact with water, so fill the tray to a level just short of them. Keep an eye on the pebbles and make sure they don't dry out. Your herbs will love you and reward you by flourishing!
Location, Location, Location
Your herbs not only crave but require sunshine, the more direct the better. At least five hours a day are vital. Walk around your house at various times of day and pick the window that has sun for at least that long. A south-facing window will probably be the best choice, so try that one first. If you tend not to get much sunshine during certain months, it's wise to arrange fluorescent lights so they provide light for those months. Make it convenient for yourself so all you have to do is turn the switch. Fourteen hours a day of fluorescent lighting is a good guide to start with. Observe your precious herbs and try different times. Don't let the lights get too close to your plants–six to eight inches is good for starters. However, you don't want the lights too far away. Your herbs will have to work too hard to reach the light. You can tell if this is happening if they get tall and skinny. Some good herbs to grow indoors are basil, parsley, oregano, chives, rosemary, and sage. Experiment! If you have one you really like and use a lot, try it–dill, for example. Temperatures of 65 to 70 degrees are ideal for indoor plants. Also, protect your plants from drafts and give them good air circulation. Be careful about crowding the pots together. It's always a temptation to get more in less space.
Bringing Outdoor Plants Indoors
If you do have an outdoor garden, you can dig up the herbs you want to keep and transplant them in your indoor garden. It's wise to select the strongest, most robust plants, and be sure to start the process before the first frost. Your pots should be large enough to allow about two inches of space around the roots. Water them and check for insects. If you find any of the little buggers, use soap spray on the leaves. Leave these pots outdoors for about a week away from direct sunlight to help them make the transition to the indoor environment. Be sure to keep them watered. After a week, you’re ready to bring them indoors.
Concluding Thoughts
It's best to use tepid water on all your indoor plants. Remember to snip! You don't want your herbs to flower. Your outdoor-plants-brought-indoors may tend to grow woody sooner than the fresh-planted ones. When this happens, the best solution is to start over and plant seeds.
By TTS Cofounder Botanical Chef Omid Jaffari
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