So, You Want
To Grow
An Indoor Herb Garden?

Some things you need
to know before you begin...

What's so exciting about an indoor herb garden? Well, picture yourself simmering a pot of homemade spaghetti sauce on the stove. All you need to complete your delectable creation are some fresh herbs such as basil, Italian parsley or thyme which will add the perfect finishing touch.

So you hop on over to your little indoor herb garden perched so beautifully near your windowsill, pluck the herbs you need, give them a quick chop and stir them in.

Ah, juuuuuust right.

Yep, you figure it's HIGH TIME for you to create your very own adorable little indoor herb garden.

Well, as I've learned, it's not exactly that easy.

There's actually quite a bit to know about starting your own indoor herb garden, and those who are successful with their own garden only make it LOOK easy.

You see, I don’t usually jump into anything without researching the HECK out of it. Maybe you’re the same way? In fact, your need to research this topic could be what brought you right here to this page.

So what did I find out in all my research about starting an indoor herb garden?

A lot.

In fact, what I learned in my research convinced me of two main things:

• I had to at all costs avoid creating an indoor herb garden
• I had to immediately begin creating an indoor herb garden

I can hear you now: “What the heck are you talking about, crazy lady? That makes no sense!!!!”

Ahhhhh, but it DOES make sense, and if you’ll follow me on this short journey you’ll understand EXACTLY what I mean.

So, without further ado, please allow me to share with you what I learned about how to create and maintain an indoor herb garden.. I truly hope it will help you to decide if you have the time and the desire to begin your very own garden too.

Indoor Herb Garden Water Requirements

If you grow an indoor herb garden, here’s what you’ll need to know about watering:

• You'll likely need to water every day or every other day, which means you'll need to be present to water often;
• If you can't be around to water, you need to find a "plant sitter" (someone you can entrust your babies to);
• Add enough water to keep the soil damp to the touch BUT don’t water so much that the plants sit in wet soil;
• Once you see sprouts you must be sure to not overwater or you’ll encounter something called “root rot”.

Watering seems to be a bit of a balancing act, and seems to be the demise of most indoor gardens, especially in the winter when indoor heat seems to dry the soil out more quickly.

The biggest question seems to be: Do you have time to devote to watering nearly every day?

Sassy weighs in: Uh-oh. The first little crimp in my plan. My schedule is superbly busy. I have 3 verrrry tall plants in my home which require watering once per week. And sometimes I can’t even fit THAT in. It seemed to me that my little garden might turn out to be a bunch of little prima donnas, either drowning in my overexuberant watering or withering away for lack of moisture. Ack! But undeterred, I pressed on...

Indoor Herb Garden Sunlight Requirements

If you grow an indoor herb garden, your herbs will need:

• 4-6 hours DIRECT sunlight every day, except basil and coriander (cilantro) which do better with 8 or more hours DIRECT sunlight;
• A south or west-facing view;
• A window spot -- very important! But the herbs cannot tolerate drafts;
• You must rotate the plants often for balanced light;
• Most plants need lots of light except parsley, rosemary, thyme and mint which only need partial shade;
• Because many plants will require a lighting boost, a purchase and setup of 2-3 fluorescent lights above plants may be necessary.
• You need at least a 5” windowsill to hold not only the pot but a saucer to catch excess water;

It seems to me that the lighting situation is likely the most important aspect to starting your garden, and should be carefully thought out. The last thing you want is for your little garden to die out from lack of sunlight, which would be extremely sad. :O(

Sassy weighs in: Things were beginning to look a little grim. I just don't have the window space these little guys would need to thrive. MAYBE I could rig up some lighting in one of my north-facing windows...

Indoor Herb Garden Potting Requirements

If you grow an indoor herb garden, your potting requirements look something like this:

• You can start several types of seeds in one large pot, but it’s best to start with small pots so your herbs don’t begin to take on the taste of one another;
• BUT if you start in very small containers, you must transplant eventually or the roots will get cramped and use up all the nutrients almost immediately;
• BUT STILL AGAIN if you transplant your herbs from the original pot, it can be strenuous to the herbs;


(Sassy sez: My head is starting to spin with all these repotting rules.)


• You must be sure to purchase the correct seeds, because indoor seeds don’t need as much room to roam;
• Soil must drain fast, so you need pots with holes in the bottom plus a layer of stones or gravel under the soil.

Sassy weighs in: This is starting to look like more work than I expected.

Indoor Herb Garden Soil and Fertilizer Requirements

If you grow an indoor herb garden, here are some of the things you’ll need to know about soil and fertilizer:

• First of all, it’s very difficult to get a straight answer about exactly what type of soil (if any) you need!

  First I learned that you need to grow your herbs in a poor soil using absolutely no fertilizer if you want to gain a stronger flavor from your herbs.

  But then I learned you need soil-less potting mix to avoid soil-born disease.

  Finally I learned you need a soil mixed w/compost. Well, that seemed to make sense. But then the person went on to say you have to test the pH and then add kelp meal which adds hormones to the plants.

OY VEY!

• But there’s more you need to know about soil and fertilizer, including which additives to add to your soil, such as one or more of the following:

  * Coconut fiber
  * Perlite
  * Worm castings
  * Hydrated lime
  * Nutrients
  * Vitamin B1
  * Vermiculite
  * Peat
  

  And this isn’t an exhaustive list!

• Finally, you MUST be sure to choose fertilizer meant for edibles (which I figure is probably a pretty important little point), and be sure to add enough fertilizer so the plants are healthy, but not too much fertilizer or they’ll lose their flavor and scent.

Sassy weighs in: I don’t know about you, but I'm beginning to wonder if I have the time to figure out all the intricacies of my indoor herb garden.

Things seem to be getting awfully confusing…

Other Things You Might Need To Know About An Indoor Herb Garden

And boy is there more to learn a lot about growing herbs!

For instance:

• Your herbs need 4-6 hours DIRECT sunlight each and every day, except basil and coriander (cilantro) which do better with 8 or more hours DIRECT sunlight;
• Marjoram, oregano, sage, bay, and thyme must dry out between waterings;
• Rosemary needs lots of sun -- or is it lots of shade? I read many differing opinions on this. I guess it's a crap shoot! Oh, and there's also different opinions about soil: some say to NEVER let the soil dry out completely, and others say you MUST let the soil dry out completely. Calgon, take me away!
• Lemon balm mint, and scented geraniums enjoy moister conditions;
• Water basil from the base, not the top;
• Basil is easy to grow but turns sad-looking after a few weeks indoors;
• Do not plant dill with fennel.

Sassy weighs in: OMG! These little guys are pickier than me!

There IS An Easier Way

But don't despair.

Because if you've reached the conclusion (as I did) that an indoor herb garden just seems like too much work, hassle and headache, keep reading.

I was VERY HAPPY to discover that there's an easier way.

A Little Secret...

• NO sunlight or precious window space;
• NO repotting;
• NO confusing fertilizers;
• NO messy soil;
• NO time-consuming watering schedule;
• NO picky rules to understand.

And while it MIGHT BE a little more expensive than a conventional indoor garden (although when all is said and done I can’t be exactly certain), it's so bloody easy to set up and use that you just might find it's worth it to pursue your dream of your very own indoor herb garden.

Introducing My New Indoor Garden...

I did just that.

And I did it using a unique little kitchen appliance called the Aerogarden.

Watch this miraculous little indoor garden in action:

And remember what I said earlier. The Aerogarden requires:

• NO sunlight or precious window space -- perfect for small condos (like mine), apartments and high rises;
• NO repotting
• NO time-consuming watering schedule;
• NO confusing fertilizers;
• NO messy soil;
• NO picky rules to understand.

If you think this little appliance just might be what you've been looking for, then follow this link to order your own Aerogarden. Includes free shipping on orders over $25.

Wishing the chef inside of you an indoor herb garden that’s delectably plentiful and always brings you happiness.

With love and respect,





p.s. The Aerogarden makes a very cool gift for your favorite cook's birthday. Also, keep it in mind for Mother's Day and Father's Day. :)

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