Tips for Growing Indoor Herbs

Turn on any cooking show and you quickly realize that
dried herbs have no place in your kitchen — at least not according
to the culinary experts. Fresh is best and the freshest
herbs are home-grown. Almost any herb can be grown indoors in
hanging baskets or well-irrigated pots. The trick is to get the
soil and sunlight just right.

Experts in the West Virginia University Extension Office suggest
starting with a mix of two parts sterilized potting soil and one
part coarse sand or perlite. To ensure sweetness of the soil, add 1
teaspoon of lime per five-inch pot. There should be an inch of
gravel at the bottom of each pot to ensure good drainage.

Different herbs have different light requirements (your local
garden shop or greenhouse can provide sunlight advice), but most
need a sunny location. In winter, “grow lamps” or fluorescent lamps
are helpful in supplementing light. Parsley, rosemary and thyme are
good choices for an indoor herb garden as are basil and mint.

Here are growing tips for each variety, courtesy of
indoorherbgarden.org.

Basil

• Basil plants hate the cold. Keep them in a warm place,
  preferably in full sunlight.
• Cut the plant from the top as this encourages new growth. Just
  snip off the top stem right above where it meets four sets of
  leaves below it.
• If you see flowers form, snip them off. This will improve
  growth of the plant and improve the flavor.
• Harvest and prune often, even if you don’t need it right away.
  (Basil freezes well for use in cooking, not in fresh treatments
  such as salad.) The more you harvest, the more it will grow.
• Basil leaves cannot be refrigerated directly. If you need to
  store leaves for a short period of time, put them in a glass of
  water and put that in the fridge.

Rosemary

• Rosemary likes to be constantly moist, but never, ever let the
  roots be oversaturated or sit in water. The best policy is to look
  at your container’s drain holes. If the dirt is damp, there’s no
  need to water. Let the soil dry out between watering, but of
  course, don’t let it stay dry for too long. Rosemary must be in a
  well-drained container.
• 6-8 hours of full sun is important as is good air
  circulation

Parsley

• Rich in vitamins A and C as well as calcium and iron, Parsley
  also makes a great breath freshener.
• It grows best in full sun.
• Parsley is ready to harvest once its leaves begin to curl and
  when it’s produced stems with three segments. Harvest the larger
  leaves at the outside of the plant first just above ground level,
  and allow the newer interior shoots to mature. This will encourage
  faster growth.
• Parsley comes in two varieties: curly leaf and flat leaf. The
  flat leaf variety is preferred for cooking and chopping due to its
  stronger flavor and ease of handling.
• Always pick parsley early in the day when the oils are
  strongest.

Thyme

• Thyme is one of the easiest herbs to grow. It’s best to plant
  it in loose, fast-draining soil that is not very fertile.
• Thyme can be grown as an herb or as an attractive and fragrant
  plant.
• To harvest, just snip leaves off as needed.

Mint

• Mint is one of the great herbs to grow indoors, as it is extremely
  hardy.
• Prune frequently for optimal growth as new leaves are the best
  for cooking.
• Crushing or chopping prior to use brings out the flavor.

Bill & Sheila’s A-Z of herbs
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