How to
Grow Herbs Indoors
Do you want to enjoy fresh herbs all year long without making frequent trips to the local market? Say no more! It’s easy to have all the fresh aromatic plants you want when you grow your own herbs indoors. A few trustworthy planters and gardening tools are some of the basic items you’ll need to start your indoor garden. Don’t worry about having a green thumb just yet. At Pottery Barn, we’re here to help you learn the basics of growing herbs indoors. It’s a wonderfully easy way to enjoy all the benefits that fresh, vibrant herbs have to offer.
Benefits of Growing Herbs Indoors
For many people who live in large urban areas, the closest item to an indoor garden is a glass terrarium. These mini greenhouses have small footprints while still offering big style. It’s also common for people who live in shared homes to not have access to a yard to create their own outdoor gardens. This is one of the reasons why many small-space dwellers find an indoor herb garden so appealing. Growing an indoor herb garden is a fun project for children, too. Youngsters love planting the seeds and getting to watch the plants grow. Gardening with family creates a rewarding and memorable experience that you can cherish for a lifetime.
Gardening Made Easy
Unlike outdoor gardens, indoor gardens can take less time to cultivate and maintain. You won’t have to think about digging up rocks, picking out weeds or moving sprinklers around to keep plants healthy. You’re also in control of the type of soil and other nutrients that your plants receive, giving indoor herbs a better chance at thriving. Another advantage to having an indoor herb garden is that you can have all the fresh herbs you want, even in the middle of winter.
Indoor Herb Garden Ideas
Basil, dill, marjoram, rosemary and thyme are among a few of the most versatile herbs that many cooks have in their kitchens. One of the great things about growing a garden indoors is that you can cultivate herbs for recipes that may not be easy to find at the local market. In addition to being prized for their culinary attributes, many people seek out fresh herbs for their specific benefits. Many people value lavender for its soothing aroma, and decorate their bedsides with it for an easier time falling asleep. If you enjoy using certain herbs and plants in more ways than one, they’re definite must-haves for your herb garden. The great thing is that, even if these plants don’t normally grow well in your local weather, you can control their climate indoors to help them flourish.
Dress it Up
Dressing up your indoor herb garden with seasonal decor makes your home feel even more inviting. Adding small ceramic figures, pieces of mosaic or even small glass ornaments can enhance the look of your small herb garden, and fill your space with color and cheer. You may also want to try hanging live moss letters that spell out your name above your garden to highlight your spectacular display of greenery. You can further dress up an herb garden with other pots of hearty botanicals, like low-maintenance succulent and stone arrangements.
Location is Key
One of the first things people typically do before starting an indoor herb garden is to decide which types of herbs they want to grow. Before rushing out and choosing all your favorite herbs at once, choose herbs that can thrive in for your space. Some plants may need direct sunlight, while others do best when exposed to filtered sunlight. You can also find innovative lighting solutions to help compensate for spaces that have low natural light. If you’re unsure, snap a few pictures on your phone and show them to someone at your local nursery. They can answer questions and see which spaces in your home have the lighting you need for each plant.
Choosing Planters
When growing herb gardens from scratch, think about choosing a planter that works well for your selected herbs and their needs. Galvanized steel planters are lightweight and come in a variety of sizes and styles to choose from, making them easy to match with your existing decor. If you’re thinking about a heavier container, consider using pottery planters, especially for indoor herb gardens that are near breezy windows or doorways. If you have just a small room for a garden and want to plant more than one herb variety, think about planting herbs with similar light and watering requirements that you can consolidate into one planter. Once you choose the proper location and planting materials, like pots and soil, all that’s left is to plant the seeds and care for them as they grow. You’ll be enjoying all the benefits of growing an indoor herb garden before you know it.