Growing herbs indoors is a great way to ensure fresh, tasty herbs all year round. If you’re low on space outside or you simply want your herbs at your reach while you’re whipping up amazing dishes in the kitchen, then growing herbs indoors is the way to go.
Where to Start
Choose herbs that you use most often in your cooking. Your constant harvesting will stimulate growth and generate more tasty leaves for you to enjoy.
Choose a container large enough to accommodate growth. A pot with good drainage works best, and a container underneath to collect any excess water.
Lights, Water, Temperature
Herbs love light. Lots of light! So choose a spot where your little darlings can soak up as much sunshine as possible – around 6 hours of natural light. If your plants grow more stems and fewer leaves, it’s a good sign they aren’t getting enough light. Rotate your pots frequently to prevent your plants leaning too much to one side.
While herbs love light, they don’t like getting too hot. Make sure the spot you’ve chosen is warm and sunny but not so hot that your poor herbs bake in the sun. If your leaves develop brown spots, then you know that your plant is burning in the sun and needs to be moved.
Water each plant according to its needs. Stick your finger into the soil up to the knuckle to see whether your plants need more water. Herbs don’t like having ‘wet feet’ – so ensure you don’t allow water to accumulate at the base of the pot. If the leaves of your herbs turn yellow, it’s a sign that you’re overwatering.
Don’t water the leaves of the plant. Aim the water at the base of the plant where the stem meets the soil.
Learn to spot the signs, your plants will definitely tell you when something isn’t working for them.
For an extra boost, feed your plants once a month with a diluted solution of a foliar feed, sprayed directly on the leaves early in the morning, or water your plants as you would normally with the solution.
One of the best foliar feed around can be made at home using comfrey leaves – this offers loads of wonderful nutrients for your plants!
Fantastic Foliar Feed:
Pick fresh comfrey leaves in the morning
Place in an 8litre plastic bucket with a lid (pack the leaves to the brim)
Place a rock or brick on top of the leaves to weigh them down
Add 600ml of rainwater
Secure the lid onto the bucket and leave in a warm spot for 2-3 weeks until you are left with a dark brown mush. (Leave it for a further week if there isn’t sufficient leaf break down and the water is too light in colour.)
Sieve through a muslin cloth and dilute concentrate 12ml per litre of rain water for a wonderful foliar feed!
