Not Too Early To Start A Herb Garden - Indoors

By Jos Van Hage

Prince George, B.C. -  There is no comparison in taste when using fresh herbs, especially if they are grown by you!

It is possible to grow your own herbs year round if you provide the right growing conditions. Herbs need lots of light in order to grow well. A south or west window works well, or artificial lighting. Lighting should be hung 8-10 inches above the plants so that the plants receive uniform lighting. If you are using the window sill the herb plants should be turned weekly so that they do not grow lopsided as plants tend to grow towards the light.  

Humidity is another important factor when growing herbs. If you have a south or west facing window sill in your kitchen this would be ideal because kitchens (bathrooms too) tend to have a higher humidity due to cooking, washing, just a higher use of water being used.  The humidity can be raised around plants by placing the herb filled pots on large rock filled trays that has water added to it so that the water level is just below the top layer of rock.  It is important that the water level in the trays is lower than the top layer of rock because you do not want the plants roots to sit in water for any length of time. You an use large trays and place several pots on one tray or group the trays together as the humidity is higher when plants are in groups.

It is best to have one type of herb per pot as different herbs have different growing requirements which leads us to another factor in growing healthy herbs.  Herbs need room to grow so use a good sized pot that is 8 inches deep and at least 4-6 inches wide, with good drainage. Soil is the foundation to a plants roots so always use a high quality indoor potting soil. Moisture is very important to a plants healthy growing and not all plants require the same amounts, most plants are killed by overwatering rather than under watering. Basil, catnip, mint, and parsley prefer to be kept slightly moist, whereas most of the other herbs only need water when the top of the soil is dry to the touch. Always give a thorough watering using room temperature water and drain away any excess water after 10-15 minutes. Plants need to be nourished with fertilizer so every 3-4 weeks give a mild solution of water soluble 20-20-20 fertilizer.  

You can start herbs by seed now, and some of the easier herbs to start from seed are the many types of basil, parsley, dill (shorter varieties for indoors) savory, etc and these are available now in the seed racks.  McKenzie seeds offer collection series of herbs with more than one variety per packet. These are great because you do not need to buy a lot of packets containing lots of seeds. The seeds in the collection series are placed on seed discs which only need to be placed in the soil and
watered according to the directions on the packet. You can also purchase regular packets of seeds and plant only as many as you need at the time and replant more seeds later and then plant them outdoors over the spring/summer.

To keep plants bushy pinch out the tips and use them which encourages new growth and side shoots, and also by harvesting leaves and stems the plants will continue to produce increasing your yields. Some herbs are annuals and will only last a season while other herbs such as bay lavender, rosemary etc are perennials and will continue to grow but will need a rest through the winter months. So place these in a cooler area of the home where they will receive enough light and cut down on the moisture and fertilizer. During the summer months all herbs can be placed outdoors and then brought in again in late summer before risk of frost.  

 Why not plant up some herb seeds and begin to enjoy the fresh, tasty, harvest in your own kitchen. 

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