The Best Way to Grow Herbs in Pots
by George Barrett

Herbs are often grown outdoors, but they can just as easily be grown inside in pots and containers. Some folks grow them in window boxes and hanging baskets. To grow herbs in indoors in pots is no more difficult than growing them outside in the garden. Indoor herbs have just the same growing requirements that outdoor herbs do.

All plants need three important things to grow successfully; water, soil and sunlight, and herbs are no exception. Sunlight is a necessary component to growing almost all plants including herbs. And it doesn't matter whether they are indoors or outside in a garden. Make sure you position the herbs grown in the kitchen or in another room with a south or west facing window to get the best kind of sunlight. Different types of herbs have different light requirements but, for the most part, all need a sunny location. Some people growing herbs indoors go to the trouble of supplementing the light source with "grow lamps" or fluorescent lamps.

Well drained soil is a must with soil that is not too rich for them to grow in. Make up the soil with two parts of potting soil which should be sterilized and one part of perlite or coarse sand for container grown herbs. You will also want to add around an inch of gravel at the bottom of each pot to make sure that the plant has good drainage. Indoor herbs should also have a supplement of one teaspoon of lime to each 5-inch pot to make the soil nice and sweet for the herbs. They will also need water and should be misted using a fine spray to moisten the pebbles. This will benefit your herbs by keeping them in the humid conditions they love. Since they are being grown in containers they do need to have more water then herbs that are grown in a garden but, you must avoid like the plague getting the roots of your precious herbs too wet.

An advantage of container grown herbs is that you have the freedom to move them about as you please. Annual herbs can kept indoors all the time whereas perennial herbs will benefit if they are placed outside during the summer, although all herbs should be brought inside before the first frost in order to avoid the loss of foliage. This rule can be ignored when growing chives, mint or tarragon. These are the herbs that have a natural rest period after which they grow firmer and stronger growth after they experience a light frost.

All herbs can be grown in containers but some herbs do better than others. Mint is an herb that needs to be contained or it will take over the garden.

Maintaining an herb garden indoors is comparatively easy. It keeps the herbs handy and within reach anytime you need them for cooking. With these tips listed above, you will be able to care for your herbs and ensure a healthy plant. Make sure you undertake light feeding every now and then and repot once each year to encourage optimum health. Remember to you must replant your annuals yearly and give your perennials a holiday outdoors when you think they feel like one!

Do use your herbs often harvest them frequently. It is a well-known fact that if you want to encourage plants to grow they must be pruned. This is just as true for herbs.

So don't hesitate to pick them and use them in your recipes and enjoy the fruits of your labours..

For an excellent ebook on Herb Growing CLICK  HERE

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