INDOOR HERB GARDENING

Many people live in an area where it may be impossible to plant a garden. They may live in an apartment or townhouse and only have a small deck or patio. But this does not mean that they can't enjoy gardening. They can plant their own indoor herb garden and have fresh seasonings for their gourmet dishes and save money by growing their own herbs.

The first thing you should do is to pick a good location for your little garden. Since herbs are used mainly in cooking, an area in the kitchen would be ideal. Try to pick a spot that provides enough sun and is easy access. You can either grow your herbs from seeds or you can go to your local nursery and purchase plant seedlings. The herbs that are most commonly used in indoor herb gardens are oregano, mint, rosemary, chives and thyme. These can be used in a variety of popular recipes.

Oregano is used in almost every common Italian recipe. Chives may be used to season salads and vegetables. Rosemary is a good meat seasoning. Mint can be brewed to make tea or it can be used to garish soups. Thyme is used to flavor fish and poultry. So as you can see, these popular herbs can be used for a lot of different dishes.

An important thing to remember in choosing pots to plant your herbs in, is that they must have good drainage. If your herbs do not have good drainage they will rot.

The containers should have drainage holes in the bottom. Water them only as recommended and be careful not to over water them. Check your soil before watering. If the soil is still moist, hold off on watering and check it again the next day. The main cause of an unsuccessful indoor herb garden is too much watering which leads to root rot. Another big advantage of an indoor herb garden is that the whole family can get involved. The kids may want to paint the planting pots with designs or their names. It can be very exciting and educational for a child to watch as a plant goes from a tiny seed to a huge plant that is used in cooking.

You can also dry your herbs for later use. Simply place the cut herbs on a cake cooling rack. Once dried, the herbs will last up to one year in a well sealed container. Metal containers are not recommended though, because the metal will react with the oils in the herbs. This will cause the herb to lose it's flavor.

Do your research and choose your favorite herbs for your indoor herb garden. There is nothing like the flavor that a fresh herb can provide to your favorite dishes!