So after years and years of city living, you’ve submitted to the fact that you’ll never have that beautiful garden you grew up tending with your grandma. You’ll never have fresh basil for your summer pasta, or organic dill for your salmon. You’ve come to terms with it and you’ll get over it…eventually.
What if we told you you could have your cake and eat it too?! In this post we’ll share wonderful advice for growing your OWN indoor, kitchen countertop herb garden! You’ll never have to pay for fresh herbs again, or leave the comfort of your kitchen, for that matter.
Let’s get growing! Note some tips may vary based on the size of your kitchen, amount of sunlight your apartment receives, herbs you pick, etc.
Tips
Tip 1 – Pick Your Pot
Be sure that it is big enough to fit about 5 different herbs, but small enough to fit on your kitchen counter, or window sill, or wherever gets great natural light!
Tip 2 – Pick Your Herbs
This may require a bit of research as a good rule of thumb is to keep similar herbs with similar herbs. For example, rosemary, sage, marjoram, oregano, and parsley all go very nicely together, preferring relatively dry soil and lots of sunshine. You may also consider herbs that all prefer slightly wetter soil;chives, basil, and cilantro for example.
Tip 3 – Choose Live Plants or Seeds
Start with small plants or seeds like these ones, and remember that because you’re hoping to grow multiple herbs in just one pot, you’ll need to trim plants frequently to keep the garden healthy. (If you are using the herbs to cook quite often, or as a classy addition to a cocktail, this shouldn’t be an issue!). Live plants are fine if you’re in a rush, but they will be more expensive, you’re likely to have less options in terms of variety, and you’ll be missing out on the satisfaction of being truly able to say “I grew that myself!”
Tip 4 – Drainage
Herbs can survive (and thrive) in containers, but just make sure that your container has good drainage and is large enough to accommodate five plants. Roughly 12 inches long by 10 inches wide should be a good ballpark, but again, that can vary based on the size of your kitchen.
Tip 5 – Spacing
Arrange the plants with plenty of space, making sure to loosen the roots before planting.
Tip 6 – Arrange thoughtfully
Some herbs may have a tendency to drape, such as rosemary or marjoram. Plant these types of herbs around the edges of the pot to accommodate their growth style.
Tip 7 – Watering
When it’s time to water, you can place the entire pot under your kitchen sink, allowing it to drain completely after soaking.
Tip 8 – Give Them Lots of Light
Herbs can survive in a sunny window sill. We generally recommend 6+hrs a day of direct/unobstructed light. If that’s not an option, then a grow light will be your plants friend. You may need to move them around for a little while until they find their favorite spot. Plants are great at letting you know what they do and do not like, so there may be some trial and error until you find that sweet spot!
Ready to start growing your own? Grab one of our seed starter kits here.Happy planting, picking, and eating!
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