Herbs can spice up a meal, fresh herbs can make it even better. Instead of spending money on herbs in a jar, you can grow an herb garden in a sunny window sill right in your kitchen. Grow perennial herbs, such as chives, mint, sweet fennel and lemon balm. Spice up dishes with annual herbs including anise, summer savory, cilantro and dill. You'll have fresh herbs year round without spending a lot of money.
Instructions
things you'll need:
- Grow lights or fluorescent lights (Optional)
- 6 to 8 inch deep container with drainage holes
- Potting soil
- Water can
- Tray or saucer
- Pebbles or coarse marble chips
- Sharpened pencil
- Water-soluble fertilizer
- Paper towel
- Give herbs between five and eight hours of sun per day, preferably in a window that faces south or west. Move plants to a different window sill to keep the herbs in the sun, or supplement low light levels using grow lights or fluorescent lights. Hang the lights 12 to 18 inches above the herbs.
- 2 Fill a 6-inch deep container with 5 inches of potting soil and an 8 inch deep container with 7 inches of potting soil.
- 3 Put the seeds into the potting soil following the directions for planting depth on the seed packet. Transplant herb seedlings from the pot you bought them in a 6- or 8-inch deep pot. Label the pots with the planting date and name of the herb.
- 4 Set the pots on a tray or saucer filled with pebbles or coarse marble chips to raise humidity around the herbs. Water the newly planted herbs just until water comes out of the drainage holes.
- 5 Check the soil moisture before watering herbs. Stick a sharpened pencil into the soil at the edge of the pot. A damp pencil means there is still moisture in the soil.
- 6 Thin herb seedlings to 1 inch apart when the plants have two or three leaves on them.
- 7 Apply a water-soluble fertilizer, such as 5-10-10, every two to three weeks if you use potting soil without fertilizer in it. Follow the directions on the label for exact times and amount.
- 8 Harvest from one-third to one-half of the bigger leaves on the herb plant at the time flower buds appear. Leave the small leaves on the plants. You can harvest more from annual herbs because they regrow quickly. Wash leaves and stems and let them dry on a paper towel before adding them to food. http://www.ehow.com/how_7187770_do-grow-herbs-window-sill_.html
Growing your own window herb garden can be fun, rewarding and it can save you a lot of money. Any professional chef or even part time, for fun chefs can tell you that the most costly ingredients in any dish are the herbs. Even though you'll only use a pinch of this herb or a dash of that herb, buying the entire container of herbs adds up to one hefty grocery bill.