How to Grow Fresh Herbs

Having access to fresh herbs in your own home, whether it's from an indoor or outdoor garden, is a great luxury. Fresh herbs can add so much flavor to a dish - imagine being able to just walk a few steps and snip a few leaves of basil or mint. Is there anything better? Oh, and the best part - it's virtually free.

Now, you might be thinking: fresh herbs are great, but how do I go about planting them, Audi Cary? Do I plant indoors or outdoors? What kind of soil do I use? What herbs can I plant that I won't kill before the week is done?

Never fear, follow these easy steps and you'll be on the road to fresh herbs in no time. You do have to follow the steps, though. We can't be held responsible if you forget to water your indoor herbs because you've been watching reruns of Lost.

Indoor Herbs

For indoor herbs planted on a windowsill, start off by choosing the right spot. You'll want to find a window that gets a lot of sunlight all year round. Next, choose the herbs you want to plant and buy them at a local nursery or home supply store. You'll probably want to choose the ones you use most while cooking. Then again, if you're really nervous about gardening, these easy herbs should give you no trouble at all: basil, oregano, parsley, mint, thyme, chives, and rosemary.

When choosing a container, try to find one that's between six and 12 inches deep. Multiple herbs can be grown in a long container, just research which herbs grow well together. For example, basil, cilantro and rosemary get alog nicely. If you're potting individually, go for a container that's at least six inches tall. If you are thinking about planting mint, you'll definitely want to plant that one in its own pot. Given the opportunity, mint will overtake your whole yard.

When choosing a potting mix, make sure to find one that's light so it will drain well, and doesn't contain soil, so you can avoid soil-born diseases. Plant your herb in two to three inches of the potting mix. Then fill in around the plant with more potting mixture. Leave about an inch at the top for watering.

Be careful not to over-water your plant. And don't forget to fertilize your plant once a month with a fertilizer that can be used on edible plants.

Outdoor Herbs

If you want to be a bit more adventurous, try planting your herbs in an outdoor garden. Again, choose the location in the yard where you will put your garden. Make sure the patch of yard gets plenty of sunlight and that there's good drainage around it. You can make your outdoor garden any size you want.

Make sure to feed the soil in your garden with compost before planting your herbs. This will ensure that the water will drain away appropriately. After your herbs have been planted, put two to three inches of mulch around them. This will help the soil retain its moisture.

If you're starting your outdoor herb garden from seed packets, follow the instructions carefully on the back of the packet. If you're planting a seedling from a friend, make sure to plant the seed no deeper than twice the size of the seed. Then make sure you adequately water the area.

Once your indoor or outdoor herb garden has been planted, let your plants grow for a few weeks before using them. You wouldn't want them to die before you had a chance to cook with them at least once, after all.

Image: French Tart-FT CC BY 2.0