Create your own herb garden in your kitchen
Chives, basil, parsley, coriander ... What could be nicer than making a dish with fresh herbs at hand? Enjoy all year round by growing them in your home. Follow our practical tips for creating an aromatic herb site at home.
How to grow indoor herbs?
All aromatic plants can not be grown at home. Rest assured, however, most herbs commonly used in cooking are suitable for this type of culture. Among the most common are dill, basil, chives, coriander, tarragon, mint, parsley, rosemary, sage, savory and thyme. Before anything else, it is imperative to choose a place that is sufficiently bright and airy to welcome them. A window sill, a piece of furniture, a shelf ... Each species has different needs . You should be able to find a place for each plant. Thus, while most herbs such as thyme, savory or rosemary enjoy sunshine, others such as mint or parsley prefer shady spots. Now that you have dedicated a space to each aromatic herb, you still have to decide whether you will opt for seedlings or seeds, the first option being the simplest. You will find a multitude of herb plants in most shops. For the realization of sowing, rely on the calendar the flowering period the most adapted, ideally to consult on Internet.
After buying your plant, place it in a larger pot, made of plastic or earthenware, so that it will start again quickly. The best is to opt for a tray pierced in the bottom to ensure good drainage. Then transplant the plants using a peat-free potting soil or a nutrient-rich potting soil. To preserve them, water them regularly but in moderation . The earth must always remain wet . Water preferably in the morning or in the evening , especially on hot summer days. In summer, a daily watering will be necessary while in winter, watering every two to three days will be enough. Well maintained, the majority of herbs are kept for a year . You will have to buy new plants every year and transplant them. Others like thyme, mint, sage and rosemary are persistent. Year after year, they grow back. To make them even more beautiful and promote the renewal process, it is strongly recommended to repot them each year. A new potting soil will allow a faster regrowth of the plant. To promote this, add a little fertilizer.
Errors to avoid
Learn to know the herbs in their diversity so that they do not make mistakes during their cultivation. We've listed a list of mistakes to avoid when growing your indoor herbs. Who would not be tempted to put all the plants in the same pot? Practical and aesthetic, this solution requires to know the needs of different herbs. For example, basil and parsley need shade while thyme thrives in full sun. The same goes for water needs. Basil should be watered much more frequently than thyme. Another mistake would be to believe that a bin of a size similar to that in which you bought the seedlings will be enough. If the container is not adequate, you will realize it at the time of the annual repotting. The roots of the plant must be white. If this is not the case, it means that the pot is too small. When you want to consume part of the plant in the kitchen, be careful not to cut too short the risk of curbing regrowth. First, eat leaves at the top to promote branching. Also, avoid picking leaves on a plant that is too young . Finally, do not water your herbs too much . Rosemary, thyme and bay leaves in particular fear excess water. Now it's your turn !