Grow a Thriving Herb Garden

Even in a small apartment, you can grow a thriving herb garden.

Step 1: Choose a great location

You can grow your herbs anywhere – or even spread them throughout your apartment – as long as they’re placed in a warm, sunny window. Most people centralize their herbs in the kitchen, where they are most likely to use them. Having a variety of herbs growing right there on the counter top can be a great way to inspire a creative twist on an otherwise routine Tuesday evening dinner.

Not sure what to grow? Here’s a list of common culinary herbs that are great for beginners:

• Basil – great in tomato sauce, or sliced with fresh mozzarella.
• Oregano – another natural paired with tomatoes, or even sprinkled on pizza.
• Thyme – wonderful on roasted potatoes.
• Rosemary – think grilled meat!
• Parsley – not just for garnish! Pair parsley with lemon and butter, then melt over fish.
• Chives – baked potatoes just aren’t the same without fresh chives.
• Mint – grows like a weed, and tastes wonderful on just about any dessert. Good for nibbling right off the plant too.

Step 2: Gather your materials

You don’t need to spend a fortune to have a great herb garden. After all, one of the perks of growing your own herbs is the huge cost savings over purchasing fresh or dried herbs in the grocery store. Actually, as you start using your own herbs you’ll find that the amazing flavor really fresh herbs add to your cooking will make you forget that you’re actually saving money!

So what do you need to get started?

• Seeds or seedlings (Not sure which to use? Check out Start From Seed)
• Pots and saucers
• Seed media and/or potting soil

Opt for plastic pots for indoors, and always make sure you get a saucer to catch the drainage. Otherwise, you will be constantly cleaning water and dirt off your counter tops.

When you are buying pots, be sure you buy ones that will accommodate the plant’s full growth. Crowded plants don’t grow or produce well. Also, be sure the pots you buy have one or more holes in the bottom for drainage.

Step 3: Plant, Germinate, Transplant

If you decided to buy seedlings, get them transplanted into pots as soon as you get home. The small seedling packs they are sold in aren’t meant for long-term storage. Fill your pots with soil up to about 3 inches from the rim. Make a hole in the soil for the plant, gently remove it from the seedling pack and place the seedling in the hole. Cover it with another inch of potting soil, and water generously until you see water begin to drain from the bottom of the pot.

If you decided to start from seed, fill the pot to within an inch of the rim. Dig a small hole, place a few seeds in the hole, cover and water. It will take between 7 and 14 days for the seeds to germinate and sprout.

Keep your seedlings moist, but don’t overwater.

Step 4: Enjoy!

If you’ve never cooked with fresh herbs before, you will need to adjust your recipes a bit. Here are a few tips:

• In general, 2 Tablespoons of fresh herbs equals 1 teaspoon dried.
• Add fresh herbs toward the end of the cooking time to retain their unique character. You can also add them earlier in the cooking process to give long-simmering sauces, soups, and stews a subtle herb essence.
• To quickly slice basil or other large-leafed herbs, stack the leaves, then roll them into a tight cylinder. Slice the cylinder like a carrot to produce beautiful strips.
• Try out a new recipe that showcases your fresh herbs.