Amateur's Guide to Growing Potted Herbs

One of life's simple pleasures, but great delights is growing your own herbs. Here are 4 steps to growing potted herbs like a pro

From food to remedies to aromas to decoration, herbs have many different uses; however, it is common to find yourself buying a bunch of herbs, using one handful and throwing the rest away. The good news is, herbs are quite easy to grow, even in small spaces indoors; they bring energy and aroma to your room and they do not need much attention.

There are a few survival rules:

1. Choose herbs or pick-able lettuce that are happy indoors and grow in all seasons like Basil, Chives, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme or Tarragon. Herbs are often sold by growers and supermarkets out of season and of course die a few days after you get them home. (Coriander is an excellent example of a winter herb that will die at the first whiff of heat.)
2. Buy established herbs and if you are replanting them into some stylish pots, make sure the pots have drainage.
3. Find a sunny, but not over heated spot, preferably at a southern facing window as your herbs need about 6 hours of sunlight to grow. Make sure they aren't sitting behind glass that is concentrating the heat onto their leaves and they are in a position where you can rotate them.
4. Get into the habit of checking your plants when you are at the kitchen sink each day. Water them as soon as the top soil level has dried out and give them enough water so that about one quarter of the water filters through the bottom.
5. Keep your herbs close to you. If you grow your herbs in a pot on your window sill near where you hang out the most (usually the kitchen), you will find that you will notice how they are keeping and more importantly, you will use them!
6. Plan for success. Don't over stuff small space potss as your plants will need somewhere to grow.

If you do over-stuff (which can look really good), and your herbs get too big for your pot, either plant them out into other pots or into your garden - or simply eat them. Herbs can take up very little space wherever you put them and offer great rewards - not just as food, but also as beautiful scents in your garden or helping to repel harmful pests as companion plants to vegetables.

See also: Grow a Herb Garden with Saved Kitchen Water.

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