The Window Sill Herb Garden
The Window Sill Herb Garden
Having your own window sill herb garden can add color and fragrance to any home. There is an abundance of reasons why people might prefer to have a window sill herb garden as opposed to one that grows outside. A big reason is comfort. With a garden on your windowsill, you won’t have to deal with the elements of the changing seasons and will have fresh herbs all year long.
Most common herbs will be very happy growing on a windowsill herb garden, but some happier than others. Plants like oregano are ideal because it is compact in size and has a truly wonderful flavor. Basil, as well as rosemary, are two additiional herbs which will do wonderfully in your windowsill herb garden. Some herbs will repel fungus, such as the rosemary, and others simply have a wonderful aroma that can fill your home any time of the year.
These herbal plants will invariably do best on windowsills that face south or southeast, since, for northern hemisphere locations, that is the direction of greatest sunlight. Like all plants, herbs require good and steady light sources to increase their health and quality. Herbal plants prefer at least five hours of sunlight per day. Also, remember to keep them from enduring drafts, especially during the cooler winter months.
While you can certainly start your herb garden from seedlings, purchasing the proper containers that are about 6 to 12 inches deep in which to plant them and watch them grow, is a good way to start. You also have the option to buy herb garden kits. These window sill herb garden kits come complete with the containers, the plants (usually already sprouting or with seed planted within the soil), and instructions on the different varieties of herbs and how to care for them.
But plants are living things and can’t just be put on auto-grow. You need to know about them, such as their gestation periods, when to cut back and prune, harvest and dry, store and use. Some plants will also overtake others if you don’t tend to them and prune them back on a regular basis. You want your window sill herb garden to look as though it belongs there in the windowsill, so there is some measure of attention that they will require from you.
Be careful about the amount of water you give your herbal plants. You must always keep a proper balance between wet and dry, not flooding and not parching. They don’t like soggy roots so don’t let the soil stay damp constantly If your new kit is already in flower, go slowly. Don’t jump in and cut them back right away. Give them time to acclimatize to their new environment. Also, if you live in a location, such as an apartment complex in a city, and don’t have access to good sunlight in any window, you can purchase artificial light. Generally, your plants will thrive under this kind of light, but it’s always good to check with the nursery or kit maker to be sure.
Having your own windowsill herbgarden is an obvious advantage to you if you love to cook, as there is nothing better than having fresh herbs to use in your food preparations. Having your own herb garden sitting on your windowsill will inspire new and wonderful creations in your kitchen, as well as fill your home with the warm and inviting fragrance of some of the world’s favorite plants.