Windowsill Herb Garden
Windowsill herb gardens are attractive as well as useful. Knowing the basics for setting up a garden on your windowsill will help you get the most out of your small potted herbs. Healthy flavorful meals and teas are only a few weeks away if you get started right now. You will need containers, soil, proper lighting, fertilizer and water and of course the right herbs to live on a windowsill.
Windowsills with a southern exposure are ideal for growing potted herbs, but other directions are fine as long as the plants receive a minimum of 5 hours of direct sunlight. Don’t worry if your windowsill doesn’t have this much sun. Purchase a fluorescent grow-light to supplement your plant’s UV exposure. You’ll need to leave the light on for at least 10 hours, and the plants will need to be within 18 inches of the bulbs.
The size of your windowsill will limit the size of containers that work best in a windowsill garden. The average size container that works best for average windowsills is a 4 inch or 6 inch pot. The type of container is up to you as long as it has a hole for proper drainage.
Light, well-draining soil is ideal for growing herbs in pots. Begin with a sterile commercial potting mix and combine two parts soil with one part perlite, or three parts soil with one part sand. If transplanting nursery starts rather than growing from seed, fill the container one-third of the way, place the plant inside and fill the rest of the way. Keep the soil surface about an inch lower than the edge of your container.
The goal is to keep the soil moist enough for the plant to draw water as needed but not to soak the soil. For most herbs, watering lightly every other day is enough. You can water from the top or use a saucer to hold water at the bottom of the pot-the herbs will draw up the water they need. Allow dry periods for the bottom of your containers. Many herbs prefer not to have “wet feet.” If the top of the soil does not feel dry to the touch, the herb does not need more water.
Compact plants will do best on a windowsill. Some herbs grow up to five feet tall, so it pays to do a little research. As you use your herbs, the harvesting you do will prune them and help them to stay small. Think about what you want out of your windowsill herb garden. You can choose to grow culinary herbs, tea herbs, or aromatic herbs. Common useful herbs grown in windowsill gardens are basil, oregano, mint, parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.
Feed your herbs every six to eight weeks. Add necessary nutrients to the potting mix by offering compost tea or straight compost or other “edibles-safe” fertilizer. Read and follow all instructions. Due to slower growing times, herbs do not need as much food during the winter. Well-fed herbs will reward you with a richer harvest.
Plants need time to get used to the lighting available on your windowsill. Healthy root systems take a bit of time to establish. When you see new growth budding on your herbs, then you know it is safe to begin harvesting. Experiment with your fresh windowsill herbs to find the right proportions for the recipe at hand-fresh herbs have a much stronger flavor than dried herbs.
