Indoor Gardening - Part II

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The much ignored herb gardening

Herbs can be a great addition to any garden. Herbs can be grown in your garden purely for aesthetic reasons, to add flavour to your dishes or to help treat some common ailments. Moreover they are inexpensive and require low maintenance.

Most herbs thrive on light and well-drained soil, require reasonable amount of sun and can flourish even if not watered excessively. These requirements make herbs the perfect plants for containers and patio areas.

But unfortunately herbs are usually forgotten when planning a garden, unless the plan includes a specific herb garden area. For some reason, herbs are not generally treated in the same way as other plants. This could be because they are separately categorised as 'herbs'. Herbs can and should be treated like any other plant. If you think they cannot be mixed with other plants and have to be grown separately then you are wrong.

Herbs can be included in mixed borders, tubs, patio pots etc. Many herbs have equally as much aesthetic value as other shrubs or perennials. Some have beautiful flowers, some have wonderful leaf colours and others are blessed with sweet scents. And of course many herbs have all three.

The general herb culture

Light

Herbs are easy to grow, but they must be grown in a proper location. Most herbs need sunlight and so a sunny location is best to grow them. However a few, including angelica, woodruff and sweet cicely, are better grown in partial shade. The oils, which account for the herbs flavour, are produced in the greatest quantity when plants receive six to eight hours of full sunlight each day. Many herbs can tolerate light shade, but their growth and quality will not be as good.

Soil

Herbs will grow in any good garden soil. The soil should not be extremely acidic or alkaline. Therefore a soil that is nearly neutral is best for most herbs. A PH reading between 6.5 and 7.0 produces the best herbs.

Herbs mostly do not require highly fertile soil. In highly fertile soils, herbs tend to produce excessive foliage that is poor in flavour. Herbs grow best when soils have adequate organic matter.

Drainage

Drainage is one of the most important considerations to be made while selecting a site for herb gardening. None of the important herbs grow in wet soils, except a few, like mint, angelica and lovage, flourish in fairly moist soils.

If the area available to grow herbs is poorly drained, then the area needs modifications that ensure better drainage. Raised beds or installing underground drainage tiles will help in growing herbs successfully.

The groundwork

Once the site is selected, cultivate the soil to a depth of 12 to 18 inches and then level it. If only a shallow layer of topsoil exists above hard subsoil, remove the topsoil temporarily. Break up the subsoil and add to it some organic matter. After improving the subsoil, put it back. Even the topsoil might need additional organic matter. In such a case add some organic matter to the topsoil and put it back.

Growing Herbs In Containers

Many herbs can be grown successfully in containers on a patio, balcony or terrace. This is a very simple process, the tips for which are given below.

Choosing a container

Any container is suitable for growing herbs as long as it has a drainage hole. Clay pots are mostly preferred because they are more porous than plastic. However, other containers such as window boxes, strawberry jars and hanging baskets can also be used to grow herbs.

Soil mix

The soil used should be loose and well-drained. When growing herbs in containers, it is recommended to mix equal parts of potting soil, peat moss, and perlite (or vermiculite) in the container.

Choosing the right plants

Small and slow-growing herbs look best in containers. Herbs can be grown singularly or can be grown with other plants or herbs too. In the case of window boxes, strawberry jars and large pots, a combination of several herbs and flowers grown together will make foe a beautiful sight.

Maintenance

Watering is the most difficult part of container gardening. Plants growing in containers dry out faster than in the ground. On a hot, sunny day, a container may require water once or twice daily. When the top of the soil feels dry, apply enough water to allow a small amount to come out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the container. Since most herbs do not require high fertility, there is no need to fertilize herbs as much. During the growing season, pinch the plants back to keep them bushy and compact and remove any dead or diseased leaves to keep them healthy.

Growing herbs indoors

Herbs growing in containers can be easily moved indoors. Before doing so, ensure that the plants are accustomed to grow indoors. Gradually move them indoors for a few hours at a time over the period of several days so that they get adjusted to the differences in temperature and light.

Herbs growing indoors should be treated differently than those out-of-doors. One of the biggest problems is providing sufficient light. Therefore, grow them in the sunniest location you have or under fluorescent lights. Since the plants will not be using as much water as they did outdoors, water only when the soil is dry. Avoid over-watering which will rot the roots. Check the plants for pests.