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Growing Kitchen Herbs in Containers
On this page fine complete information on how to plant individual or mixed culinary herbs in containers, including:
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- Indoor and outdoor container plantings of culinary herbs for cooking.
- What culinary herbs require to thrive in indoor containers and in your kitchen.
- A step-by-step demonstration on how to plant mixed herbs in a container.
- A step-by-step demonstration of how to grow a kitchen garden indoors.
- What herbs grow best.
About Growing Containers of Herbs
Single-species or mixed plantings of herbs in containers give you a chance to create your own indoor kitchen garden. Use these techniques to grow these hardy plants and many other vegetables in pots [see Kitchen Gardens].
Add spice to your meals and spruce up your kitchen with practical greenery—culinary herbs—grown right in your home. Raise warm-climate herbs in a greenhouse window or a spot with direct, bright sunlight and grow moisture-loving herbs in indirect light.
Naturals for your kitchen include basil, chives, mint, parsley, rosemary, sage, and thyme.
Step-By-Step Instructions:
The two step-by-step demonstrations that follow show and explain how easy it is to plant a culinary herb into a container and how to make an indoor culinary herb garden.
Use these methods and skills to keep fresh culinary herbs growing for use in preparing meals. The herbs you grow will have both a different flavor and more intense fragrance than is typical for dried herbs, so some adjustment in spicing of recipes may be required.
Start with the basics and gain experience before expanding to unusual herbs.
Gather the required materials and follow these demonstrations to plant herbs for use in your kitchen.
How to Plant Mixed Herbs in Containers
Fill the container with fresh potting soil. Herbs are very forgiving and tolerant of many soil types but still, a standard mix of medium density mix is best.
Gently ease starts out of their nursery containers. Invert each container while holding the plant between your fingers, then tap the container bottom to release the plant. Avoid disturbing the root ball. Cut through any encircling roots. Position each plant to allow for growth.
Use your fingers to open a hole in the potting soil the same size and depth as the nursery container, using it as a guide.
Place each herb plant into its hole in the potting soil. Compact the soil as you plant to firm it around the roots of each plant, creating a slight mound around the stem. Water thoroughly.
How to Grow Kitchen Herb Gardens
Set a waterproof catch basin into a window sill, greenhouse window, or in any sunny spot on a plant stand or atop a kitchen cabinet.
Plant your herbs, water them thoroughly, and allow them to drain. Arrange shortest species nearest the light, taller plants behind them.
Locate moisture-loving plants such as chervil, chives, and mint in partial shade.
For warmth-loving herbs, allow soil to dry completely between soakings; keep moisture-loving herbs evenly damp.
Rotate each of the plants a quarter turn every few days to promote even growth around the entire herb.
Every 2 weeks, apply liquid organic plant food diluted to half its recommended strength. Water herbs thoroughly following each fertilizer application.
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