Growing Fresh Herbs Indoors



 



 

How can I grow fresh indoors this winter?

 

Growing herbs indoors this winter, is easier than you think. And, you’ll be rewarded with fresh cooking herbs you grow and harvest yourself, as well as the color and aroma of herbs. Popular herbs which do well inside are parsley, basil, sage and thyme, but most herbs lend themselves very well to be grown in pots and containers indoors. Here are some tips to help grow healthy herbs indoors successfully.

 

You can grow indoor herbs anywhere they will get enough light, such as a window ledge in the kitchen. Choose a location with at least 6 hours of sunlight, such as a south or west facing window.

 

Or supplement your natural light with additional lighting from a fluorescent fixture or incandescent bulb. Kits such as Jump Start® are easy to set-up, come with a full-spectrum bulb and the bulb height can be adjusted quickly, as plants grow. Incandescent bulbs are convenient, because they can be used in ordinary lamp fixtures. Plan to keep the light on 9-10 hours per day.

There are many attractive clay or ceramic container options to plant herbs in. Be sure the container has good drainage.

Choose a quality potting soil to plant your herbs in. Regular watering is important. Avoid over watering or under watering. Consistency is best for the plant.

Herbs grown indoors need to be fertilized. Choose a fertilizer such as Age Old Grow® or Fish & Seaweed®. Feed herbs every other week, following label instructions. Herbs will do best if they are continuously harvested.

 

 

 

Apart from cooking, herbs make great house plants. Herbs such as Pineapple Sage and Lavender will flower, plus many have relaxing fragrance, even when they are not blooming. An indoor herb garden allows you to enjoy the flavor and fragrance of fresh herbs year round.

Care for tender bulbs in the fall.

How to dig and store cannas and other summer bulbs.

 

One of the tasks in preparation for fall is to dig and store tender bulbs. Cannas, gladioli, begonia, dahlia bulbs, rhizomes and corms will not survive the winter in the ground.

When the leaves start to turn brown or the foliage is killed off by first frost, it’s time to dig and store tender bulbs. Raise your bulbs with a spading fork, digging carefully to avoid damage. Most bulbs will have grown over the summer. Cut the remaining foliage back to about 2"-3".  Rinse them off and let dry in a shady spot. After bulbs dry, dust with sulfur.

Sulfur will help ward off diseases and insects. Bulbs can be stored in cardboard boxes or paper bag containers layered with peat moss, vermiculite or coir.

Select a storage spot that is cool, between 45º and 50º. Some bulbs will store at temperatures up to 60°, but cooler is better.

 

 

 

The packing material will help stabilize the temperature.  Remember to label bulbs and tubers going into storage.

 

 

Write directly on the bulb with a felt maker or use plant labels. Bulbs and tubers need attention during storage, so check on them every week or so. Make sure they don’t dry out and keep an eye out for damage or disease that may show up in storage. Mist the packing material to keep moisture levels up and to prevent bulbs from drying out.  If bulbs start to shrivel or wrinkle, soak them in water for a few minutes and re-moisten the packing material. In spring, divide rhizomes. Remove any dead areas and make sure each division has at least one growing point or “eye”.