Are you thinking of starting an indoor mini herb garden? Don’t worry, I will guide you on the best way to start a mini garden in your home. You will reap the fruits and feel proud of yourself. The lockdown meant a change in all of our lives. However, it came with more time at home, to create a mini garden is ideal for your home and yourself.
As long as you have enough space in your home, everything else will be easy to handle. You can even create a mini-garden with your kids.
Not only will the mini-garden make your home beautiful, but also provide healthy food for your family. Say Hello to more organic food!
However, to get the best indoor organic garden there are some important things that you need to consider. I will share the best tips and tricks from my own gardening experience.
1)Find an Ideal Space for Your Mini-Herb Garden
The most critical thing is enough space to plant your herbs. Consider that herbs are for human consumption, hence, you must place your planting pots in a serene place, preferably near the kitchen.
You can decide to have your indoor herb pots near your kitchen or on your kitchen shelf together with your cutlery. However, don’t feel disappointed if you don’t have a large space for your indoor herbs, even a small space can work. How you arrange your pots will do the trick!
Pro tip: Whichever place you decide to place your indoor herb plant pots, make sure there is enough natural sunlight. The temperature needs to be optimal for better plant growth.
However, different herbs will have different requirements, so be considerate. The morning sun is really important. If possible, place your plants in an east-facing window.
Thereby, the herbs will take full advantage of the sunlight as the sun rises. Additionally, you can try having “Grow Light” to enhance the growth of the herbs.
2) Choose the Right Herb Variety
The best herbs to choose are the ones that can thrive well both indoors and outdoors. Hence, be cautious of the herb variety that you choose. Some of the best you can consider are lettuce, angula, rosemary, mint, basil, and cilantro.
Pro tip: When planting these herbs, ensure to check whether they grow well as seeds or are better off when transplanted.
However, some may have different soil requirements than others. This is because of the different water intake techniques and sustainability.
3) Water Your Herbs Less Frequently
For proper herb growth, remember to water your herb plants thoroughly. At times, you can take your plants to the shower or sink to ensure they get enough water and soak. If you are working from home mum, take good care of your plants as you take care of your kids.
At times you can even have a duty roster that states when every child should water the plants. Not only will this instill discipline but also responsibility.
If you find that you need to water daily, it means the pot is too small for the herb plant. Alternatively, the humidity in your home may be low or it is too hot.
Pro tip: Water thoroughly, but less often. To check if you have overwatered or not, try and stick your finger into the soil to check the moisture content. If it is dry, water your herbs.
However, some plants are different; treat each plant individually and write the water frequency on a sticky note.
Additionally, watering can be determined by the temperature to prevent the plants from drying out. The best way is to have a gardening chart to record the room temperature and remind you when it is time to water your indoor herb plants.
4) Use the Correct Type of Soil
In your planting, remember to use the right type of soil. Use the best soil for your potting plants. The soil must have moderate drainage, water retention, and nutrients.
There must be a balance of everything. Before planting try to research the best soil for that particular plant and why it requires that soil.
Pro Tip: Don’t use the soil directly from your lawn or garden. It may have some impurities that may affect your plants. Instead, purchase the best potting soil.
In addition, you can add nutrients to your soil by using organic matter, mulch, or compost. However, be cautious to ensure the soil is great for your plants.
5) Use the Hydroponic System
This is a gardening method that requires no soil when planting. This method is advantageous if you’re planting your herbs indoors.
If you won’t have enough time to maintain your herbs, a hydroponic system is the best way to go. Additionally, it is ideal if you have a small space for indoor plant growth.
Pro tip: It helps to grow plants three times faster and even bigger. Not only is it appropriate for herbs, but also vegetables and fruits.
If you are a fan of indoor plants that grow in water. This method is the best for you. The water temperature plays a huge factor in indoor hydroponic gardens. The correct temperature will ensure proper growth.
6) Right Temperature
Temperature is one of the most important factors in growing herbs indoors. The ideal temperature is between 65 to 70 degrees for any home environment. You can reduce the temperature if you want to lower the growth.
Ultimately, this temperature can be reached when you grow your plants near direct sunlight. However, some herbs require a dormant temperature.
Pro tip: Even if you want to maintain the temperature of the area. It is important not to put it directly near the window. If the leaves are touching the glass, it can easily burn the plant through the leaves.
Hence, you can consider insulating the windows. This will allow the sunlight to come in, and maintain the temperature rather than burn the herb plants. Basil is one of the herbs that love high temperatures.
7) Grow Each Herb in an Individual Pot
If you want to grow your herbs well, ensure you don’t grow them in one pot or container. It is better when they have their pots. This is important for proper root growth.
If you don’t have the right growth requirements, it may take time for the plants to grow well in a single container. When each plant has its pot you can rotate them in the room to get different temperatures.
Pro tip: You need to rotate the herb plants to ensure they grow as much as they need. A plant may be infested by a certain pest in one area, but when you rotate, it stops being infested.
Additionally, this will reduce competition for nutrients when they have been planted in one container. Every herb plant should have its pot for proper growth.
8) Provide Good Air Circulation
For plants to grow well, they need enough air. Hence if the herbs are too close to each other, there might be some competition. The way weeds compete with plants!
Occasionally, rearrange your herb garden. Make sure the air doesn’t become stagnant around your plants. Open windows when you get the chance for proper air circulation.
This is also vital with the current COVID-19 to ensure proper circulation of air to keep you safe and healthy at home.
Pro tip: Rotate your plants occasionally to make sure they can equally grow. On top of that, always show your herbs some love.
You can be talking to your plants and taking them outside occasionally. This is vital. Also, make sure there is some wind blowing. Wind helps to ensure the stem grows strong. You can attain this by opening the window to let the wind blow into the house.
Creating an Indoor Mini Herb Garden
Starting a mini herb can seem frustrating at first. However, as soon as you learn all these tricks and put them into practice, your transition into indoor herb growth will be easier.
Make the best of the lockdown period or working from home phase and invest in decorating your home with plants. Ultimately, create a green and natural environment in the house. Not only will it help make your house more appealing, but also help in stress management.
Besides herbs, what do you think about growing cherry tomatoes? Sounds exciting, right? Try herbs first, then you can move to cherry tomatoes too. You can grow these cherry tomatoes with your kids and make them invest their time in taking care of the plants.
Happy gardening!
Picture courtesy: Pixabay.com and Unsplash.com
