Kitchen Windowsill Herb Garden
Not only is a kitchen windowsill herb garden pretty to look it, it's also an economical way to ensure access to fresh herbs throughout the winter months. Now that the weather is turning a bit colder and my garden is starting to die back, I'm working on a new herb garden for my kitchen.
Kitchen Windowsill Herb Garden
A couple weeks ago I posted easy ways to dry fresh herbs from your garden for winter use. Today, we'll take a look at how you can grow the herbs right in your kitchen all winter long. Fresh herbs are a great way to liven up many homemade dishes and they can make excellent teas as well. There's nothing quite like fresh basil, cilantro, and oregano in the dead of the winter.
I don't know about you, though, but I don't like the price tag that often accompanies fresh herbs. I took a look this week, and a clam shell of fresh herbs at the grocery store costs only a few cents less than a full plant. And if you can grow your herbs from seeds instead of buying plants, you'll save even more money on a kitchen windowsill herb garden and enjoy fresh herbs all winter long for only pennies!
Find Herbs for Kitchen Windowsill Herb Garden
To find herbs for your kitchen, first decide if you want established plants or if you'd like to grow the plants from seeds. Growing from seed will be the most economical, but it will also take the longest, so I like to grow my herbs from established plants.
If you'd like to buy established plants, I've found the best place to buy them (in a season other than the spring when they're readily available in garden or home improvement stores) is usually the grocery store or even Walmart. I was surprised to find organic herb plants for under $3 each recently at Walmart, but I normally buy them at our local grocery store, Hy-Vee.
You can also dig up clumps of herbs you may have growing in your garden and plant them in pots for the kitchen (like chives), or make a cutting and propagate a new plant by sticking the stem in water or vermiculite and letting it grow roots (easy to do with herbs like oregano).
Which Herbs to Grow in the Kitchen Windowsill Herb Garden
- Basil
- Bay
- Chives
- Cilantro
- Dill
- Mint
- Oregano
- Parsley
- Sage
- Tarragon
- Thyme
You can grow just about any herb you want in your kitchen herb garden, but I recommend starting with herbs you know you'll use - basil maybe, or cilantro. I've got dill, basil, parsley, and mint in my kitchen herb garden right now. I'd really like to also have rosemary, as I know from experience that it does really well indoors and it just makes mashed potatoes so yummy!
Tips for Keeping Herbs Alive in the Kitchen Windowsill Herb Garden
Keeping the herbs alive may be the biggest challenge, but these tips will help. To keep your herbs alive as long as possible, make sure you:
- Plant them in rich, well drained soil, so make sure your pot has drainage holes in the bottom and set it on a saucer.
- Keep herbs in a warm, sunny location - a south-facing window is best, but if you don't have one, any window will do. Herbs like 5-8 hours of sunshine a day, so pay attention to how much sun they receive to keep them the happiest.
- Water when the soil feels dry to the touch and water only until you see water coming out of the bottom of the plant.
- Cut herbs frequently from the top. They're at the best as they begin to flower so cut leaves from the top an enjoy!
For more information about herbs
Organic Gardening - Smart Techniques for Growing Herbs Indoors
Cooking Light - 11 Herbs Every Cook Should Use
Simplify, Live,Love - Prolong the Life of Fresh Herbs with this Easy Tip
MomItForward - How to Dry Garden Herbs
What's your favorite herb to grow in the kitchen?
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