Written by Barbara Gee
Fresh herbs bring so much pleasure all year. We grow them for a number of uses all of which are to make you feel good. You can eat them, drink them, smell them, smooth them into your skin, heal yourself with them, or use them as a dye. You can also simply grow different herbs in different rooms to create a specific mood – lavender in the bedroom to soothe and calm you, spearmint in the bathroom to perk you up, scented geranium in the office to make your work day a little more pleasant, and a sweet basil in the kitchen to inspire the culinary imagination…
You can start herbs indoors any time of the year and then move them out to plant in the garden when the temperature allows. Growing them indoors has any number of virtues not the least of which is the delicious fragrance wafting through the house.
While many herbs are edible this does not mean that you can grab a bunch of leaves as you pass by and start munching. Each plant has different properties and extracting them may involve infusing the leaves, steeping the bark or roots, or cooking and crushing the berries.
Probably the most common reason for growing herbs is to have a constant source of fresh herbs for cooking. Tom Vanicek, a Rhode Island nurseryman, devotes so much of his life to growing plants for other people that he grows none at his Portsmouth home except herbs. “I love to cook and there’s nothing better than fresh herbs for the smell and the taste,” he says. “I always have some in the house in the winter and in the garden later on.”
SOWING THE SEEDS
If you are sowing herb seeds in order to plant them outside time your sowing based on the projected last frost date. Simply work back the correct number of weeks for germination to take place and for the plant to be strong and healthy enough to be planted outside at the right time. The seed packets will have this information. If you want herbs all year indoors then it doesn’t matter when you sow them.
Most seeds should be sown at a depth equal to three times their diameter. Plant in a good seed-starting mix moistened. Some seeds need darkness to germinate, some need light. In the first case cover the seeds with the seed mix and cover the pots with a dark cover, or put them in a warm, dark cupboard with a transparent cover. If they need light to germinate don’t cover the seeds with the mix just press them in lightly and cover the pots with a transparent cover and place them in good light. You want to create moist and warm conditions to encourage germination. Lift the cover if it is too moist inside.
When the plants sprout remove the cover and place them in a good light. A very sunny windowsill can work if you turn the pots every day but a “grow-light” set-up is more reliable. These fluorescent lights should be left on for up to 18 hours a day and should be set about 6-12 inches above the plants at all times. Water very gently or from the bottom so you don’t disturb the seedlings.
When you see the first two true leaves you can bring them out into the “real world” of your house still maintaining a good light source. Locate your herbs in the place in your home where they will thrive. Just as you would follow the dictate “right plant, right place” outdoors so you have to adhere to this indoors. Most commonly used culinary herbs like basil, need at least six hours of strong light a day, so a sunny windowsill on the south side of the house would be ideal. Bear in mind, however, that window glass does cut down on available light, and winter sunlight is often weak and short-lived. Turn your plants every day if you can, or move them around the house to bring them to the light. You may even want to consider supplementing with artificial light.
CARING FOR THE PLANTS
If you like the look of the herbs all in the same container don’t “plant” them in the soil – keep them in their own pots and place in a container. Heavily harvested herbs begin to look unsightly and it will be easier to replace them without disturbing the other plants. To improve the appearance of this type of container Barbara Chaves of Chaves’ Gardens & Florist in Middletown recommends putting florist’s sheet moss around the top. “It looks pretty and pulls it all together visually,” she says. “You would never know the herbs were not planted and the moss also helps retain moisture.”
Plants have differing needs in terms of temperature, humidity, watering, light and feeding so read up on each plant and don’t assume that they will all grow well in the same location and conditions. Most herbs generally prefer warm temperatures: 60-70°F during the day with about a 10 degree drop at night. They do not respond well to sudden drops in temperature or draughts which can stress them.
When watering it’s better to err slightly on the side of too little. Plants will spring back with some water if a touch dry but may rot or develop diseases if too wet. Water in the morning and make sure the plants drain well and are not left standing in water.
To keep the plants healthy fertilize lightly once a month preferably with an organic or herbal fertilizer. Home air can be dry so mist them occasionally or, says Chaves, “take them to the sink once a month and hose them down gently.” This will knock off any insects and clean off household dust which prevents the leaves from breathing.
If you see a problem do not use a chemical spray – these are edible plants. Either remove the blemished part of the plant, or discard the entire plant and replace with a new one.
When spring arrives you’ll have a head start on your herb garden by taking your indoor plants outdoors. But don’t forget that indoor plants have become used to the good soft life so get them adjusted to the outside gently by “hardening” them off. This simply means getting them adjusted to outside conditions gradually over a few days moving them out in the morning and in at night when the temperature drops. In a few days you can plant them outside in the garden or a container.
HARVESTING HERBS
When harvesting herbs for use snip off what you need from the bottom of the plant – this not only keeps the plant looking attractive but encourages new growth.
MOST COMMONLY-USED CULINARY HERBS
Basil (Ocimum)
Parsley (Petroselinum)
Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
Oregano (Origanum vulgare)
Dill (Anethum graveolens)
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)
Sage (Salvia officinalis)
Thyme (Thymus)
Marjoram (Origanum majorana)
Parsley (Petroselinum)
Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
Oregano (Origanum vulgare)
Dill (Anethum graveolens)
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)
Sage (Salvia officinalis)
Thyme (Thymus)
Marjoram (Origanum majorana)