Basil

Considered the “king of herbs,” basil is commonly used in Italian cooking. Although the common basil (Ocimum basilicum) is an annual, there are perennial types too. They can grow throughout the winter in a greenhouse, either from cuttings or seed. In frost free conditions, and good amount of sunlight, they can grow 1-3 feet high.

Chamomile

There are a number of plants that are called chamomile. One of the chamomiles called Roman Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis) is an excellent choice for greenhouse planting. With its fragrant, bright green scented leaves and delicate white flowers, chamomile has a long history of medicinal and aromatherapy usage. It needs full sun or very light shade, so needs to be near the windows. Water moderately and plant in well drained soil; it grows to 2 feet high.

Catnip

A perennial, ground cover herb that cats love. If you own cats, you should be planting catnip. About 50% of all cats get a high when they come in contact with bruised/crushed catnip leaves. The Common variety (Nepeta cataria) grows to 2-3 feet high, and grows easily from seed in well drained soil, with dull green leaves, and whitish flowers. The Greek variety (Nepeta parnassica) has pinkish, violet flowers. Catnip oil is also a fine insect repellent, so having a lot of catnip around may work in keeping mosquitoes away.

Chives

Relatives of the onion, chives thrive in a greenhouse setting. Chives are said to repel some pests, and so are useful plants to grow. There are many varieties, but they are mostly evergreen and therefore go dormant in harsh winters. But in a greenhouse, they flourish, growing to 2 feet high and propagate easily from divisions or seed. The flowers are purplish and borne in spring. Chives give a delicate onion smell to any dish, if chopped leaves are sprinkled as garnishing.

Parsley

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) makes attractive edging for any type of garden. There are curled leaf and flat leaf types of parsley, which all grow to about 2 feet high. The common curled leaf parsley is best grown as an annual in partial shade, though it is also able to take full sunshine. Parsley seeds are known for taking a long time to sprout (up to weeks). Soak the seeds in warm water for a day, before planting. Plant them in healthy soil and water them regularly, but not excessively.

Geranium

We are referring to cranesbills or true/hardy geraniums here. Herbaceous (non-woody stems that dieback at the end of each growing season); they are exquisite plants with pretty flowers. They are mostly perennial, and range from a couple of inches to a couple of feet tall. Dense and carpet-like, geraniums will grow well under full sun and moderate soil. The dried leaves and flowers emit a delicate scent, and are useful as sachet or potpourri material. The variety of geranium that most people get confused with is pelargonium geraniums, which have attractive flowers, but the true cranesbill geraniums are just as attractive.

Altogether, there are a few hundred varieties of geraniums that usually make good candidates for the greenhouse. A few suggested varieties of geraniums are Geranium clarkei, Geranium grandiflorum, Geranium endressii, Geranium pratense, and Geranium oxonanium.

Greenhouse herbs should be sited around the edge or in the center, wherever there is sufficient sunshine and heat during the day. Most herbs do not like wet soil or too much fertilizer, so don’t overdo them and they will flourish just as well, without needing the same level of supervision as other kinds of plants.

The main components of soil that are deemed important by your herbs – nitrogen, phosphorus, moisture, PH level, and drainage, these elements are all determined by the nature of the soil used, and therefore, maintaining them all at optimum level is essential if you want to cultivate healthy herbs at all. Moreover, if you plant your herbs in containers, then you are solely responsible for almost all the needs of your herbs. Thankfully, most herbs do not have high requirements.

Most herbs like dry, alkaline soil with excellent drainage. Examples are lavender, anise, sage, and horehound. If the soil is kept too wet, some of these herbs that like it dry, may suffer from root rot. Most herbs cannot grow well in wet soil, preferring just a little moisture to semi-desert like conditions. The few that like moister soil include herbs like peppermint, chives, mint, and coriander. Adding a little compost to the soil can aid in helping the soil be more water retentive.

The ideal soil for growing herbs is one that isn’t too sandy or clayey. The particles of clay suspended in clay-rich soil will readily absorb water and retain it, while sandy soil which is rich in quartzite particles, have relatively large spacing in between the particles which on one hand provides for good air circulation and water flow, but need a certain amount of periodic enrichment, as on their own, they provide very little natural nutrients for the herbs.

The mineral content of soil is quite important for many herbs. Some herbs prefer more calcium rich soil, and for these, you could add more calcium in the form of lime or better still, crushed eggshells or shellfish shells (farm grit). Bear in mind that more calcium carbonate in the soil will increase the alkaline level of the soil, and what you want to achieve is only a slightly acidic or slightly alkaline environment, depending on the herbs you want to grow. Any more than that and the plants will develop problems like pale leaves and retarded growth.

How do you test the pH level of your soil? Just get distilled water (pH 7), and toss a spadeful of soil into the water. The water needs to be of similar amount (volume wise) to the soil. After that you stick in a piece of pH paper strip (available from lab supply and aquarium shops), and compare it to the pH chart which these pH kits usually supply. If it’s below pH 7, the soil is acidic, but if it’s above pH 7, than the soil is alkaline.

Most culinary herbs are native to the Mediterranean region, which implies lots of sun, breezy air, and well drained, rocky soils. These soils are also quite shallow, and these Mediterranean herbs therefore do not root deeply. So try to recreate this environment if you’re growing Mediterranean herbs like coriander, thyme, and parsley. Do not plant them too deep, a general depth of 6-8 inches below the surface is more than adequate. You can also plant them in a raised bed, and wall in the bed with wooden planks. Containment is useful if you’re planting perennial herbs that propagate by runners.

The flavor and aroma of herbs that are coming straight from freshly cut herbs, is vastly different from stale and dried ones. Although you’ll need to use a little more of the fresh herbs than when using dried herbs, you can snip them without worrying too much, since trimming the top leaves actually promotes new growth for the herb plant.

Some of the most common culinary herbs that are good candidates for indoor growing include basil, sage, tarragon, rosemary, parsley, chives, and thyme. These herbs are very flexible, and only need a sunny spot (maybe by the window sill), occasional fertilizing, and some water.

Container culture

The rule for indoor herb gardening is one of containers, containers, and more containers. Some of the things you need to pay attention to:

• Soil – Soil should be composed entirely of sterile material such as soil mix, because some organisms in the soil may breed out of hand in the micro environment of an indoor pot, posing a threat to your herb plant. Soil mix can be cheaply obtained at any home and garden store near your area.
• Water – Watering should be done only once every few days, depending on the indoor humidity level. Otherwise you run the risk of root rot, or else waterlogged soil is never good for almost all types of plants. The best water is rainwater, but tap water can also do, provided it is not too heavy in chemicals or soft/hard (acidic/alkaline).
• Sunlight is essential, but avoid direct exposure. Rays from north and eastern directions are less intense and searing than from other directions. The amount of light required varies from species to species, and is also dependent on flowering and fruiting seasons.
• Humidity – Heated rooms will not have much humidity, and the same goes for air-conditioned rooms. Low humidity can affect the growth of your herbs, so site them away from radiators or air conditioning units. A bathroom or kitchen window sill is probably the best place for indoor grown herbs.

A few other pointers

If you want to grow herbs from seed, just remember, it may be easier to just grow them from seedlings. Give yourself a head start on your indoor herb garden by getting seedlings from the nursery during spring (the best time to plant). Many nurseries stock a variety of “take home” herb seedlings in small containers that are easily manageable.

A basic setup for planting a plant indoors is shown here. Have a waterproof tray that is filled with pebbles and can hold any water drain off from watering your herb. The drain off water will also evaporate, raising the micro humidity levels around the plant, while at the same time, pebbles in the tray prevent “wet feet,” which cannot be tolerated by most herbs.

The advantages of an indoor herb garden is obvious, and hopefully, you can get your own indoor herb garden to flourish without too much hassle. You’ll find that some fresh herbs like basil actually taste different from the dried version. If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to actually get started on your indoor herb garden, so you’ll know how different both fresh and dried herbs can be. And there’s no better way to find out!

For either indoors or outdoors, many kinds of herbs are able to adjust to both, and that is the advantage of growing herbs. So, you’re not really limited when it comes to deciding where the herbs ought to go. Herb gardening is probably the easiest type of gardening to do because of these reasons, and I’d recommend beginners just starting out in gardening, to grow just herbs. This is one good reason to grow them – they can thrive in both indoor and outdoor conditions, without complaining.

Here’s a few types of flexible herbs, that can take to either indoors or outdoors.

Chives can grow indoors or outdoors, in the soil, or in pots.They grow best in the garden soil though, being able to absorb the heat from the sun and sprout up to a foot or more, producing nice purple colored flowers. They do well bunched together and can last years, wintering over well, in cold climates. For maintainence, they should be clipped near to the base, rather than higher up.

Bay Laurel is a Mediterranean native so it naturally prefers hot and dry climates. But because of its hardiness, it can be planted indoors or outdoors. It just needs plenty of sunlight, whether it be indoors or outdoors. Just make sure the container has good drainage if you want this herb in a pot. For Bay Laurel to thrive, it needs a large container to prevent it from becoming root bound, and 6 hours or more of sun per day.

Parsley is an excellent choice for an indoor herb. Even though it will grow well outside, it will probably only last one season, being a biennial herb. If you want to keep it going, grow it in a pot; parsley are best grown from cuttings rather than seeds because the seeds do not germinate well.

The parsleys new leaves grow from the center, so trim the outer ones first in order to keep the plant healthy. Parsley love plentiful sunshine, and in indoor conditions, will need around 5 hours of sunlight per day; put them on a sill in a window with southern exposure (in the Northern Hemisphere) where they can soak up the rays.

The Common Lavender is a great herb for the outdoor garden, especially for flower beds. Lavender requires very little care, just make sure the soil drains so it isn’t excessively wet. They’re bug-resistant and their oil has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties as well.

Let that lavender stay outside until you’re ready to prepare it for potpourri or a perfume sachet. Lavender is a great ground cover herb, and gives a garden a lovely smell to complement the beautiful pinkish-purple flowers. They do not require fertilization or pruning and are mostly bug resistant.

You’ll find that most herbs do just fine in most types of conditions, because they are mant to be hardy and flexible from the start. The soil in which they grow should be a mixture of sandy loam and clay to obtain the optimal soil moisture level. The added bonus of growing herbs is of course, that you can harvest them and use their leaves or flowers to make great homemade perfume, cooking seasoning, or even for medicinal use.

Lavender is one that will spring to anyone’s mind. This Mediterranean native is lovely to look at, with its small purple flowers. But it is equally delicious to sniff. Excellent for perfumed sachets, it is terrific just sitting around the border of a garden where it can also attract Black Swallowtail butterflies.

Sage has long been planted for its wonderful aroma, which it derives from being a member of the mint family. An annual herb originating from the areas of Asia Minor, it will delight the nose of anyone who rubs the leaves between thumb and forefinger and takes a whiff.

Caraway-Scented Thyme is another great addition to the garden. It makes for a lovely small bush, attracts butterflies and bees, and has a spicy scent that is a favorite of herbalists. Another member of the mint family, it will produce pink blossoms in the early summer.

Yet another member of the mint family is Sweet Majoram, an herb that has been around for centuries. It’s often used in perfumed soaps, but the spicy scent is wonderful just ground up as part of a potpourri bowl. Be sure not to confuse it with its wild cousin Origanum Vulgare, otherwise known as Oregano.

Harvesting and preserving your homegrown aromatic herbs is an easy task, which children especially like doing. So,you might want to enlist your kids’ help in this. If you harvest a large enough supply and preserve them well, you can have an endless supply of natural perfume, even during the winter months.

For basic short term storage, try soaking a bunch of freshly cut stems in a jar of cold water and storing them in the refrigerator. This method keeps for a week. For longer term storage, use preserving oil instead. After washing and drying for an hour or so, drown the herb cuttings in a jar of preserving oil. This method keeps preservation viable for up to 2 or 3 months.

If you want even longer storage terms, freezing is the way to go. After they have been washed and dried, chop them up and drop the pieces into a freezer bag or an ice cube tray. If not exposed to air, they’ll keep for four months or more. Even longer storage methods of up to a year can be achieved by using a common kitchen ingredient – vinegar.

For use in potpourri, they’re best dried. You can hang them up in a cool, shady place. But keep in mind that the oils are what provide the scent. Left exposed to air for long periods, the oil of some will evaporate, taking the scent with it.

That’s exactly what you want in a potpourri jar or sachet bag, but if you want to keep them a little longer you’ll have to use some preservation methods. Airtight bags are an excellent way to keep those oils inside the plant until you want to use the herbs.

Aromatic herbs do not require expensive chemical preservatives in order to retain their smell for an extended period. All they need is some basic preservation methods and they can retain their smell for weeks on end. Thyme, mint, sage, and majoram are just a few of the many kinds of herbs that retain their smell pretty well.