09 Feb 5 Herbs for Your First Indoor Garden

Who doesn’t love fresh herbs all-year-round? From parsley to cilantro, fresh herbs turn every meal into a culinary experience. But buying herbs at the grocery store can leave you with inconsistent quality and more than your recipe needs. To reduce waste and ensure the highest quality greens, start your own indoor garden!

Not only will you get the fresh ingredients that you need, but you’ll also add a little bit of nature to your home. These 5 herbs will get your first herb garden started and will make your kitchen look, and smell, great!

Parsley

Whether you want curly for a garnish or flat-leaf for a kitchen staple, parsley is a must-have for a kitchen garden. Although it can be perceived as “just a garnish”, this delicious herb adds bright flavors and a gorgeous shade of green to soups, salads, and sauces. You can pick individual leaves by pinching stems near the base. Planting in a deep pot and providing strong light will give your Parsley what it needs to thrive!

Thyme

Thyme is one of the most versatile ingredients in your kitchen. There are many, many varieties and it’s a part of almost every cuisine around the world. Thyme is adaptable to pots as small as four to six inches. Pot thyme in a fast-draining soil mixes and place it in a warm, sunny window. Water when the surface of the soil is dry, but don’t let it wilt.

Basil

Can you name a better herb pairing for tomatoes than Basil? We have a hard time

thinking of one too. It’s essential for your first indoor garden. Basil is pretty easy to grow indoors and simple to harvest. You’ll want to pinch the stock right above the leaves. This will promote more vigorous growth and slow it from going to flower. Add to pasta, sandwiches, sauces, salads, and more. When thinking of where to keep your Basil plant, remember it likes heat and bright light so a window sill with good exposure should do the trick!

Chives

We’ve all needed the perfect amount of chives to finish out a meal and realized that we were out. Fresh chives add the perfect, mild punch to your egg, soup, and salad creations. They also look pretty on top of almost any savory dish. As long as you leave two inches of growth on the chives, you can use scissors to snip what you need. Try bright light and your chives will thank you.

Cilantro

Cilantro is the shortest-lived herb on our list, but it does pack a punch. We recommend cutting the plant down by 1/3. It will slow down the bolting. Once the plant does begin to flower, go ahead and let the cilantro flowers go to seed. The seeds of the cilantro plant are the spice coriander and are called for in a lot of ethnic recipes. If you’re looking for a slower bolting variety, we offer that in-store. You can start cilantro seedlings in two to three-week intervals to keep your supply stocked. Cilantro grows well in terra cotta containers due to its need for moisture and air to pass through the roots. Be sure to make plenty of drainage holes in the bottom!

Conclusion

Learning to grow an indoor herb garden can be such a rewarding pastime. Not only do you have something to tend and care for, but you can also incorporate delicious, fresh herbs into your favorite dishes. Be sure to not crowd your plants to maintain good airflow, and check on the kinds of light your herbs prefer for the best placement.

What herbs are going to be your first additions to your indoor garden?