Kitchen Guides
What Herbs to Grow at Home?
Looking to add some fragrance & healthy flavours to your daily cooking? Consider growing these four popular herbal plants at home
Fresh herbs are a useful addition to the home. Some of them add zing to your cooking and some are valuable for medicinal purposes. They have very pleasant aromas and are rich in essential oils. Here are herbal garden plants that will produce healthy ingredients for your food and will thrive in your home.
Growing herbs at home can be tricky – till it gets easy. A little trial and error will give you a good idea of what thrives in the microclimate of your house and what is tougher to grow. Success in growing herbs is a combination of choosing the right herb to grow, finding the right balance of sunlight and temperature in various parts of the house and care during growth stages.
While most people like growing exotic herbs like lavender, rosemary, thyme and sage at home, it is easier to start with Indian herbs. The best herb to start with is Mint (Mentha).
It is well suited for the hot conditions of the Indian climate and is a hardy herb. Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) can be a bit tricky, but mostly everyone succeeds with mint and what’s more, you can grow at least 10 different kinds of mint – spearmint, peppermint, apple mint, chocolate mint – each one smells and tastes different from the other.
It is well suited for the hot conditions of the Indian climate and is a hardy herb. Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) can be a bit tricky, but mostly everyone succeeds with mint and what’s more, you can grow at least 10 different kinds of mint – spearmint, peppermint, apple mint, chocolate mint – each one smells and tastes different from the other.
Another easy to grow and very useful herb is Curry patta (Murraya koenigii). It is used almost daily in cooking in many Indian households. It has a nice smell and blossoms into pretty flowers. Unlike other herbs, Curry patta is actually a shrub and can grow quite big if given a big pot and regular care.
Browse though more kitchen gardens
Browse though more kitchen gardens
Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum) is considered a medicinal herb and found in almost every Indian household. Tulsi leaves are frequently added to tea or used in concoctions, as it is believed to help with minor infections.
Tulsi comes from the family Ocimum (basil) and it has more than 100 variants, including Thai and Italian basil – herbs which can be used for stir-fry and Thai curry recipes, and for pesto and pasta sauce, respectively.
Tulsi comes from the family Ocimum (basil) and it has more than 100 variants, including Thai and Italian basil – herbs which can be used for stir-fry and Thai curry recipes, and for pesto and pasta sauce, respectively.
It is more convenient to start your herb garden with seedlings. Till you get more confident with growing herbs from seeds or making your own seedlings, get ready seedlings from a nursery or other kitchen gardeners.
Read more about other herbal plants for your garden
Read more about other herbal plants for your garden
The soil for your herbal plants should have good drainage so water does not stand in the soil.
Note: Avoid using chemical fertilisers, as most herbs are delicate and excessive chemicals can alter their taste or even kill the plant.
Note: Avoid using chemical fertilisers, as most herbs are delicate and excessive chemicals can alter their taste or even kill the plant.
Herbs don’t need too much sun. In fact, harsh sun and very hot temperatures are not conducive to the wellbeing of herbs. Most herbs will do well with only partial or indirect sunlight and temperatures of 5-25 degrees Celsius.
How to have an indoor herb garden
How to have an indoor herb garden
One of the primary reasons for herbs dying is overwatering. Their roots are delicate systems and excessive water can cause root-rot inside the soil.
Be careful not to overwater. Use a spray can to spritz water on the herbs and on top soil rather than pouring water into the soil and making a dent.
Be careful not to overwater. Use a spray can to spritz water on the herbs and on top soil rather than pouring water into the soil and making a dent.
Herbs should be pruned regularly, because their stems start getting woody as they mature. The taste can then become strong and sometimes pungent.
If you are growing herbs for gastronomic purposes, prevent their flowering through regular snipping and harvest the tender leaves for best results in cooking.
If you are growing herbs for gastronomic purposes, prevent their flowering through regular snipping and harvest the tender leaves for best results in cooking.
Try a variety of herbs depending on what you are most inclined to use or like, and see which ones thrive in your microclimate.
Once you find the right combination, you will have a thriving herb garden in no time.
Disclaimer: The responsibility lies with the reader to make sure that the species of these plants that they grow are safe for consumption and that they do not carry any adverse health effects.
Read more:
7 Steps to a Kitchen Garden in a Small Apartment
Tell us:
What plants would you recommend for an indoor herbal garden? Share in Comments, with tips.
Once you find the right combination, you will have a thriving herb garden in no time.
Disclaimer: The responsibility lies with the reader to make sure that the species of these plants that they grow are safe for consumption and that they do not carry any adverse health effects.
Read more:
7 Steps to a Kitchen Garden in a Small Apartment
Tell us:
What plants would you recommend for an indoor herbal garden? Share in Comments, with tips.