Treat yourself by starting your own indoor herb garden, and enjoy fresh herbs all year long!

If you've never grown herbs before, Park Property Management has a few tips to get you started.

Select a container:

Pick a container that has excellent drainage, or fill the bottom of your container with rocks. Anything can be a good container for your herbs: mason jars, spray painted soup cans, clay pots, and other small plant pots.

Add soil and herbs:

Planting seeds can be finicky, so it's best to start with a seedling or small plant. Choose herbs that you will use, or some that have a calming aroma like Jasmine or Lavender. Plant them in potting soil, rather than soil from outside which can carry bugs and other organisms.

Find the right light:

Herbs need 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight per day and they like south-facing windows. When you don't have enough sunlight, place herbs under a lamp with a CFL bulb. Remember to rotate your pots once a week for even lighting.

Easy on the water:

Herbs don't like to be wet. Water once the soil is dry and keep well drained. Don't let the roots sit in water or you'll have mildew and fungus issues. You should also feed your herbs with a seaweed-based fertilizer once a month in the winter and once a week during the summer.

Not sure which herbs you'll want?

Here are some suggestions:

  • Basil: Best with tomato-based meals, stir-fry, and pesto. Basil is susceptible to water stress, so make sure your pot has excellent drainage.
  • Chives: Best as a garnish, in salads, or incorporated into potato and egg dishes. Snip this herb with scissors rather than cutting with a knife.
  • Mint: Lovely for teas, smoothies, and salads. Mint is invasive, so plant it in its own pot.
  • Parsley: Great for soups, stews, and pasta dishes. This herb likes the humidity of the kitchen and will be happy with light misting.
  • Rosemary: Great for meats and fish dishes and as a flavouring for salads, butters, and oils. Rosemary sprigs also make excellent natural skewers.
  • Oregano: A staple in Italian dishes, this herb likes soil mixed with peat moss and only the root ball planted with the main stems above the soil.