Indoor Herb Gardens

Host Mary Ellen Pinkham welcomes gardening expert Ardith Beveridge to TIPical Mary Ellen. Beveridge shares tips on growing herbs indoors.

• Find a container that fits the decor of the house. Anything works for a planter, but choose something that looks nice. If using a galvanized container, be sure to first fit it with a plastic liner.

• First add stones and bark chips in the bottom to provide aeration.

• Make sure to use a loose soil, not a heavy mixture.

• One way to plant an herb is to take it out of its small plastic container, dig a hole in the new planter and plant the herb so that the top of the soil is level with the soil in the container.

• Keep the information tag that comes with each herb. Stick it into the dirt in front of the plant so that it's easy to identify each herb.

• Another way to plant herbs is to leave them in their original plastic containers. Plant the entire thing right into a larger container at home. This will create more room for other herbs because the roots will stay more contained. It will also make it easier to transplant the herb outdoors.

• Herbs can grow in their own pots for about one season. At this point they may outgrow their area.

• Sunlight is very important for healthy herbs. They need at least 10 to 12 hours of sunlight per day. If they are not getting enough natural sun, purchase a grow light from any garden center to supplement the daylight.

• Follow fertilizer directions on the package. If the herbs are indoors, they will need to be fertilized less often.

• Be careful about using insecticides. Do not put anything in the soil that you wouldn't want to eat.

• Airflow is also very important. Put a small fan near the herbs and leave it on daily. This will keep the air circulating and keep bugs away from the plants.

• When the roots are bursting out of the container, it is time to transplant into a larger container. Put some wood chips at the bottom of a slightly larger container, place the plant and entire root system inside, then fill the remaining area with soil.

Resources

• Guests

  • Ardith Beveridge
    Floral Designer and Teacher / Director, Koehler & Dramm
    Minneapolis, MN
    Phone: 612-362-3102
    E-mail: Abeveridge@koehlerdramm.com
    Website: www.koehlerdramm.com