Maintaining Accessible Fresh Herbs With an Adorable Twist
Growing a Kitchen Herb Garden in One Container
Transform your kitchen window into a vibrant, mini herb farm with this simple and efficient method. Bonnie Ferrero, an avid hiker, cook, gardener, and home decorator, shares her tips for growing a tidy and attractive indoor herb garden in a single container.
Preparing Your Container
- Choose a wide and shallow basket, box, crate, or other container that fits your kitchen window sill.
- Line the inside of the container with a plastic sheet or old plastic bag to prevent water from dripping out.
- Fill the container nearly to the top with fresh, fluffy potting soil and press it down gently to make a level surface.
Planting Your Herbs
- Use a good indoor potting mix for the planters and plant one herb per pot.
- Arrange the herbs in the furrows with enough breathing space so they're not competing for air and light.
- After planting, backfill around the roots with extra potting mix. The soil should cover the roots completely and meet the base of the plants, but not bury any stems.
- Water them thoroughly after planting. Aim for moist but not soaked soil.
Maintaining Your Herb Garden
- Place your finished herb basket by a sunny window. The herbs will need about four to six hours of sunlight a day to stay healthy.
- It's normal for the herbs to look a little droopy for a day or two after planting. They're adjusting. Give them good light, and they'll perk back up quickly.
- Turn the basket occasionally so all sides get their share of light.
- Snip herbs regularly to keep them bushy instead of leggy.
- Water the herbs as needed to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged.
Organizing Multiple Herb Pots
To keep multiple herb pots tidy and visually cohesive, consider using a planter box or a multi-pot container that groups smaller pots together within one larger container. Here are some ideas:
- Use a wooden or metal planter box and place 3 to 4 small pots or herb sections inside it. This creates a unified look and makes moving or watering the herbs easier.
- Install floating shelves or a planter wall near the window, arranging multiple small pots neatly on two to three rows of narrow shelves mounted on the wall close to your window.
- Hang a window farm system, suspending small pots from chains or ropes across your window using hooks, arranging herbs at different heights so each gets sunlight.
- Repurpose containers, using matching pots or repurposed jars grouped in a tray or box for a tidy but charming presentation.
Choosing the Right Herbs
Kitchen favorites like coriander, mint, rosemary, thyme, parsley, or basil are easy to grow indoors and useful for cooking. By growing herbs this way, you'll always have fresh flavor within arm's reach, no more sad supermarket basil wilting in the fridge.
Benefits of Growing Herbs in One Container
- Growing herbs this way makes watering easier and keeps your kitchen neater.
- Because the basket holds everything together, you don't have random pots tipping over every time you open a window or reach for a dish.
- The basket holds everything together, creating a tidy and attractive mini herb farm.
This method balances tidiness, accessibility, and visual appeal, creating an attractive kitchen herb garden in one container. Happy gardening!
- By following Bonnie Ferrero's tips, you can create a charming kitchen herb garden in a single container, perfect for home-and-garden enthusiasts.
- To get started, choose a wide and shallow container that fits your kitchen window sill, line it with a plastic sheet, and fill it with fresh potting soil for planting herbs.
- Install floating shelves or a planter wall near the window to organize multiple herb pots, keeping them tidy and visually cohesive.
- After planting and maintaining the herbs, you'll enjoy the fresh scent and flavors of your home-grown herbs in your cooking, adding a touch of lifestyle to your meals.
