Have you ever wanted to start an herb garden, but the thought of having to deal with dirt made it seem like too much work? If so, then you are in luck! There is a new trend that will allow anyone to grow an indoor herb garden without soil – hydroponics. Hydroponics uses water and mineral nutrients instead of dirt for growing herbs indoors. It’s easier than it sounds, and once you do this guide on how to start an indoor herb garden, your home will always smell delicious!
What do I Need for My Indoor Garden?
For starters, all you need is a few household items and your how-to guide on how to grow herbs indoors – pretty simple!
What You’ll Need:
- A pot or container (make sure that it has drainage holes in the bottom!)
- An indoor herb garden kit or system that includes a light, water pump, how-to guide on how to grow herbs indoors with soil and net cups. Some kits may also include nutrient tablets for your plant’s roots! Be sure to read all instructions before planting anything
- Seeds
Enough Light for Optimum Growth
Before you start how to grow an indoor herb garden, do a little research on how much light your plants will need. The amount of sunlight that they receive throughout the day is going to affect how well they can photosynthesize and produce food for themselves. Some herbs don’t require as much light while others do – it all depends on how your plants will grow.
For example, if you have a plant that requires a lot of light to survive and thrive then you need to make sure that it receives adequate sunlight during the day. If this is not possible, then an artificial source of bright white lighting should be provided for 12 hours every day within close proximity (about one foot away) of the plant.
In case your herb garden doesn’t get enough light, then it will become weak and its growth will be stunted – nobody wants that! Also, you want to make sure that there isn’t too much sunlight because this can cause bleaching or burn on some herbs like basil and parsley.
Mineral Nutrients and pH Balance
Now that you know how much light your indoor herb garden needs, it’s time to talk about how the minerals in water affect plant growth! There are seven nutrients that plants require during their growing process – nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and sulfur (S).
However, these minerals can be harmful to your garden if the pH balance isn’t perfect. If there is too much or too little of a certain mineral, then it could cause problems with how your plants grow – nobody wants that!
To start an indoor herb garden, you should follow the pH levels that come with your growing kit or system. If there aren’t any instructions included in how to grow an indoor herb garden then use this chart as a guide:
A pH level of between six and seven is perfect for most herbs. This will allow them to absorb the right amount of minerals they need to grow.
Aeration is Key
Now that garden has enough light and proper pH levels, it’s time to discuss aeration – this step will make sure your herb garden grows healthy roots! Without fresh air circulating around its leaves, the herb garden will suffocate – nobody wants that either!
There are two main ways that can provide aeration for the roots of your how to grow an indoor herb garden. The first way is by spraying water over its leaves, which allows air pockets between them. This method doesn’t work as well as the second.
The best way to provide aeration is by using a hydroponic system that will keep oxygen flowing throughout its root ball. There are many different types of aeration for indoor herb garden systems out there, so be sure to do your research!
With aeration, you will be able to grow fresh herbs in the dead of winter when it’s too cold outside for anything else. You can even experiment by planting different types of systems and see what grows best with hydroponics!
The Right Temperature
You also need to make sure that the temperature is just right. If it’s too hot or cold outside then your plants won’t be able to grow how they normally would – nobody wants this either!
To maintain the perfect environment in small spaces like apartments and condos, you should place your indoor herb garden near a window that will allow sunlight in.
Another thing you can do is use grow light fixtures with LED lights so there’s no excess heat that could damage or kill the plants. Hang them just above the herb garden and turn them on for 12-14 hours every day.
Why is Drainage Crucial?
After you’ve started creating an indoor herb garden, it’s time to make sure that your plants have optimal drainage. Without proper drainage then the roots will suffocate and die – nobody wants this either!
This is why many garden kits come with some sort of growing medium for your garden to grow in. There are many different types of media, like coco coir and perlite, but they all serve the same purpose – drainage!
When you plant some plants it’s important that you don’t pack down any soil or substrate around the plant. This can cause your garden to rot or even drown, so be sure not to do it!
To start how to grow an indoor herb garden with ideal drainage you should place a layer of gravel at the bottom of the pot before filling it up with soil. Once this is done, then simply scoop how to grow an indoor herb garden into the pot and give it a little shake.
By following these simple steps you can start an indoor herb garden from scratch, no matter how small your space may be! Now that you know how to do this there is nothing stopping you from having fresh herbs all year round right on your very own.
What are the Easiest Plants to Grow?
Now that you know how to start an indoor herb garden, it’s time to talk about the easiest plants to grow – they’re perfect for beginners! Some of them include:
- Mint
- Chives
- Parsley
Although some herbs require more sunlight and specific nutrients than others, the ones listed above will flourish in a hydroponic.
They are also very easy to grow and can be placed in small spaces like kitchens and windowsills. Just remember that it’s best not to overcrowd the area with plants!
Choosing the Best Pots
Next, you need to choose the best pots for starting an indoor herb garden. The main thing is that they should be large enough so that the roots don’t get too crowded and suffocate, but small enough so that it doesn’t take up a ton of space either!
You can use any type of container for this, but they should be at least 12 inches deep and wide. This will provide enough space so that the roots can grow without getting cramped or suffocated out of existence!
Use Separate Pots for Each Plant
Another thing to keep in mind when growing an indoor garden is how big the plants are going to get. You can use one container for all of your herbs, but it’s best if you put each plant type into its own pot so that they don’t compete with each other or steal nutrients from one another!
Choosing the Best Soil
Since we know how starting an indoor garden can be a bit tricky, you should make sure that your soil is as perfect as possible. The main thing here is not to pack it down too tightly because this will suffocate the roots and kill off all of those plants!
For herbs, it’s best to use how to grow an indoor herb garden soil that is nutrient-rich and full of microorganisms. This will help provide your plants with all the nutrients they need so that they can flourish in their pods. Without proper soil, it is impossible to understand how to start an indoor herb garden.
FAQ
When Should I Start My Herb Indoors?
You should start how to grow an indoor herb garden indoors in the early spring when everything starts waking up. Now is a great time to begin growing an indoor herb garden so that you can be enjoying fresh herbs all throughout the winter months!
What is the Easiest Plant to Grow?
The easiest plant to grow is mint because it grows fast and can handle very little sunlight. It does not require a lot of light, but you should keep the windows open while growing this type of garden so that they get at least four hours per day!
What Herbs Don’t Need Direct Sunlight?
Herbs like how to grow an indoor herb garden and parsley do not need a lot of direct sunlight. They will thrive in the indirect light that they receive through windows, but still require at least four hours per day.