How to Start a Window Herb Garden

Starting your own window herb garden is much easier than you think, it just takes some simple equipment, some seeds and a little bit of know how. The benefits of having your own window herb garden are many; from the wonderful herb smell you kitchen will take on to having fresh herbs to use in your cooking. Here's a basic guide that will get you started on growing your own window herb garden.

An important consideration for a window herb garden

First and foremost growing a window herb garden requires lots of light. If your window gets less than 8 hours of sunlight a day you should consider purchasing a small grow light to give your window herb garden all the light it needs.

Here's the steps to planting your window herb garden

1. Choose containers that have great drainage. One of the key reasons that a window herb garden will fail is because of improper drainage. It is important that your window herb garden is planted in well draining containers.
2. Take your container and place a very small amount of gravel in the bottom, this will improve drainage of your window herb garden even more.
3. Place two parts potting soil and one part sand in the container, if possible also put one teaspoon of lime for every 6 inches or so of container. Make sure you mix all this together.
4. Next up choose your seeds for your window herb garden. Make sure you get them from a reliable source and they haven't expired.
5. Put the seeds into the soil. A good general rule for your window herb garden is the seeds need to go into the soil about three times the size of the seed. Read the seed packet as well for additional instructions.
6. Water the window herb garden
7. Here's an important tip for your window herb garden. Take some plastic wrap and cover the containers, this will keep the soil warm and moist and will really help your window herb garden sprout.
8. One your window herb garden begins to sprout you can remove the plastic wrap.
9. Water the window herb garden everyday and make sure they get enough light. Always water from the bottom, not from the top. Some herbs, like basil, do not like their leaves wet.
10. Every 10 days or so add plant food. There are plant foods available especially designed for your window herb garden.
11. In about 4 weeks or so you should be able to start harvesting from your window herb garden.

Some additional tips for your window herb garden

• Always make sure your window herb garden is draining properly, and always water from the bottom.
• Feed your window herb garden every 10 days or so, make sure you read the plant food instructions for the exact amount of food to use.
• Don't be afraid to try different types of herbs in your window herb garden, one of the joys of cooking is experimenting with different flavor combinations, personally I love to even put some fresh basil on take out pizza, it really jazzes it up.

Here's a great window herb garden starter kit, it's available on Amazon and has everything you need to start a great window herb garden.