Home And Family

Window sill gardens are charming, reminding us of the kitchen of our grandmother and home cooked meals, but they are also highly practical.

On a visual level, they are appealing as they add color and a light scent to your home. Windowsill herb gardens continue to be chosen by many people over outdoor herb gardens for a variety of reasons. One of the primary reasons is that, with a windowsill garden, you can enjoy your herbs all year long and you never have to trek outside for some fresh herbs to add to dinner.

Keeping that in mind, there are some herbs that are better suited to a windowsill. Oregano, for example, has an awesome taste, is highly versatile in the kitchen and is well suited to windowsills because of the convenient size of it. Rosemary and basil are also ideal plants for your windowsill herb garden. Rosemary and several others are known for their ability to repel fungus, and others have a wonderful scent that will make your home welcoming to walk into all year long.

When choosing the windowsill for your herb garden, it is best to choose one that will receive the most hours of sunlight; for the northern hemisphere this would be any south or southeast facing window. Like most plants, herbs love a lot of sun and the more hours they can receive, the better they will grow and thrive. Ideally, herb plants should receive at least five hours of sun daily, and it is also very important to be aware of drafts in the cooler months and keep your herbs clear of them.

As you prepare to start your windowsill herb garden, if you opt to buy your own containers look for some that are 6 to 12 inches deep, or you can also opt for herb garden kits that would actually include the necessary containers. In addition to the containers, you will also receive the herbs, information on the herbs you have received with the kit and on how to care for them and help them to thrive and survive for many seasons.

Caring for herbs is a relatively simple matter, but reading about them will help you learn what their gestation periods are, as well as how and when to harvest the leaves for drying, storing or cooking. There are also plants that need to be trimmed on a regular basis or they will take over your windowsill garden, and it would be helpful to know which ones and how to recognize them. In the end, the windowsill should be such a natural, beneficial location for the garden that you are left with very little to do to tend your herbs and enjoy the freshness of them.

However, watering will always be up to you, and it is important to be careful and accurate with your watering. They should be watered sparingly as they do not like very damp soil, but they also should not be allowed to dry out. If you have purchased a kit with plants already blooming, you should not cut the leaves too quickly. Leaving them for a little while will allow them time to adapt to the new environment and encourage a successful transition. If you live in an area where you do not have access to the proper lighting through a window, you purchase synthetic lights. It is a good idea to consult with a nursery or the light manufacturer on proper usage, but herb will generally grow nicely with artificial light as well as natural light.

For people who really enjoy cooking, fresh herbs are a fantastic way to improve every dish, and having the herbs growing in a convenient windowsill allows the cook to enjoy the benefits without the hassles. You will also find yourself inspired by your fresh, convenient herbs to try new dishes, and you will also enjoy the pleasant scents continually provided by the herbs.