Herbs In A Box - Pure Magic!

Want to grow herbs but haven't got a garden or a clue how to? It's easy if you follow some simple guidelines. Herbs are one of the best plants for any gardener because they are easy to grow, edible, look good and are incredibly versatile. For the witch, herbs have the added advantage of being able to be grown to use fresh in spells or potions or they can be dried and stored for later use.
You can grow a single herb in a tiny pot on your windowsill or fill anything from troughs and window boxes to barrels and old sinks on a balcony and have a self-contained herb garden stuffed full of your favourite herbs, even if you don't have a garden.

Herbs are generally sun loving and drought tolerant, so they make excellent container plants. Being in pots makes them easy to move to a convenient spot, to get more sunlight. In addition, most culinary herbs are annuals (which grow for one season only), so you can enjoy a bountiful summer of fresh leaves but then have no long-term responsibility for the plants. This means there's little risk of disease getting a hold or of the plants outgrowing the container.

Growing herbs in containers has become the easiest and most practical way to have fresh herbs handy most of the year. It requires a bit more maintenance time and expense than an outdoor herb garden, but there is a huge advantage in being able to move the containers around to fit the needs of the plants. Most any container will work for planting herbs, terracotta pots, old copper buckets, your old cauldron, lined wicker baskets, just about anything that will hold soil and drain well.
Flea markets, car boot and jumble sales are a great source of unusual containers. You can also use a plant trough. This method has a slight disadvantage because not every herb will tolerate it's neighbours growing conditions, rosemary doesn't like to have her roots dried out, whilst bay likes to dry out completely between watering. I get round this by having a large plastic terracotta look trough, big enough to sit on the window ledge and hold pots inside on plant saucers, that way I get a wonderful display like the picture at the start of this article, but I can control the conditions for each herb. And it looks like a group display. Another idea is to have a container with seperate compartments, like this:-

Choosing a container

The size of the container is almost more important than the type of container. If the pot is too small, the soil will dry out quickly and the herbs will soon become "root-bound." In hot weather these small containers may require watering several times a day. Wood containers hold moisture better than terracotta pots, but terracotta works well if you splash water on the outside of the pots whenever you are watering the herbs. Since you will be watering potted herbs more often than herbs growing in the ground, you will also need to fertilise the herbs more often. I use an organic liquid fertiliser by maxicrop that's suitable for vegetables and herbs you mix it with water, soaking the herbs with the mixture every three to four weeks.
Almost any container will do provided it can hold sufficient compost and has drainage holes in the bottom. This stops the soil becoming waterlogged which causes the roots to rot as they sit in stagnant water. The style of container and the material from which it is made is largely a matter of personal preference, although each type does have its own benefits and pitfalls.

Terracotta looks great in any garden. It's porous so looses more water, but the evapouration keeps the compost cooler which benefits the plants.

Stoneware is good, it is very frost resistant, but more expensive and heavy to move around.

Plastic terracotta and stone look-alikes are very convincing these days and are relatively cheap and lightweight.

Plastic isn't porous so needs watering less, but tends to fade and become brittle over time.

Galvanised pots look great in a modern kitchen and they aren't porous so need watering less often. However, they absorb heat more than other types of container, so the compost can overheat on a sunny patio.

Wood tubs have a natural appeal so suit most types of kitchen and are useful for growing permanent shrubby herbs such as rosemary and bay.

Potting, growing and aftercare tips.

Pot the herbs up in fresh, commercial potting soil and water them well. Don't skimp on soil quality. Herbs in pots need a reasonably rich soil mix with good drainage. A good all-purpose soil recipe for herbs is:- One part potting compost, one part sand (not the builders kind, you can buy the correct sand that's suitable for plants at most garden centres), and one part ground or composted coir dust (a fibrous by-product of coconuts) note you can use peat but I prefer to use an alternative eco friendly product.

If you're bringing plants indoors that have been bought from a garden centre or begged from friends, double and triple-check each plant for pests by inspecting the stems and leaves. Pests can be sneaky so check under the leaves as well, the last thing you want is for all of your other herbs to be invaded by unwelcome visitors.

Surviving the great indoors.

The indoor environment can be quite a shock to plants that are accustomed to cool nights, breezes, rain, and direct sunlight. To help with the transition, you need to reverse the "hardening off" process. Begin by setting the plants out of direct sun for about a week. This gets them used to the lower light conditions indoors. After a few days, bring the plants inside for a few hours, then return them outside. Repeat this "in and out" routine for 5 to 7 days, then bring them indoors for good. Believe me, this will make a big difference in how well the survive the great indoors. If this isn't possible improvise or get a friend with a garden to help out.

When it comes to light, herbs need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day. (Exceptions are parsley, rosemary, thyme, and mint, which can tolerate partial shade). Supplement with flourescent lighting if necessary. Turn the plants, especially if they're on the windowsill, so they enjoy even lighting conditions.

A few more tips:

Mist plants occasionally, provide good air circulation, and don't crowd the pots together. Herbs are extremely sensitive to dry, stagnant air. Stale air sets up the perfect conditions for pests and fungal diseases. Try to keep your herbs happy with fresh air by opening a window, setting up a small fan, or by opening a door for good ventilation.

Growing herbs indoors also presents a wonderful opportunity to start new plants from cuttings. They make great gifts, plus you'll have a crop of seedlings ready to transplant in the spring.

Fertilising indoor herbs is a little bit of a balancing act. On the one hand you want your herbs to be healthy and productive, but not so leggy that they lose their flavour and scent. Feed them monthly with an organic plant food.

When it comes to watering, herbs can be a little finicky. As a general rule, water most herbs thoroughly when the soil surface starts drying out. Here are some other helpful guidelines:-

Use room temperature - not shocking cold - water.

Let marjoram, oregano, sage, bay, and thyme dry out between waterings.

Don't let rosemary completely dry out.

Lemon balm, mint, and scented geraniums enjoy moister conditions.

Pick up pot grown herbs such as basil, chervil, chives, marjoram, rosemary & mint at the supermarket and pot them on and then grow on your kitchen windowsill.

Herbs work hard as houseplants. They add a certain charm to the indoor environment, giving you flavour, fragrance, and sometimes flowers. With a little extra space, you'll never have to be without fresh herbs again.

A Selection Of Easy To Grow Herbs.