Farmers Weekly Review

November’s weather so far has been more like April; so, as gardeners, many of us are still anxious to keep our hands in the good earth. Although our outside gardens are put to bed for when the winter winds blow, there still is a great way to keep, or let’s say restart, the garden indoors, by making a windowsill herb garden.
This fun and easy little project is not only a great way to scratch that gardening itch, but it also can make a thoughtful, semi-homemade gift for any gardener or cook you know. And it couldn’t be easier with potted herbs readily available in the produce section of most grocery stores year-round. But as with all things gardening, there are a few important tips and tricks you need to learn to make your new windowsill garden successful.
Before deciding what herbs to grow, start with choosing your container. Take into consideration the geographical space you have for your new little garden. In magazines, you often see kitchen herb gardens in pots as big as gallons, but few of us have windowsills wide enough to accommodate more than 4 to 6 inches.
The basic rules of container gardening still apply here, although in miniature: You should have a container with drainage, use potting mix (not soil) and of special consideration for this garden, some type of saucer or tray to prevent the garden from ruining the surface it is setting on. It doesn’t matter how delicious those parsley potatoes are you made for the family from your little herb pots, if you also made your windowsill rot.
Container choices can be utilitarian, crafty or festive. For the saucer or tray, you can use basic plant saucers, or you can also get creative. Instead of the individual plant saucer under each container, why not opt for a tray? And you can fancy that up by adding some aquarium or pea gravel to create a mini humidifier for the little herbs.
You just add the gravel to fill the tray, then add water to the tray so the water just becomes visible. This will increase the humidity around your plants. We forget that while our furnaces are pumping out the warm and cozy heat for us, it is also squeezing any humidity out of the air our plants need. This humidity tray is also a great idea for houseplants.
And don’t forget the landscaper’s trick if you have containers you want to use that do not have holes in them. I have a great windowsill garden using large teacups I got at the thrift store. There wasn’t a practical way to drill holes in the cups, so I put a plastic generic pot (actually I think I left the herbs in the pots they came in). So, the decorative teacup actually became the saucer; and if by chance, I overwatered, I just had to empty the overfill; problem solved.
Now, we are set with containers, saucers, and soilless mix. What about lighting? Typically, while outside, our herbs prefer full sun, little to no fertilizer plants, and with a few exceptions, modest watering. But inside, even without ideal light conditions, you can have a thriving indoor potager (French for kitchen garden).
The ideal siting for a windowsill herb garden is a west or south facing window. Remember, Mother Nature is drawing the shades on the sun earlier and earlier each day until the Winter Solstice on Dec 21. So the more light you can provide your herbs by choosing the west or south, the better. But if you don’t have that option, your herbs will still hang in there for six to eight weeks. Or if your sunnier windows are in another room, go for it! Just use containers that match the décor in that room.
You can also use lights if you have a kitchen counter light strip. Just be sure to leave it on for 12 hours per day. You don’t need any special grow bulbs. A high-tech option, which I just happened upon myself are some individual plant lights that can be stuck right in pots. They look like little halos and allow you to grow plants in a windowless room.
Now what herbs to choose? The sky is the limit. Even though you can start herbs from seed anytime of the year indoors, it takes 4-6 weeks or more to get to harvestable stage, so this time of the year I would opt for plants. (The one herb I always start from seed is dill.)
Some of the great windowsill herb garden standbys are basil, parsley, and varieties of thyme and mint. At the store, they may look a little (or a lot) straggly and beat up with bruised or browning leaves, but don’t let that dissuade you. These poor plants may have been in low light, refrigerated conditions for several days in the produce department.
Just take them home, give them a nice haircut and grooming (pull off any brown or crushed leaves) and pot them up. Give them a thorough drink (so water runs out the bottom).
Now you can have (or give the gift of) fresh herbs year-round!