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Indoor herb container gardening tips and great ideas!
Welcome to Indoor Herb Container Gardening! Here we provide you with the knowledge necessary for creating a productive indoor herb container garden. Herbs are wonderful plants. You can grow then both in and outdoors. Inside, you’ll need a well-lit area that is warm and has a sun period minimum of four hours a day. Windows, windowsills are fine for this, and the herbs will not only look attractive but will give off wonderful perfumes. And once they’ve reached maturity, they can be harvested as a when you want them. Windowsill suitable? You want more space? Try shelving. Vertical stands with adjustable shelving, placed near a glass door or a large window, can contain a multitude and variety of indoor herb containers. This style (see illustration) takes up little floor space and, if set up as directed, all plants receive equal light. The type of stand you use for your indoor herb container gardening project comes down to personal choice, but you need keep in mind that water is involved. Keep it well managed. Keep the water away from any power outlets! 
Containers? The sorts of containers you use in your indoor garden are as multifarious as the ideas of those who design them. Shapes, sizes, materials- there are so many. You can pick them up in nurseries, supermarkets, garage sales, flea markets- all over. For indoor herb container gardening an optimum size container for your windowsill would be approximately 60 cm long, 25 cm wide, and 20 cm deep. This size will support most herbs and, because of their length, are able to take a number of different herbs in the one container.
Plastic containers are cheap, but they can look a little unsightly on a windowsill or inside stand. Tart them up by placing them inside some lovely glazed ceramic containers. The plastic ones can no longer be seen, and when it’s time to water, trim, or take some care with your plant, everything stays neat and clean. 
Indoor Herb Container Gardening - Potting Mix You can pick up top quality mixes everywhere these days so don’t use the cheapies. They might cost you a couple of dollars less per bag, but they lack the nutrient and water-retaining qualities of their slightly dearer cousins. Broad range mixes are fine for herbs. When adding your mix to the container, fill it right to the top after adding the plant. Don’t firm down the soil. Just let it fall naturally under its own weight. This will allow the potting mix to hold a lot more oxygen, and the roots will be able to move around more freely. Then water from the top first. After which the pot is then placed in its tray, the tray, of course, being filled with water than will be drawn up. In this way the entire potting mix within the container will remain moist and there’ll be no dry spots in there.
Indoor Herb Container Gardening - Light Most herbs enjoy full sun. But many can still thrive in lesser light, so that windowsill, or stand behind the glass door will be fine. Some examples of more common species that should be fine in this environment are: Mint, Parsley, Basil, Catmint, Chives, Ginger, Horse radish, Lovage, and Rosemary.
If you find your herbs are getting long and lanky, it’s a sign that more light is needed. Those poor little plants are reaching up, extending themselves to reach that light. Many people have problems with not enough light when trying to grow herbs indoors. Here’s one way to fix that: Have plenty of flat white surfaces around. Yes, flat white walls reflect light. Commercial growers have known this for years and it’s commonly used in Hydrophic farming. So place your favourite containers herbs against a flat white wall, and place some flat white cardboard or a ceramic plate of the same colour beneath the plants. In this way, you’re getting not only the light through the glass, but reflected light off the rear wall and also from underneath.
Indoor Herb Container Herb Gardening – Warmth and light. Another trick is the use of white quartz crystals. Did you know that Bio-Dynamic farmers actually crush quartz and spray it on the leaves of their plants so that it will assimilate more light. It’s true. We don’t need to go to such extremes, though. Simply place some of the quartz stones around the base of your plants and you will have amazing results. The quartz will actually store heat, realizing it later, thus keeping your plants warm at night. And additional bonus: they keep their roots cool throughout the day. Additional bonus: the stones themselves look great, as they set off the plants. The two, in combination, add to ambience of your indoor herb container garden setting. Stumpy’s tip for Indoor Herb Container Gardening - Compost Great stuff.! And these days can be purchased at local nurseries, hardware stores, supermarkets and the like, by the bag. A handful mixed through your potting mix will give it that ‘shot of adrenalin’ and also provide extra, longer lasting nutrients. Also, compost can be used to help take care of your plants root systems. You don’t want ‘em to freeze or roast, so give ‘em some tender loving care by putting a inch-thick (2-5 cm) layer on top of the potting mix. Remember to keep it away from the actual trunk of the plant, though, as it may create stem rot. Take good care of your plants and they will reward you sights, smells, tastes, and fresher air, as well as food which will add to your health and zest for life.
Happy gardening. Oh, and don’t forget to liquid fertilize those herbs every fortnight.
Marty.
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