If you’re like me, you would love to have more useful plants growing in your living
space, but you’re limited on the amount of space and resources you have.
So today I’m going to show you a couple of easy herbs to grow in your kitchen or on
your porch, and give you a few tips for caring for them!
General tips to start you off: Firstly, you’re going to want to get a good quality potting
soil.
If you’re starting your plants from seed, look for something that’s specifically intended
for seed starting.
For herbs, you’re going to want something that drains extremely well.
You can accomplish this by mixing sand or perlite in with your potting soil, ensuring
your container has enough draining holes, and putting gravel below the soil.
Basil is a wonderfully versatile and useful kitchen herb.
Scientific name Ocimum basilicum, it is in the mint family, Lamiaceae, and likes warmth
and well draining soil.
For container planting, you’ll want to choose a dwarf variety, like Pistou, Purple Bush,
Minette or Boxwood.
Of these, Purple Bush is most tolerant of cold, so if you’re growing in a chilly kitchen
window, that might be your best choice.
If you’d like to bring your basil outside, make sure you wait until it’s at least 50
F at night.
Pinch off flowers to encourage more leaf growth, and pick leaves at your leisure for cooking!
These little seedlings are a sweet basil variety, that I started a couple of months ago while
the weather was still cold, and I was desperate to plant something.
I’ve got them in a nice big pot with gravel at the bottom, and organic potting soil that
has some perlite mixed in.
I’m also saving some seedling to put in my community gardening plot later this month.
This next plant is a little off-beat, but I am a huge fan.
Lemon balm, scientific name Melissa officinalis, is in the mint family, Lamiaceae.
It gets its name because of its lemony taste, and it’s useful for a lot of things.
The dried leaves can be used in tea, and the fresh leaves can be used in salads.
Lemon balm is a prolific grower, and you’ll want to pick the young leaves before it flowers.
It’s a perennial, so it will come back year after year.
It grows well with partial sun.
Chives are closely related to garlic, onions, shallots and scallions.
They grow from bulbs, and the stalks, called scapes, are popular in cooking.
In containers, they need lots of space, so don’t crowd them, and give them a nice deep
pot.
Unlike some of the other herbs I’m covering, chives really benefit from fertilizing.
You’ll want to make sure their initial soil is rich in compost, but still drains well,
and treat the plants with a nitrogen-rich fertilizer, like fish emulsion.
You can grow either garlic chives or onion chives.
Their names reflect their tastes, and both are equally easy to grow.
You’ll want to grow them from bulbs or seeds, and they’re a perennial.
Kept inside, the bulbs will regrow through the winter, providing you with tasty fresh
chives year-round.
Scientific name Rosmarinus officinalis, Rosemary is unique compared to the other herbs I’ve
discussed, because it is an evergreen.
It has woody stems, and compact, waxy leaves evolved for keeping in moisture.
The plant originated in the mediterranean region, and needs good drainage, and the soil
should be allowed to dry out slightly between waterings.
Give the plant plenty of sun, and increase the pot size every year as it grows.
It’s easiest to grow from a store-bought plant or cutting, as the seeds are difficult
to germinate.
When choosing a variety, trailing varieties like Santa Barbara or Huntington Carpet make
great hanging baskets.
The variety Blue Boy is great for window sills.
Harvest stems by clipping them off, and use the leaves or stems in cooking.
The flowers are also great for salads!
While I’d argue that all of the plants I’m discussing are beautiful, this last one is
particularly so: Violas and pansies.
These colorful flowers thrive in cooler weather, so they’re great for the spring.
What’s wonderful is that their flowers are edible!
They’re a great colorful addition to salads, or you can candy the blooms with sugar.
Grow these in rich, moist soil with partial shade.
If you’re buying grown plants, look for ones with lots of buds.
Be sure to deadhead flowers, aka cut off wilting flowers and don’t allow seeds to form.
This will help the plant keep producing more flowers.
Those gorgeous flowers can then be clipped off, and used as a colorful addition to salads,
or candied and used to adorn things like cupcakes.
I would also add that if you’re planning on growing these for consumption, be mindful
of where you purchase plants.
Many nurseries will douse plants in pesticides, and you don’t want those on plants you’ll
be eating.
This is true for all edible plants, but as violas are often used as decorative plants,
be particularly careful.
And look for species like Viola tricolor and Viola x wittrockiana, which are safe to eat.
African violets, despite the name, are not true violets and should not be consumed.
Those are just a few plant possibilities to get you started!
There are literally hundreds of varieties out there for you to try.
Check out some of the resources in the description for more in-depth info.
This year I’m also growing calendula and catnip!
But in summary, you’re going to need some containers with drainage holes, highly quality
soil with added sand or perlite to help with drainage, and your plants or seeds of choice.
Put them in a sunny window, and remember to prune them as needed.
You’ll have a flourishing stock of fresh herbs in no time!
I’d love to see what herbs you have growing at home!
Tag me in photos over on instagram and twitter, I’m @brilliantbotany on both.
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All right, quick merch note!
For the month of June, through June 22nd, I have my rainbow bee t-shirt design on sale
again to celebrate pride month.
20% of the proceeds from the sale of these shirts will go to Project Q, a really amazing
organization that provides identity affirming haircuts to queer, homeless youth.
And then the rest will support the work I do on Brilliant Botany, bringing science resources,
attending festivals and bringing you all sorts of accessible plant science information.
You can check those out at the link in the description, or on the screen.
I also have patches, stickers and buttons with that same design, you can get those at
the Brilliant Botany shop, also linked in the description.