Gardening indoors not as hard as it seems

Growing herbs is a great activity for beginner and longtime gardeners. Herbs can greatly improve the taste of food and for thousands of years African and other peoples have used herbs for their healing and health benefits.

The great thing about herbs is they can be grown inside, sometimes in the very kitchen that you cook in. All you need is a location that gets good sun, good soil, a container with good drainage and some of your favorite herbs.

Here are a few common herbs that are great for growing indoors:

• Basil
• Bay
• Chive
• Oregona
• Parsley
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Tarragon
• Thyme
• Chervil

These can be started from seed or you can start from plants. Below are a few instructions to starting an indoor garden.. This is a great first step in taking control of our heath, food supply and eventually our self-determination.

Supplies You’ll Need to start a indoor herb garden:

• Small to medium sized pot, depending how many herbs you would like to grow (medium depth is ideal, all materials work) *note: ensure that your pot either has drainage holes in the bottom, or create drainage with a layer of small pebbles or stones on the bottom
• Soil (buy a mixture of potting soil from you local garden store, to ensure proper moisture retention) *note: do not use soil directly from the ground in pots, it dries out extremely fast and plants will not grow
• Seeds/seedlings (choose a variety of your favorites) *note: some herbs tend to grow better from a seedling than from seed
• Water

Steps to Plant Your Herb Garden in a Pot:

1. Choose herbs that you and your family like the most.  A good basic variety could include parsley, thyme, basil, oregano, dill, mint, cilantro, etc.  Seeds are available at some grocery stores, garden stores, or through seed catalogs and online.
2. Fill your pot with potting soil (and drainage if necessary) and moisten slightly with water.
3. Plant seeds in your pot, according to package instructions for specific herbs.  Most will simply need to be pushed slightly into the soil and covered with a shallow layer of topsoil.  Water thoroughly.
4. Place your pot somewhere warm and sunny inside, for the colder months, until frost passes outside.  Then place the pot outside in the warm sun, in late April or early May, depending on where you live and the weather.  Take extra care that the soil is kept moist enough during the first months while inside – not soaked, but not dried out either.

Pretty cool Herb Garden designs: