One of the many disappointing things about winter is that you no longer have any fresh basil ready at hand. Recently, I came upon an indoor herb garden kit and thought I would give it a go. But why buy the kit when I already have all the stuff. So borrowing from the grow kit design, I decided to give it a try. Here is what you need:
- Vase or jar
- Metal tea strainer that fits in the top of your vase of jar
- Cotton rope wick
- Small rocks or decorative stones
- Basil, cilantro or parsley seed
- Soil (I use a compressed peat disk, but in hindsight I think you can just use soil)
Indoor Herb Garden Set Up:
I bet you can guess how the set up goes, but start by cutting a hole in your tea strainer. Feed your wick through the strainer to about the top. Fill in around your rope wick with the stones and top the stones with your soil. If you are using a compressed disk you might need to soak it in water first.
Initially I made a mistake in trying to keep my peat disk within the stones. I think it is best to just spread it out over the top. Make sure your rope wick is nestled up inside the soil. That way it can keep it soil moist.
Gently place your seeds on top of the soil. Keep your rope wick in the water to work as your irrigation and you are set.
NOTE: The boxed herb garden says that all you need is a window and water. I don’t believe that is true. With it being winter, you also need a lot of sun and warmth to get seeds to go. After a heavy snow, I decided to place my garden under a grow light. Something you might want to also consider. Check your top soil and keep it moist at all times, hence the clear plastic bag. You might have to spray it from time to time. Don’t let it dry out.
Looking for a simpler Herb Garden Setup? Check out these self-watering planters that are perfect for an herb garden.
