How to Grow Fresh Herbs in Your Kitchen

It's not too difficult to have fresh herbs in your house and be able to add them to your recipes at any moment. You just need to keep some advice in mind, like to put them in a place where enough sunlight reaches them.

Would you like to grow fresh herbs right from the comfort of your kitchen?

Imagine always having fresh herbs on hand. While you’re cooking, you can cut a fresh piece directly off the plant, wash it, and add it to your recipe.

Sounds perfect, right?

Well, it’s not too hard…And in this post, we’ll tell you how.

Fresh herbs at home

It sounds ideal to be able to grow fresh herbs in your house. They aren’t just decorative and aromatic, they are also a way to always have fresh ingredients on hand to add more flavor to your dishes. Essentially, cooking is an art, and gardening is too.

There are many aromatic plants used in cooking. Among the most popular are:

• Dill
• Basil
• Oregano
• Bay Laurel
• Parsley
• Rosemary
• Thyme

On the other hand, it’s always better to plant them outside, like in the garden, on a balcony, patio, or another plot of land. Effectively, this is the only way to make sure that they get enough sunlight to grow properly.

However, you can also plant them inside, even in your kitchen. For that, you just need to keep in mind a few special steps you should take.

Proper Conditions for fresh herbs

Light

Without light, herbs can’t grow and develop correctly. Because of this, if you want to have them in the kitchen, you should first make sure to pick a good place where enough sunlight will reach them. 

Essentially, you should keep in mind that herbs need a lot of light, even as much as six hours a day. Because of this, it’s better to put them in a place where you’re sure they’ll get it, like on the window sill, for example.

Drainage

Herbs don’t normally live a long time if their roots are wet. Because of this, it’s important to have a good drainage system. Therefore, make sure that the planter pots you buy have holes in the bottom. That way, they can drain easily and continuously.

Aeration

In addition to light and good drainage, herbs also need good aeration. In outdoor plots and gardens, that isn’t normally a problem of course. However, when you grow them in pots, it could be that they aren’t aerated enough and end up wilting.

Because of this, you should plant them in pots with holes in the bottom, and also put them on a plate of small rocks. That way, you can let the air into the pot to aerate the roots.

On the other hand, you might prefer to have your pots hanging on a wall-panel by making a “vertical garden” in your kitchen. In that case, of course, you can’t use a plate. However, you can also put small rocks into the dirt to get the same aeration.

Other tips to grow fresh herbs

You can also choose to group your plants based on their water needs. That way it will be much easier to remember how much water each one needs and not overwater them.

• The herbs that need less water are rosemary, thyme, sage, and lavender.
• Herbs that need more water are basil, parsley, and mint.

Cut them in moderation

Cutting herbs promotes their growth because it keeps them in a development phase, without letting them mature and flower. Also, during this stage, they’re much more flavorful and aromatic.

However, don’t cut too much off because they can wither and die. It’s better, therefore, to cut just what you’ll need for each dish. In any case, never cut more than 1/3 of the plant. Essentially, it’s best if you cut small amounts regularly.

On the other hand, if they flower, it’s best to cut the flower off. That way, you can keep them in the growth phase and will be able to have fresh and aromatic leaves for a longer time.

They also decorate your kitchen

As you can see, it isn’t that hard to keep and grow fresh herbs in pots inside your house, right? You just need to keep in mind the advice we presented to you.

However, there is another side of growing aromatic plants that you should have in mind: they’ll be a part of your decoration. In that sense, the effect of the natural green color, the aroma, and the “live” element in the kitchen plays an important role in your decorations. In fact, they’ll fill your kitchen with life and nature!

Because of this, you should pay special attention to the pots you choose for your herbs. For example:

• You can choose clay pots (always with drainage, that is, with holes in the bottom) for a rustic touch.
• On the other hand, if you have a modern kitchen, you can choose impactful colors or all white.
• If you have enough space and light, you should know that there are wall panels that will fill your kitchen with life. It’s like having a vertical farm inside your house.
• In the last few years, upside-down planters have become very fashionable. They’re a very original idea, perfect for small spaces. Additionally, many of them include a watering system.

Finally, always remember that when you take them straight from the plant to your dishes, you should wash them well before adding them to your meals. So, don’t hesitate and enjoy a decorative, aromatic, and delicious addition to your kitchen!