Nothing brings a kitchen to life like a window herb garden.  This is especially true if the view outside your kitchen window is less than desired.  Having a pretty herb garden to look at instead will make your kitchen more homey and relaxing.  Here are the steps for bringing life to your kitchen with a window herb garden.   

Choose your windows wisely:  Your herb garden will work best if our window gets at least six hours of light each day.  This is most likely to happen in an east-facing window.  If this is not possible, consider purchasing florescent grow lights.   

Choose your herbs.  If you have never grown anything before, you will want to start off easy.  Some herbs are easier to grow than others.  Start with basil, parsley, chives, and thyme.  All of these herbs are also great to use in your cooking.  It is easier to purchase them as plants instead of trying to grow seeds. 

Choose pots for planting your window herb garden.  If you have a deep window sill, you can use simple clay pots for your window herb garden.  If your sill space is limited, you should look for pots that will allow you to hang your plants on the cabinetry on each side of your window.  I like using hanging wall planters like this set of Messina Large & Small Bamboo Wall Vases.  They have a pretty bamboo design that will lend nicely to your window garden theme.  These wall art vases are quite large at 18” and 16” high and which leaves plenty of space insert gravel in the bottom of the planter to allow for drainage.  You can also keep them in the original container and insert that into your hanging pots.  Just be sure to make sure there is drainage, as herbs don’t like a lot of water.   

Maintain your herb garden by watering them regularly without adding too much water.  Check the plant by sticking your finger into the soil and water only when the top inch or so is dry.  Also check them for spider mites which are common in indoor plants.  You can get rid of them with insecticide spray. 

• November 2007