Herban Gardening: Planting Your In-Home Garden
Not all of us are able to get our hands dirty in our own plot of city land but not to worry, the ability to grow your own garden is definitely not out of your reach. Growing your own in-home garden is just a few cute pots away. Just follow these quick steps and you'll be planting your own home grown herbs just in time for spring!!
-Find a perfect spot in your home, a place that is near a window and full of sunshine. It can be a windowsill, but doesn't have to be because if you don't have enough windowsill space then these incredible round plant stands by Terrian (below: 1) are the perfect way to get your growing plants all the sun they need!
-Pick out the perfect planters for your new plants. I prefer to use one planter per herb so I can tailor the care for that specific plant, however if you'd like to put more than one herb in a planter then just be sure you are choosing to pair herbs with similar needs. Also, look for pots that have saucers to catch excess water. I love these gorgeous pots from West Elm (below: 2)! They are also chalkboards so you can write the herb your growing write on it's pot and keep from confusing them when they are just beginning to sprout!
-Get your pots ready for their new seeds by filling them with potting mix. You can use an organic seed starting mix or potting soil, however I prefer to get both and create a 50:50 mix to use in all my pots. Just avoid using garden soil, it can harbor small organisms which aren't very good for your new growing garden! Then, fill each pot with soil to about two inches from the top.
-Now for the fun part, getting to choose the herbs you'd like to grow (below: 3)! My favorite seeds come from the Hudson Valley Seed Library (below: 4) because they not only grow incredibly well, but their art packs look beautiful and unique!
-Begin sowing your seeds, checking the packet for information on the depth you should plant each seed since in varies between each herb. Then, be sure to research the herbs you've chosen to grow, since they all have different needs to make they comfortable and healthy! The more you know about how to care for your specific herbs, the better and faster they will grow... and that means lots of delicious and dynamic meals to come!!
-Now you have a city garden all your own!! Green space is so calming to the soul and you'll feel great waking up each morning and looking at your new addition, be sure you care for them and keep them feeling just as great as you do. Water your herbs regularly keeping their soil moist while not letting it get soggy. One way to do this is to be sure to drain your saucers about 30 minutes after watering. Also, buying a good organic fertilizer to use on you herbs about every two weeks will help them growing strong!!
1. Round Basket Plant Stand: Terrian ($88-$98), 2. Chalkboard Planter: West Elm ($8-$18), 3. Herb Chart, 4. Art Packs: Hudson Valley Seed Library ($3.75 each)
This is part two of a series on planting and growing herbs in NYC! Check back for the next installment on how to plant your outdoor garden!!