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Publish - November 14, 1998 BY: SALLY SCALERA, HORTICULTURE AGENT
Grow Herbs Inside Your Home I recently wrote an article on growing herbs in the landscape but this time I want to talk about growing herbs indoors. For those who love to grow plants and eat, this article could be the start a fun project. After all, you don’t need a yard to grow these herbs. All you need are containers, a good draining potting soil an herb or two and a sunny window sill. As long as the container has a drainage hole the style is a matter of personal choice. I have noticed though, that it is harder to over water a clay pot since the pot is porous and provides better air circulation for the roots. If you don’t water too often a plastic, ceramic or metal container would work fine. Just remember, make sure that the container has a drainage hole. When choosing a potting mix, pick one that is fast draining because all herbs need a well-drained soil. Also, indoor herbs will need at least five hours of direct sun each day. Some of the herbs that you will be able to grow on your window sill include; basil, parsley, dill, chives, sage, oregano, sweet marjoram, and summer savory. All of these herbs can either be started from seed or purchased as young plants from many of our local garden centers. Here is a little information on these herbs to help you choose which ones you may want to grow. Basil is a bushy herb with extremely aromatic foliage. There are a large number of cultivars of basil that provide a lot of choices. There are basils that have tiny green leaves all the way up to large, red leaves. Normally, basils run anywhere from 10 to 16 inches tall. This herb can be used in pesto, sauces, vegetables, salads and with fish. Parsley is an attractive deep green plant that comes in curly leaf or flat leaf forms. Parsley is a well known breath freshener plus it aids in digestion. Dill has a couple of uses. The seeds can be used as a pickling spice and the light, feathery leaves can be used in fish sauces and salad dressings. There is a specific cultivar called "Fernleaf" that is a compact form of dill that only grows to 18 inches tall which makes* it a wonderful choice for a container. Chives are my first choice for a culinary herb because we love fresh chives in our baked potatoes. The leaves can also be chopped and used in soft cheeses, stews, omelettes, and tomato soup. Sage comes in a number of different varieties and is known for it flavorful leaves. Sage can be used in poultry stuffing, pork dishes, and soft cheeses. Oregano is a commonly used herb in Italian foods such as tomato sauce and pizza. Oregano can also be used in cheese and egg combinations such as omelets plus yeast breads, marinated vegetables, roasted bell peppers, pork, poultry, onions, potatoes, eggplant and shellfish (just to name a few of its uses.) Sweet marjoram is closely related to oregano but is a little bit milder in flavor with a hint of balsam. Both the leaves and flowers can be used fresh in recipes or as fresh sprigs added to a salad. Sweet marjoram is commonly used with beef, veal, lamb, roasted poultry, fish, eggs and many vegetables. Summer savory grows to about 18 inches tall and has flavorful leaves that can be used in salads, eggs, meat dishes, sausage, stuffing and green beans. Summer savory is also traditionally used with Fava beans. Now that you have read all of the different dishes you can use these herbs in just follow your taste buds and go buy an herb plant, a pot and some potting soil and get started on you window sill herb garden.
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