Indoor Gardening - Growing Herbs and Spices You Can Cook With

By Whitney Sequra

If you enjoy cooking, no doubt you know that herbs and spices provide you with a great way to add fragrance and flavor to the meals that you cook. However, purchasing them all the time can get pretty expensive. The great news is that it doesn't take much space to grown your own spices and herbs, so many people decide to raise their own inside. This way you can easily get to and use your plants, and with a minimum amount of care, you can have some wonderful herbs and spices that are sure to "spice" up the cooking that occurs in your kitchen.

The Difference Between Herbs and Spices

Many people don't realize that there is actually quite a difference between herbs and spices. Herbs are considered to be plants that are herbaceous without stems that are woody and they have leaves that are provide flavor and fragrance. Some of the most common herbs grown for cooking purposes include mint, oregano, cilantro, sage, thyme, chives, basil, and rosemary. Spices are known as the dried leaves, blossoms, fruits, berries, or the seeds that come from a plant, so they are a bit different.

Why Use Herbs?

Wondering why you should grow and use herbs? Well, they have the benefit of adding great flavor to dishes without any calories, salt, or fat. Some of them add nutrients and vitamins to the foods as well. However, if you purchase spices and herbs from the store that are not fresh, they often don't have the flavor that fresh ones do. Fresh herbs can be expensive as well. So, doing some indoor gardening and growing your own herbs and spices allows you to have them whenever you want without spending a lot of money.

Using Garden Containers

You'll find that most herbs and spices don't have to have a lot of space to grow. Many of them have roots that are very shallow and you just need some nice pots that you can put in your home. Strawberry pots work well, window boxes are great, and small home pots can be used. Even wall planters and hanging baskets provide a great way to grow these herbs and spaces without taking up too much room in your home.

The Medium for Growing

You definitely need to consider the medium for growing when it comes to herbs and spices. Usually you only need a medium that is lightweight because they need plenty off air circulation as well as great drainage. This makes it pretty easy for you to transplant as well. Usually it's best to use potting soil, peat moss, sand, and perlite to make the perfect medium for them to grow in.

Tips for Cultivation

When cultivating your herbs and spices, you'll want to make sure that you have them in an area where they will get direct sunlight for about 6 hours each day. If you don't get enough sun, fluorescent light can be used to help out. They should be watered on a regular basis, but it should be done lightly. The soil should not be muddy or dry, but it should be kept slightly damp.