Enhance your cooking skills by creating a kitchen herb garden in a window box. With parsley, basil, thyme and mint growing, you can easily enhance the taste of your meals.
Setting up your herb garden on the windowsill is a breeze. Simply gather items like seeds, soil, pots and grow lights, if needed, to kickstart your herb growing journey. Dive into this guide for more insights.
Why Should You Have a Kitchen Window Sill Herb Garden?
Having a herb garden on your kitchen windowsill can really spruce up your living area. Imagine the convenience of having herbs within arms reach to elevate the flavors of your dishes with ingredients you’ve grown yourself. With herbs like basil, thyme, mint and rosemary close by, you can elevate your culinary skills without constantly running to the store.
What is even better, is that cultivating a herb garden promotes sustainability. Growing your herbs can help reduce plastic usage and minimize the distance food travels from store shelves to your table.
For those who enjoy gardening, tending to a windowsill herb garden can be both calming and rewarding. It provides a sense of fulfillment and connection with nature, all in the comfort of your home.
What to Plant in Your Kitchen Window Herb Garden
Looking to start your own indoor herb garden by your kitchen window sill? Here’s a list of herbs that do well indoors and can enhance the taste of your cooking;
1. Basil – This fragrant herb thrives in sunlight, making it a great choice for your sunny kitchen window. Use fresh basil leaves to whip up pesto. Or use whole or chopped up basil leaves to sprinkle on pasta dishes or toss into salads for a burst of flavor.
2. Thyme – With its sturdy stems and small leaves, thyme is a tough herb that can handle indoor environments. It’s perfect for seasoning meats, adding richness to soups and stews or infusing oils and vinegars for extra flavor.
3. Mint – Mint grows well in containers though it can be a bit thuggish and rapidly spread. It is best, therefore, kept in its own pot to contain the roots to avoid taking over your window herb garden. Utilize fresh mint leaves to garnish desserts, brew refreshing teas or crush them into cocktails for a zingy touch.
4. Parsley – This adaptable herb thrives indoors and brings a vibrant, fresh taste to dishes. Chop parsley leaves to sprinkle over roasted veggies, mix into salads or incorporate into marinades and sauces for a flavor enhancing boost. This is also a great herb to add to fish sauces.
5. Chives – These mild onion tasting herbs are simple to cultivate in small pots on your windowsill. Snip some fresh chives to sprinkle over baked potatoes, mix into omelets or use as a garnish for soups and salads to add a subtle onion flavor.
6 Rosemary – Well known for its fragrant needle-like leaves. Rosemary grows extremely well in sunny spots and imparts a strong flavor to dishes. Fresh rosemary sprigs can be used to season roasted meats, potatoes or bread dough for an added savory touch.
7 Oregano – A robust herb that thrives in warm and sunny environments, oregano is ideal for indoor growing. Incorporate fresh oregano leaves into pizza toppings, pasta sauces or marinades for a rich Mediterranean taste.
How to Create a Herb Garden in Window Box
Here’s a simple guide on how to create your own herb garden in a window box.
Below is the equipment you’ll need to get started:
Window Box – Choose a sturdy window box that fits your window sill and has drainage holes.
Potting Mix – Opt for a high-quality, purpose potting mix enriched with organic matter to provide nutrients for your herbs.
Herb Plants – Select healthy herb plants from your local nursery or garden center.
Watering Can – Use a watering can with a spout to water your herbs gently and evenly.
Liquid Fertilizer – Keep a bottle of balanced liquid fertilizer on hand to feed your herbs as and when you need to.
Follow the step by step instructions below:
Choose the Perfect Spot
To kickstart your window sill herb garden, begin by selecting the right placement. Opt for a spot on your kitchen window where your herbs can soak up sunlight for at least 6 hours daily. South facing windows are perfect as they are often sunnier. The warmth and light from the sun will help to enhance the flavour of your herbs.
Pick a Window Planter
Once you’ve decided upon the right spot, it’s time to choose your new window planter. Select one that fits best on your window sill and has drainage holes at the bottom to prevent water accumulating and rotting the roots. Also consider a planter that comes with its own tray to stand on as this will catch any excessive overwatering.
Window planters come in materials such as plastic, wood or metal, with many options for finding one to match your kitchen decor. However, it is worth noting that metal containers will greatly heat up in sunny arrears and can cause roots to dry out or burn. Shade from the midday sun will be needed.
Plastic can ‘sweat’ in the heat and cause condensation. Good ventilation will be essential here, however, plastic is a good choice as it is a lightweight material.
Wood is a lovely natural material, but it can be heavy when filled with soil and plants. Fiberglass or resin is an ideal choice as they are both lightweight and sturdy.
Prepare the Planting Mix
Before planting your herbs, prep the soil in your window planter. Ideally use a well-draining, purpose mix to prevent water accumulating around the roots. Extra lightweight drainage materials such as perlite or vermiculite can be mixed into the soil to aid drainage and aerate the soil. Light weight clay beads can also be used to line the bottom of the window box to help prevent root rot.
The soil mix should also have organic materials in it like compost or manure. This nutrient packed soil will supply your herbs with all they need for successful growth. When filling the planter with soil, ensure you leave enough room at the top for watering, 3-5 cm should be enough. This is to make watering easier with equal distribution of water to your herbs. It will also help prevent excessive water running over the sides.
Selecting Your Herbs
Now comes the exciting part—deciding which herbs to cultivate!
Choose herbs that thrive in containers and align with what you like to cook with. Popular options include:
Basil for its leaves
Thyme for its flavor
Mint for its refreshing taste
Parsley for its versatility
Chives for their subtle oniony taste
Rosemary for its pine scented aroma
Oregano for its bold flavor.
Planting Your Herbs
After selecting your herbs it’s time to plant them in the window box. Carefully remove the herbs from their pots and gently loosen the roots and place them in the soil. Follow planting instructions on the labels and make sure you space out the herbs evenly. This will allow them to have room to grow and receive necessary sunlight and air circulation. Gently press the soil around the base of each plant to secure in place.
Regular Watering
Proper watering is crucial for keeping your herbs healthy and thriving. Maintain moisture levels in the soil without overwatering. Use your finger to check the soils moisture level and water whenever the top inch feels dry to touch. Make sure to water the herbs near the plant roots to prevent the leaves getting wet and making them unsuitable for harvesting. However, the leaves will benefit from the occasional light misting with water, especially during hot spells. Take care not to mist when the sun is strong, ie midday, as this could lead to leaves scorching. Also ensure there is good ventilation to help prevent fungal diseases.
Give Them Food
Feed your herbs with a fertilizer every couple of weeks to keep them healthy. Follow the directions on the fertilizer bottle (if bought at a store) for mixing and applying. Feeding your herbs will encourage growth, colorful leaves and plentiful harvests year-round.
Harvest your Herbs Carefully
Herbs generally grow quickly and you’ll soon be able to use them in your cooking. When it’s time to harvest, cut off herbs as needed with scissors or pruning shears. Be careful when picking, only taking what you need. Always avoid removing more than a third of the plant at one time as this will allow the plant to recover and rejuvenate.
Final Thoughts
Having a window herb garden isn’t just about providing new flavors for your food—it’s about having a connection to nature right in the heart of your home. Imagine the convenience of picking fresh basil while cooking up a Marinara sauce or snipping some rosemary to boost the flavor of your roasted chicken.
Starting your own herb garden in a window box is an exciting journey that combines gardening with exploring your cooking talents. From choosing the perfect herbs to planting them in a sunny window box, each step brings you closer to enjoying a rich harvest of flavors and scents.
So, get ready, gather your tools and embark on the adventure of creating your personal kitchen window herb garden. With some sunlight, care and a touch of culinary finesse, you’ll soon be able to savor the results.
Is it possible to cultivate herbs in a window planter if my kitchen window doesn’t receive direct sunlight?
Generally, herbs typically thrive in sunnier spots, though some varieties can tolerate partial or indirect sunlight. Consider planting herbs like mint, parsley or chives that can flourish in slightly shadier conditions. However, if your kitchen window receives at least six hours of sunlight daily, including early morning sun, this might be enough to grow a wider variety. Otherwise you could consider using specialized grow lights.
How frequently should I trim or prune the herbs in my window planter?
Regular pruning promotes fuller growth and prevents the herbs from becoming overly leggy. Trim your herbs as and when they need it to maintain their shape and encourage them to develop healthily. Remember not to prune more than a third of the plant at any given time to allow it to recover and rejuvenate.
Are there any pests or diseases I should be vigilant about in my indoor herb garden?
Common pests like aphids, spider mites and whiteflies could potentially impact an indoor window herb garden. Keep an eye out for signs of pest infestation and get rid of them using insecticidal soap or neem oil as necessary. Ensure proper air circulation and avoid overwatering to prevent fungal diseases like powdery mildew.
Is it better to start my herb garden from seeds or opt for established plants?
You have the option to either begin your herb garden from seeds or purchase mature plants from nurseries or gardening stores. Starting from seeds allows you to cultivate a wider selection of herbs, and is generally a cheaper way to start. However, established plants offer a quicker path to harvest as they have a head start.
How can I ensure adequate drainage in my window box herb garden?
Make sure your planter has holes in the base for drainage to avoid waterlogging, as it this can cause root rot. Choose a potting mix that drains well and be mindful not to overwater to keep the soil moisture balanced.
What steps should I take if my herbs appear droopy or show signs of distress?
If you notice your herbs wilting or that they have yellow leaves, it could be due to overwatering or underwatering then. It can also be down to nutrient deficiencies in the soil or a pest problem.
To counteract this, adjust your watering routine and ensure water is draining properly. Check the pH levels of your soil and top up with fertilizer to give them the nutrients that they need.
