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Got a window? You can enjoy fresh herbs every day of the year!
You don't need much to start a delicious and fragrant herb garden right in your own home. In fact, all you need is a window! Growing fresh herbs in a window herb garden is a fantastic way to add colour and flavour to just about any meal you prepare. And it's so simple to do, too.
Start by selecting herbs that you enjoy and ones that will grow particularly well with your window's exposure. You may use the following guide to help select your herbs, but note that most herbs will grow well in any exposure.
| Southern or western exposure |
Thyme, coriander, French lavender, basil, dill, parsley, chives, sage and rosemary |
| Northern or eastern exposure |
Parsley, spearmint, peppermint, lemon balm, chives, and Cuban oregano |
You can grow your window garden from seeds, but the easiest way to begin your indoor herb garden is to start by using established plants. You can purchase plants at a local nursery or home centre or even at your local grocery store. To start your garden, fill plain terra cotta or plastic containers to within 1" (2.5 cm) of the top of the planter with potting soil mix (containing equal parts of potting soil, peat moss and vermiculite). Set the root of your herb into the soil and tamp down firmly. Water liberally for the first watering but make sure you allow the soil to dry out a little bit between waterings to avoid root rot.
Since you started your garden with mature plants and not seeds, you can begin right away to enjoy recipes that feature the fresh flavours of your favourite herbs such as Prosciutto-Wrapped Scallops with Basil and Grilled Tarragon Lemon Tilapia. For more delicious recipes that use fresh herbs, visit www.highliner.com.
References:
http://www.googobits.com/articles/842-how-to-start-your-own-container-herb-garden.html
http://culinaryherbguide.com/herbgardens.htm
http://www.doityourself.com/stry/indoorherbgarden
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