Earthly Garden

You can grow your own spices and herbs to use in cooking right in your kitchen or bedroom window. There are many herbs sold in packages that you plant right into a planter for growing. I found a much easier way to do this without the chance of losing any seedlings or plants during the geminating process.

Jiffy pots make it so easy to start plants out and now they even come in cloth bags to help the transplanting process. I have started seedlings for Mint, Basil, Catnip (for Meia-my cat- to munch on in the house), Sage, Tarragon, Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Oregano, Thyme, and Parsley. I will use every one of those in some sort of dish throughout the summer and into the fall.

Below is a good way to start herbs out before planting. Place what seeds you want in the bag of dirt and then wait till they are 4-5 maybe even 6 inches out of the soil before transplanting to planter.

Getting your planter ready for the herbs is the next step. You want to combine your soil with a ratio of 50% organic to 50% potting soil (sold at home improvement stores throughout the U.S.). After your seedlings reach the 5-6 inch height, plant them in the planter.

Your seedlings that have germinated will begin to grow as the day’s progress. Just place the planter in a sunny location, like the kitchen or bedroom windowsill. I have one in the kitchen as well as the bedroom, due to the fact that I love seeing fresh things upon waking. Fresh sun, fresh flowers, it just gives me the feeling of a fresh, new day is ahead of me.

It’s a good idea to label where each herb is so that when they get fully grown you will know what and where each herb is located in the planter. Until you get familiar with what each herb looks like, this is a good practice to get into when planting herbs. So that when a recipe calls for Basil you don’t have to surf the net or even wonder where you planted Basil. If you take care of your herbs they will grow all into late summer and early fall. Growing them is not only a fun way to get natural ingredients it is also healthy to have them in your home and incorporate them into your cooking. Herbs are a natural and sustainable plant and are good for you then most of the dried herbs sold in a jar at the local supermarket.

Hi all….the winter weather continues here. It was 17-degrees when I woke up, NOT something that this thin-blooded Texan wants to even think about. I comforted myself by rushing into my office and looking at the wee little basil seedlings struggling along here. They are coming up, slowly, mostly because this room gets chilly at night. I’m thinking of adding a warming mat to my stash of seed-starting tools!

Here’s a great website I just discovered….it covers info. on organic gardening, farming, sustainable agriculture, heritage (heirloom, or antique) vegetables, organic food on a budget, etc.

Even though the site is maintained in the UK, the information applies to anyone, anywhere. Enjoy!

Dig it!

bobbi c.
All text and photos Copyright©2005-2007 by Bobbi A. Chukran

organic gardening, organic farming, sustainable ag, sustainable agriculture, heritage vegetables, heirloom seeds, antique vegetables, organic food on a budget

Mornin’ all! First of all, I have a big announcement…my basil seeds I planted ten days ago are up! Such little things bring me joy. LOL. I can’t help but “wax poetic” about the several pounds of basil and all the wonderful pestos, etc. that will come from each of those teeny little plants (assuming I don’t kill them first.) A seed really is a tiny miracle, come to think of it.

And, for those of you who are just itchin’ to get your hands in the soil, I ran across this great article on the Better Homes and Gardens site about starting seedlings. Lots of good info. from a reputable source.

Happy gardening, and don’t hesitate to ask questions if you have any. I may not know the answer, but will try to find it for you!

Dig it!

bobbi c.
Copyright ©2005-2007 Bobbi A. Chukran. All rights reserved.

starting seeds indoors, basil, seedstarting, Better Homes and Gardens magazine