Beautiful, useful and easy. This is how you can characterize a small "garden" with spicy herbs, located on the windowsill. What is the aroma reminiscent of early summer! And most importantly, any of the herbs can be plucked and used for its intended purpose, thereby filling the winter lack of vitamins. So, the decision is made, it remains to bring it to life.
Where to get seeds?
For seeds, you can go to our specialized online store. It is there that there is the widest selection of various varieties of herbs and leafy vegetables. If there is no time and skills for planting seeds, seedlings of some herbs (rosemary, thyme, balsam, oregano) can be purchased in pots. You can bring seed material from your own dacha or ask friends.
When buying seeds, you should prefer early varieties in order to enjoy the result as soon as possible and take a sample from your own "plantation".
Soil features
Most herbs require rich, well-drained soil. You can buy ready-made soil in a flower shop. Garden or garden soil is not recommended. Firstly, it may contain spores of pathogenic fungi and pathogens. Secondly, it is often too heavy, acidified, and has a low content of useful mineral and organic substances. If there is no other way out, garden soil must be sterilized in the oven or steamed.
However, there are plants for which soil is not needed. Watercress, mustard leaf, onion can grow in water or moist environments. So, for example, watercress and mustard leaf can be sown on a damp napkin spread in a wide but shallow container. A paper towel and even a layer of cotton wool can replace a napkin, but constantly maintaining the humidity of this makeshift substrate is a must.
It is even easier to grow onions "on the feather". The most common way: a third of the bulb is immersed in water and placed in a well-lit place. To avoid an unpleasant odor, it is enough to regularly change the water, preventing the onset of rotting processes. In addition, you can grow onions in such a way that only the roots touch the water. More on this in the next chapter.
What container to choose?
Yes, almost any object with a bottom and walls can become a haven for the selected weed! An old tea cup, a jar of mayonnaise or yogurt, and even half an egg shell can all be used to create a makeshift kitchen garden.
A plastic jar with a lid is a simple and affordable container for forcing onions into a feather. A hole is cut in the lid so that the lower part of the bulb is one third on the other side (you can also use a glass container with a neck diameter slightly less than the diameter of the bulb). Water is poured into the jar so that it contains only a bulbous bottom with the beginnings of roots. The only thing that remains is to monitor the water level, which should correspond to the length of the roots formed. Over time, the bulb begins to “lose weight”, as the accumulated nutrients are spent on the formation of greenery. If you want to continue forcing the feather, you can feed the plant: add a little organic fertilizer to the water (with a high nitrogen content, for example, based on bottom silt).
A plastic bottle with a capacity of 3-5 liters can be an excellent "site" for growing onions, parsley, lettuce, dill and many other herbs. Round holes are cut in the walls of the bottle. For onions - wider, so as to stick the tip of the bulb out, for parsley and herbs - narrow. The technology is pretty simple. A layer of drainage is poured on the bottom, then a layer of soil approximately to the first row of holes. Bulbs (parsley roots) are laid, the end with a growing point should stick out a little from the hole. Fall asleep with a layer of soil to the next holes and repeat the operation.
With seeds a little more difficult, it is more suitable for those who have at least minimal experience in growing herbs. The bottle is filled with the substrate completely, and the seeds are planted in the prepared holes. You can deepen them no more than twice the width of the seed, but it is better to follow the manufacturer's instructions. It should be noted that this method is only suitable for those herbs in which seed germination does not take place in the light: parsley, dill, lettuce, golavnik, white mustard.
Another assistant in growing your own garden on the windowsill is hydrogel. It can be added to the substrate: it will absorb excess water during irrigation, and then give it to the roots. You can do it more simply: place the swollen hydrogel in any suitable container and plant seeds on its surface. For planting in this way, watercress, mustard leaf, salad valerianella are suitable. It was noted that the use of hydrogel brings the harvest time closer by about a week, and allows less frequent watering of plants. Important: only colorless hydrogel should be used for these purposes.
Drainage is an important part of the potting mix for any container you choose for growing herbs. A small layer of coarse sand or small pebbles at the bottom of the selected vessel will help form a healthy root system. This is especially important if it is not possible to make drainage holes to drain excess water.
TOP 10 herbs to grow in the kitchen
We have compiled a rating based on the popularity of a particular plant in cooking and ease of cultivation.
1. Onion - the details of the process are described above. It remains to be added that for forcing on a feather, it is best to select bulbs of the same size. Before planting, remove the upper dry covers. You can cut off the top - thanks to this, feathers will appear faster.
2. Watercress is an absolutely undemanding plant. It can be grown in soil or water, in light or shade. Illumination is not required. The crop can be harvested when the sprouts reach 5 cm in height. Watercress is consumed raw: added to salads, sprinkled with sauces, soups, sandwiches. The plant has a lot of useful substances for humans.
3. Leafy mustard is just as easy to grow as watercress. By the way, you can plant these two plants in one container. Mustard leaf can be eaten both raw and after heat treatment. For example, as a seasoning for stewed meat.
4. Dill is a well-known and beloved seasoning. The plant is unpretentious, but early varieties should be preferred. They give a harvest already on the 25th day after planting. Otherwise, you will have to wait a month and a half for fresh greens.
5. Lettuce is a more demanding plant. Likes bright light and fairly high temperatures. In principle, it is not difficult to provide such conditions in the kitchen, but artificial lighting will be required.
6. Basil is a heat-loving plant that brightens up the kitchen with its beautiful green and purple leaves. By planting several multi-colored species in one pot, you can create an interesting color composition. Harvesting decorativeness does not hurt: you can pinch off the lower leaves or pinch the tops. The latter stimulates the formation of side shoots and the formation of lush bushes. The optimum temperature for growing is +25–28°C.
7. Coriander is a hardy plant and a popular spice. When growing, special conditions are not required. The main thing is to prevent stagnation of water or drying out of the soil.
8. Lemon thyme has a pleasant smell. By planting this undemanding perennial plant, you can enjoy an unobtrusive delicate aroma with hints of lemon for several years.
9. Rosemary - lovers of Mediterranean cuisine should definitely have this plant on their windowsill. Perennial bushes delight with carved foliage and spicy aroma. You can buy a young plant in a nursery or flower shop. Self-growing from seeds takes quite a lot of time and can be difficult.
10. Parsley, a spicy herb that can be grown both from seed and by distillation from the rhizome. The second method will give faster results. Conditions for growth - a warm room, plenty of light, balanced watering. Parsley does not tolerate indoor cultivation too well, but is very popular in our country.
A few last tips
- Proper lighting is the key to success. Only onions and watercress do not need additional illumination. All other plants need a long daylight hours. A sign of a lack of light are elongated stems.
- The hydrogel will help maintain the water balance: first, it absorbs excess moisture, and then gives it to the roots of plants.
- Organize a drainage layer. Without it, water will stagnate in the soil, which will lead to rotting of the roots and death of plants.
- When choosing seeds, pay attention to planting material from well-known manufacturers with a large shelf life. It is better to buy seeds of early ripe varieties that are resistant to adverse conditions.
- It must be remembered that the air temperature on the windowsill is always lower than in the room. If it blows from the windows, you need to put the pots on a wooden or foam stand - this will protect the roots from freezing. A container of water placed between the pots will help neutralize the flow of dry air from the batteries.
- It is best to use organic or organo-mineral fertilizers. It is not advisable to exceed the dosage, but for young plants it is necessary to reduce it by half the recommended one.
- It is not necessary to buy pots for planting herbs. You can use improvised materials: plastic cups and bottles, tea cups, an old teapot or salad bowl.
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