How to Grow Herbs in Your City Apartment
Living in the city has always come with a wide variety of benefits. There’s public transportation, many restaurants and shops to choose from, lots of activities to do and all different types of people to meet.
Growing up, I never thought that one day I would live in the city. I grew up in a really small town and so to me, the city always seemed so fast-paced and intimidating. Luckily, I was able to get over that fear pretty fast and six city-dwelling years later I can say that I love nearly everything about living in Boston.
While there are many pros, city living does come with a few draw backs as well — and I’m not just talking about the crazy expensive prices. One that I miss the most is having my own backyard full of different types of plants. Being outside surrounded by beautiful greenery and flowers has always made me feel so peaceful and more at home.
Unfortunately, there is certainly no way for me to start my own outdoor garden overflowing with plants anytime soon. However, that doesn’t mean all hope is lost. Luckily growing herbs in an apartment isn’t only possible, but some herbs actually do better indoors vs outdoors depending on certain conditions.
If you’re interested in growing your own herbs in your apartment, here are a few tips for beginners to help you get started:
Tip 1: Make sure your herbs are getting enough sunlight
Windows that face south usually allow the greatest amount and brightest light of sun through.
Don’t forget to check on the type of herb you are planting — not all herbs like the same amount of sun each day. If natural sunlight is an issue at your apartment, you can always purchase a grow light which is both cheap and easy to find.
Tip 2: Don’t overwater your herbs!
When you water your herbs it is important only to water enough so that the soil is damp. If you see a puddle of water sitting on top of the soil draining slowly, you may be overwatering your herbs.
Overwatering your herbs can lead to yellowing of the leaves and/or a fuzzy mold starting to grow on the top of the soil. To help avoid this, water slowly and only when the soil is dry. Room temperature water is always the best to use for all plants.
Tip 3: Make sure to select the right herb pot size
When selecting a pot for your herbs it’s important that it has both enough room for the plant to grow as well as holes on the bottom to allow for drainage of excess water.
To help avoid water spilling everywhere from the bottom of the pot you’ll want to make sure you have a drainage plate. The plate will hold the excess water that may drip out of your herb pot after watering. Additionally, if the roots of the herbs don’t have enough space, the growth of your herbs may be stunted and the herbs won’t get enough nutrients.
Tip 4: Keep your herbs away from extreme temperature changes
Try to avoid putting your herbs too close to an air conditioner or heater.
The extreme fluctuations in temperature can ruin all your hard work and stop your herbs from growing.
These basic tips can help if you decide to start growing your own indoor herbs. Not only is it rewarding to watch your seedings grow, but now you’ll get to save money on the pricey herbs you’d normally get at the grocery store.
A few of my favorite herbs to cook with are basil, thyme, and oregano. They can be used for so many different delicious recipes and they all do well when grown indoors.
As I mentioned, before you decide on which herbs to grow it is important to look at each herb’s specific needs. If you have similar taste in herbs, here’s the basic, important information you need to know when planting basil, thyme, and oregano:
Basil
Takes about 10–15 days to germinate
Place seeds on surface of soil
Enjoys full sunlight
Thyme
Takes about 10–20 days to germinate
Place seeds ¼ inch under soil
Enjoys full sunlight
Oregano
Takes about 10–20 days to germinate
Place seeds on the surface of soil
Enjoys full to partial sunlight
Summary
Planting herbs indoors is a great way to bring some life into your city apartment.
Make sure your herbs get the proper amount of sunlight.
Don’t overwater your herbs.
Choose an appropriately sized planting pot with drainage holes.
Keep your herbs at a constant comfortable temperature and avoid temperature extremes.
Basil, thyme, and oregano are great indoor herbs for beginners to start with and can be used for a variety of recipes.
