This will help to prevent the accumulation of salt inside the soil (visible in the form of a white build-up on the top surface), which can inhibit the growth of your seedlings. Fertilising On the other hand, those who are seeking to transplant a store-bought herb plant to their windowsill should pour a small amount of potting mix into the pot to begin with. Plastic Bottles - Ever-present in most households, plastic bottles are another great option for those looking to substitute their plant pots for something different. Cutting a rectangle out of the side of your plastic drinks bottle provides the perfect trough for your herbs. Alternatively, you could just cut your plastic bottle in half to utilise the base of the bottle as a make-shift and stable plant pot. Blueberries. If you can find space for a twenty litre (5 gallon) pot on your ledge, blueberries will give you pretty blossom in spring, berries in summer and red foliage in autumn. You may also wish to fertilise the herbs on a monthly basis, though this shouldn’t strictly be necessary to maintain their growth and those which are reared without artificial help will generally retain a stronger flavour. 6)Harvest Without Harming

We would also add these separate plants to it, as we love mint and rosemary. All our guides to the best growing kits A common ingredient in Mediterranean cuisine, basil is perfect for adding to pizzas, pastas, quiches and pies. Repot your herbs every spring, especially those on windowsills. There is only a limited amount of soil and nutrients available in the small pots, so this should be replaced annually. When the plant becomes root bound, divide the herbs or plant them in a larger pot. Pests and diseases If you’re sowing your herbs from seed, you should fill your pots to around two-thirds of their capacity with the potting mix, then sprinkle the seeds on its surface. Alpine strawberries will not give you huge harvests - but they do produce small, delicious fruits over several months. Perfect for grazing from on a hot summers day!When watering, it’s also a good idea to keep going until the excess seeps out from the drainage holes into the trays or saucers beneath.

In general, the conditions inside your home are not likely to be as intense as those they would face outdoors, so as long as you prevent the soil from drying out altogether, you should be fine. The hardest part of growing herbs on a windowsill can be finding the right spot,” says Colin Skelly, a Horticultural Consultant. In this scenario, you should choose the greenest and freshest looking leaves of your herb and strip them off gently but firmly. Then, simply place them in an ice cube tray and fill with water (or oil, if you plan to make dishes that wouldn’t benefit from excess hydration) and freeze them overnight. Mediterranean herbs like sage, thyme, and rosemary are often thought of as 'sun loving' crops. But they will usually grow fine in three to five hours. As well as being invaluable for so many dishes, they produce pretty edible flowers that bees love.

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You’ll need a spot that receives at least six hours of sunshine a day for your plants to really flourish, otherwise they’ll end up spindly, flavourless and entirely underwhelming. That means watering them every few days (or perhaps more if your home is particularly warm, especially during the winter months when the heating is likely to be on more often). While most types of herbs will do just as well indoors as they will in an alfresco environment given the right care and attention, there are some that work better than others. When you bring the herbs in to the windowsill, watch for insects, especially aphids and spider mites. If you detect a problem, spray the plant with tepid water or submerge it for 15 minutes. Use insecticidal soap for severe problems, but avoid harsh chemicals.

Another relative of Mint, Lemon Balm, has a strong, lemony flavor that lends a delicious taste to fish dishes, steamed and sauteed vegetables, sorbets, and fruit salads.Whether it’s sandwiches, marinades, Italian cuisine, Pesto, or any sauces, there is no such dish that a dash of basil cannot make taste better, and many of you would agree! Having fresh herbs available at your fingertips will redefine how you use them in your cooking. You’ll get to really understand what fresh means, rather than the refrigerated, slightly tasteless offering that you might get from the shops. You’re going to add some serious taste to your cooking, which will be really hard to give up. Often, east or west-facing windows can be best as they are sunny for much but not all of the day (rather then south in full sun or north in full shade). Then, making sure to be extra careful not to damage the plant, ease it out of its container and gently massage the roots to separate them from the clumped form they will likely have assumed. Having said that, you should never remove more than a third of their foliage at a time, since this will cause the plant undue stress and can stifle its growth or even kill it off completely.