By: NIKI JABBOUR from www.hortmag.com
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With the end of the traditional outdoor growing season, many gardeners turn their attention to indoor plants. Sure, there are plenty of tropical houseplants we can grow, but as a food gardener I’ve started to collect indoor edibles like ginger, bay, cardamom and other culinary herbs. I found great advice in Herbal Houseplants, in which author Susan Betz offers a detailed primer on successfully growing these plants in the kitchen and other rooms.
The key to growing herbs indoors is providing them with strong light.
When I asked Susan for advice on getting started with herbs indoors, she said the very first thing to do is to look for the light.
“One of the most important aspects of growing herbs is making sure they get enough light,” she said. “Herbs are sun lovers and need at least five to six hours of sunlight per day.”
A sunny window may not be bright enough for certain herbs, so she recommends using a grow light to provide them supplemental light.
As far as what to grow, she recommended starting with herbs you love to use. However, she added, don’t be shy about trying something different, too—especially if it brings a rich fragrance to indoor spaces. She suggested lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus), eucalyptus (Eucalyptus cinerea), lavender (Lavandula) and tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) as scented herbs to try growing inside the home.
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