Mini herb garden? Now is the thyme !

Do you want to grow herbs but don’t know how? Have you been deterred from trying because you don’t have a backyard or don’t want to dig in the dirt? Herbs can easily be grown on your balcony or by a window, and unlike herbs in a garden, they can thrive in your new condo all year round!

Growing herbs is easier than you think. Follow the instructions below and you may discover you have a green thumb!

What you will need

1. You will need to choose your herbs. Since it is already July, do not start them from seed but instead buy them from your local garden shop or market. There are a wide variety of herbs you can grow, but for the inexperienced gardener I recommend choosing from basil, thyme, sage, rosemary and parsley. For the more confident grower you can also look for mint, chives and oregano.

2. Pots or containers. It is best to choose deep containers that will allow the herb plant to grow long roots. You can put more than one herb in a pot, but the more crowded the pot, the less the herbs will grow. Have fun with the containers you choose. There are many colours, styles and materials available, so choose your pots to contribute to the aesthetic of your condo.

The most important thing is that the pot has a hole at the bottom for drainage, which means you will need a plastic or ceramic tray under each pot to catch the extra water.

3. Potting soil. Soil from outside will be too heavy for indoor plants. Buy a bag of soil specifically for potting.

4. Sunshine! Make sure before you invest in the above supplies that you have a window or balcony where they will be exposed to a lot of sunshine. They will not only grow better in the sun but herbs taste and smell stronger when exposed to a quantity of sunlight.

How to plant

1.Fill your pot approximately three-quarters full with soil. Do not pack it down; it should be fairly loose. Dig a shallow hole in the middle of the soil. Water the soil lightly so that it is moist.

2. Loosen the roots of your herb plant and gently place the roots in the shallow hole. Fill the remaining space with soil up to one inch from the top of the pot. Water this soil until moist, but not soaking.

Herb maintenance

1.Water your herbs as often as they need it. Poke the soil to see if it is moist. If it is very dry, add water, but never too much. The bottom leaves of the herbs will begin to turn yellow if the plant is being over-watered.

2. Harvest leaves from the herbs year-round. Take leaves (never more than a third) starting from the top of the plant as this will promote the growth of side-shoots and will strengthen the stem. Do not let your herb plant produce flowers because it will stop producing those tasty leaves. You can even try rotating the plant every two weeks to prevent it from leaning in one direction.

With a few supplies and these easy steps, you don’t need a backyard to be a gardener. You can have the most local and fresh herbs right in your kitchen and ready for your culinary experience.