By Erin Weaver
An herb garden in your kitchen is the ultimate sign of “Yes, I’ve got my life together.” Not only have you shown off your God-like ability to keep something alive for more than 24 hours, but the herbs you’ve raised are handy in elevating your recipes from “OK, I guess” to “Wow, do you have a Michelin star?” If you just want an easy, aromatic garden that will impress all your Pinterest-inclined buddies, we recommend planting the hardiest and most stubborn varieties of herb: parsley, chives or mint. If you’d like more of a challenge and are confident in your herb-rearing abilities, there’s sage, rosemary and thyme. When you’re “dealing with some very unstable herbs,” as it were, we’ve compiled a handy list of tips that will help you navigate plant parenthood.
Casa Basil-ica
There’s limited space on your windowsill, so the herbs will need to be planted in small pots or one large one, if you don’t mind your plants intermingling. Terra cotta pots are some of the most breathable, but any planter will do as long as it has drainage holes. Be sure to use dirt that drains well, which won’t be a problem if you’re buying starters or standard potting soil, and avoid using the earth from your yard or garden, as this could be clumpier or clay-based and can suffocate your plants. Some of the more overparticular herbs (we’re lookin’ at you, rosemary) also benefit from crushed eggshells in their soil. This can be achieved by sticking eggshells in a food processor and grinding until they’re of a more powder-like consistency – and you get the added benefit of telling all your friends the wild story of how you processed eggshells, you wild animal, you.
Avoiding Defenestration
Experts (though how one becomes an “herb expert,” we’ve no idea) agree that herbs in your garden need at least four hours of direct sunlight a day and typically thrive when placed on a windowsill. However, herbs have a very complicated relationship with the window: it gives them the light they need, but because the sun is only allowed from one direction, the plants will lean toward it. If their leaves touch the glass, however, some herbs get too cold throughout the night. It’s therefore best to rotate your herbs continually so that they don’t angle in only one direction, which also keeps them from freezing against the glass.
Herbs as Landlubbers
Most herbs meet their end when their soil becomes waterlogged. Make sure there are drainage holes in the bottom of your pots, because if your plants sit too long in still water, they’ll rot. Always allow the soil to dry completely before you water it, as keeping it moist would actually be overwatering your herb. If you notice that the leaves of your herbs have yellowed, this is not your leafy friends asking for more water; rather, it’s actually a sign of rotting roots due to too much water, an indication commonly misread by us mere peasants who are not self-proclaimed “herb experts.”