Growing Herbs in the Winter: How to Channel Mother Nature Every Month of the Year

Growing Herbs in the Winter: How to Channel Mother Nature Every Month of the Year

by | Jan 19, 2021 | Gardening | 7 comments

We’ve all been there: You feel like ‘Mother Nature,’ nurturing your beautifully lush plants through the Spring, Summer, and Fall. And then, “Presto!” It all changes: Suddenly, you have stringy, soggy, sad, wilty plants that make you feel more like the ‘Grim Reaper.’ You’ve kept the same routine… what possibly could have happened?

Whether you transplanted summer herbs into containers or purchased new herbs expressly for indoor growing, successful indoor gardening during the winter months can be a trip. Shorter days, soggy roots, and dry air are just a few of the challenges. How can you channel your inner ‘Mother Nature’ again?

Figure Out Your Goals

When it comes to maintaining your indoor container garden during the winter months, you have to assess what you want out of it. “Survival” is an obvious answer, but beyond that is: “Growth.”

The goal of “Growth” always sounds good! However, most plants naturally use the winter months as a rest period; changing your herbs environment to continue growing foliage, will give them ‘burn out.’ Since they weren’t allowed to slow down, they won’t have much energy to expend during the next year. In fact, they will most likely need to be replaced the following spring. 

If you want to go out with a ‘bang,’ enjoying as many herbs as you can eat in the winter months, “Growth” is a good goal. Rosemary, Bay Trees, and other heartier herbs can withstand the extra pressure. But, if you have dreams of continuously growing your same basil plant without giving it a break, your vision will quickly fade. If you’re trying to preserve your plant for the next spring, simple “Survival” is the goal for you.

The question might arise: Why do I have to pick one? Growing plants require more light and water compared to those that are allowed to experience natural dormancy.

Getting Sufficient Light for Growth or Dormancy

Your herbs automatically understand that they will receive less light in the winter; that’s why they stop growing. However, this doesn’t mean that their current location will provide enough light to support life in dormancy. To survive the winter indoors, most herbs require hours of direct sunlight.

If you’ve decided to encourage your herb plants to continue growing during their natural dormancy, you must give them their prescribed amount of summer light. For many varieties (like Basil and Rosemary), this means 6-8 hours of sunbathing. 

A simple solution is to move your plant to a sunnier location in your home. But, if you haven’t been blessed with a magnificent sunroom or giant patio doors, it may be time to think about getting grow lights!

Selecting an artificial grow light may seem daunting. Still, the benefits are undeniable: you are in control! Turn the lamp on for a few extra hours a day to boost your herb’s chances of survival. Or stick to a more intense regimen to encourage consistent growth. The on-and-off switch is in your hands!

When to Back off The Watering Can

That means you! Seriously, put it down. You must let your herbs dry out sufficiently before rewatering. If you’ve Googled it, you’ve likely ran into this piece of classic plant parenting advice: “Water when the first inch of soil is dry.” While this isn’t necessarily wrong, it’s not necessarily right either.

Pot Size

Many factors go into when you should water your plant, including the size of your pot! If you have a 5-year-old Rosemary bush, chances are, it’s not in a 4-inch nursery pot anymore. If you follow the above advice, you will drown your plant. 

Solutions? You could get fancy with it and purchase a moisture meter. They’re relatively inexpensive and allow you to effectively check the soil’s water levels deep down under! 

If you want a free solution, ask for a pair of chopsticks next time you get Chinese Takeout. Estimate where your root-ball would be; insert a clean chopstick to the appropriate depth, pull it out, and analyze. If soil is still on the stick, that means it’s still pretty moist in there! 

Plant Type & Goal

Of course, the most critical factor in watering is: What type of plant do you have? Herbs like Rosemary, Sage, Oregano, and Bay enjoy drier soils when compared to others. So, do your research.

The goal you’ve set for your herbs also affects what watering routine they will need. If you’re allowing your plants to rest, they need to dry out more. In contrast, if you’re giving them the light necessary for continued growth, you’ll need to maintain more of a summer watering-routine.

How to Humidify

Most herbs thrive in 50% humidity, while the average home during the winter months is around 10%. It’s not hard to see why some poor plants decide they cannot go on any longer! 

Undeniably, humidifiers are the most effective way to raise the humidity levels for all of your herbs. If a humidifier is out of your reach, give your herbs an extra boost by misting them daily. Make sure to spray them during the morning hours so that the moisture will have ample daylight to evaporate. 

One caution: Rosemary can develop mildew when misted. So, as with anything, make sure to do your research!

When to Fertilize

During dormancy, forgo fertilizer. Why? The extra nutrients can burn your plant’s roots, cause brown spots, and generally speaking… death. The simple fact is when your plant isn’t growing, it takes much longer to soak up the soil’s moisture, leaving your herb setting in fertilizer. It’s not a healthy equation.

That being said, if you are aiming to grow your herb during the winter months (and actually notice that your plant is indeed growing), fertilizing it won’t be the end of the world. Just remember, if this is your goal, it’s your herb’s “last hurrah.” Don’t expect it to live to grow another season! 

 Whether you have the goal of simple survival or consistent growth this winter, analyzing your lighting conditions and moisture levels is a good way to do damage control! Here’s to hoping you can channel your inner ‘Mother Nature’ and keep your plants happy and thriving during these chilly months.

The Unscientific Guide to Grow Lights: How They Work & Why You Need One

The Unscientific Guide to Grow Lights: How They Work & Why You Need One

by | Jan 11, 2021 | Tools, Gardening | 0 comments

If you have Googled “grow lights,” you may feel like you’ve left the flower department and entered the lighting center in the hardware store. Lumens, spectrum, watts, LED, HID… if your head is spinning, you aren’t alone! So, why is it worth muddling through the scientific jargon? How do you select the right grow light? And how do you use it? Find the answers here!

Why Are Grow Lights Beneficial?

Whether you’re bringing your herb-babies in for the winter or starting new, grow lights can help you successfully grow plants indoors. And, really, who doesn’t want fresh smelling, edible herbs at their fingertips year-round?

It’s no secret: to flourish, all plants have specific needs that must be met. Even shade-loving herbs still require light to function! So, the grow light journey begins with appreciating what our Sun does for us every day:

  • Energy: (aka Photosynthesis) Sunlight transforms into energy! 
  • Day/Night: (aka Photoperiodism) Just like us, plants need specific hour cycles of daylight and darkness. We have to go to bed sometime! 
  • Flavor: UV Rays, which can be harmful to people, are beneficial to herbs! For one thing, they stimulate the production of essential oils, which = flavor. No one wants bland Basil!
  • Warmth: The Sun provides heat to keep herbs growing.
  • Consistent Growth: We’ve all seen weak, stringy, leggy plants. This is usually caused by insufficient light. Appropriate sunlight helps your herbs grow healthy, beautifully lush crops! 

As an edible-plant parent, there are probably a few things you want to get out of the relationship: (1) a usable amount of herbs and (2) delicious flavor. Grow Lamps are a form of artificial light that mimics natural outdoor lighting. So, if you’re short on Sun, you can purchase a grow light to reach those same goals. 

How Can I Choose the Best Grow Light?

Sadly, there is no one right solution! You have to figure out the answer yourself, based on your unique circumstances. You aren’t alone, though. Here are a few tips that will help out: 

Your Plants

It makes sense that this is #1 on the list! Before you press “purchase” on Amazon for that new grow light, you need to think about: 

  • How many plants do I have?
  • What light requirements do my plants have? Are they the same? Or not?
  • What size are my herbs? How much will they grow in a season? 

How Many

If you are looking to provide a grow light for one plant, the solution is relatively simple.  

However, if you have a whole herb family you are trying to keep alive through the winter, things can get complicated. You may need numerous lamps to have enough light to spread around! (Keep reading for more on this later!) 

Lighting Requirements

Again, providing light for one herb plant is going to be pretty straightforward. As long as you know what it needs, you can purchase one solution. 

But, if you have an assortment of plants, you will need to determine the intensity of light each individual needs. Then you will need to separate the whole bunch into smaller categories. A few examples: 

  • High Sun: Basil, Chives, Marjoram, Oregano
  • Part Sun: Bay Tree, Cilantro, Dill
  • Low Sun: Parsley

You will also have to consider how many hours of artificial light your herbs need. For instance, while Basil and Rosemary have similar light intensity needs, their daylight cycle (aka Photoperiodism!) differs. Basil should get 12 hours of bright light, while Rosemary should only receive 8 hours. 

Chances are, if you have an extensive collection of herbs, you may need more than one lamp. A stackable system where you can utilize different light intensities and durations will be your best bet. (Say goodbye to hassle… you can even purchase inexpensive timers to turn your lights on and off for you!)

Do your research! After you categorize your plant family by light intensity and light duration, you will be better equipped to select your perfect grow light (or lights). 

Plant Size

There’s more to come on the science of grow lights later, but just know, the distance from your herbs to the grow light is an essential ingredient to successful indoor growing! In short, plant-lamp distance determines how much light your plant soaks in. 

So, you will also need to group your collection according to current height (and expected height, for super-fast growers). As an example, if you have a 2-foot tall Rosemary and a 5-inch tall Thyme, guess who’s going to get the short end of the stick? You got it! If you want your herbs to grow consistently and yield a usable crop, the grow light needs to be at the optimum height for all!

Make sure to purchase a grow lamp that is fully adjustable, and remember to adjust your lamp’s distance as your plant grows! Don’t let it get too close. Your herbs could get scorched by the light!

How Far Should I Keep my Light from my Plants?

This depends on the type of light you choose. Lightbulbs let off heat, which can benefit your herbs. But too much can damage them. If you purchase a grow light kit, follow the instructions closely. But, if you’re DIY-ing, here are a few herb-light distances for commonly used lightbulbs: 

  • Incandescent: 24 inches
  • Fluorescent: 12 inches
  • LED: 6 inches

If your light-source is not listed above, don’t just guess, do research! Remember, your herbs will follow the light, so keep it directly above them at all times.

What Do I Need to Know About Grow Lights?

This is where the scientific & mathematic bits come in… but if you are browsing the Web for grow lamps, you need to know this stuff!

What is Spectrum? Which Spectrum is Beneficial to Herbs?

Natural light can be broken down into different parts, one of which is called “Spectrum.”  Full-spectrum, white light consists of all the colors. But, broken down, it includes almost every color in the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Ok, don’t call Bill Nye the Science Guy yet… What do you need to take away from this list? 

Full-Spectrum, white light, is the most useful multi-purpose light. It covers all of the different natural sunlight components and is sure to make your herb babies happy!

If you have to choose between spectrums, blue and red are two of the most critical for your herbs. Why? Blue light encourages the growth of foliage, while Red light encourages strong stems (and flowers). 

What are Lumens? How Many Lumens Should I Choose?

It is vital that, when choosing a grow lamp or lightbulb, you select it by lumens. The term “Watts” describes the amount of power the bulb uses. “Lumen” defines the amount of light the bulb gives off. 

Remember the light intensity categories from earlier? This is how many lumens each category needs: 

  • High Sun: 7000 lumens per square foot
  • Part Sun: 5000 lumens per square foot
  • Low Sun: 2000 lumens per square foot

You probably noticed the description “per square foot.” That’s right… you can’t just go out and purchase a 7000-lumen lightbulb and call it a day. As soon as the lumens leave the bulb, they start diminishing. So, the amount you start off with doesn’t mean that’s the amount your herb plant is soaking in.

How do you increase the lumens your plantie is receiving? Make sure to keep your light as close as safely possible to your plant (see the section above!) and use a lamp with a reflective hood. 

How do you know how many lumens are reaching your herbs? If you already have your grow lamp setup, you could invest in a light meter (or a light meter app on your phone). If you’re trying to determine how many lumens you need before you purchase a light (and you have a mathematician in the family), you can also use this equation: 

Lightbulb Lumen Output ÷ Distance in Ft. to Plant² = Light Intensity

And you thought you wouldn’t ever use algebra again! (Just remember to square the distance to your plant first, and you’ll be fine.) 

With these helpful tips in your toolbelt, you will be better equipped to find the best grow light for your unique herb garden! Happy growing!

Container Gardening 101: Tips and Tricks for Starting a Container Garden

Container Gardening 101: Tips and Tricks for Starting a Container Garden

by | Oct 19, 2020 | Containers | 0 comments

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Have you been dreaming of having a luscious garden where you can grow your plants and herbs, but you’re a little low on space? Then you’re in luck! Container gardening may be the perfect answer to all of your needs.

You can use just about any type and size vessel to start your container garden, both inside or outside your home. This gardening style is ideal if you have little space and are limited to a small balcony, a tiny yard, or a window with adequate light. 

Whether you have enough space for one container or if you want to spread them out around your home, the results will be the same. When you use the tips and tricks listed in this article, you will soon have fresh herbs and plants that you can use and enjoy!

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What is Container Gardening?

Container gardening refers to growing plants of any kind in a container. This gardening style is ideal for those in a temporary living situation like rentals or season homes because you can take your garden with you when you leave!

Whether your restrictions are based on space, residence, age, or disability, you reap the benefits of gardening and cater your container to your unique situation. As with any garden, you will need to properly care for your garden, so a setup that works for your lifestyle is best.

Container Materials & Sizes

There are many different types of containers that you will encounter when choosing a container for your garden. Here is a quick look at the most common container materials you’ll see when you start shopping around.

  • Clay and terracotta look pretty, but they’re breakable and are more prone to damage in freezing temperatures
  • Concrete is sturdy but heavy, so it won’t be as mobile
  • Plastic and fiberglass are lightweight and inexpensive, but they become brittle with age and can leach harmful chemicals into your edible plants
  • Polyurethane foam weigh significantly less than terracotta or concrete, but they’re sturdy in most temperatures, so they’re ideal for plants that will be outside year-round
  • Wood gives you a natural look, and it’s easy to build a wooden planter to fit whatever space you have available
  • Metal is strong, but since it conducts heat, your plants will be prone to any external temperature fluctuations

For size, use a measuring tape to measure how much space you have available for your container garden and choose containers that will fit the space. Keep in mind that a larger pot will require more soil, which will make it heavier.

Proper Container Drainage & Preparation

Once you’ve selected your pots, you’ll need to prepare them for your chosen plants. If you have larger containers, it’s best to prepare them where they will live, so you don’t have to worry about the added weight. Choose a sight with the right amount of light for your selected plants, and set a reminder to water your plant when needed.

Before you add your soil, find your container’s drainage hole and add a piece of paper towel or newspaper to prevent your dirt from spilling through the hole. Then, add in your selected soil and water the soil, so it’s ready for your plants. 

Selecting the Right Plants for Your Containers

When it comes to selecting the right plants for your container garden, first take some time to identify what purpose your garden will serve. Will you be growing edibles? Or are you interested in just growing beautiful plants with colorful flowers or leaves?

If you plan on container vegetable gardening, talk with gardening professionals to ensure you have adequate growth space and container depth to allow them to thrive. Most fruits and vegetables will require more space, but if you’re growing herbs they will thrive in relatively small areas.

Plant combination ideas for container gardening can be boiled down to three sections: a thriller, a spiller, and a filler.

  1. Thriller is the star of the show, usually a taller plant with intriguing shapes or dramatic flowers
  2. Spillers anchor the pot and sprawl over the sides of your container
  3. Fillers add mass to your containers and are generally have a textural contrast to the other plants
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Container Gardening Tips

When it comes to unique container gardening ideas, you must understand how to effectively care for your plant to ensure it thrives through every season. Now that you know where to start, this quick list of tips can help your garden flourish!

  1. Identify where you want to keep your container garden
  2. Monitor the light, temperature, and environment in that area
  3. Find the right container
  4. Ensure your plants can drain excess water
  5. Choose seeds, seedlings, or plants to fit your needs and experience
  6. Use quality potting soil to provide nutrients to your plants
  7. Make sure your plants have the right amount of light and the right temperature
  8. Water your garden at the right time
  9. Fertilize your plants regularly
  10. Harvest, cut down, or trim your plant at the right time

The care for vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers will all vary, so you must understand your desired plants and the care they require. It’s also vital that you check with professionals if you’re unsure what your plant will need to thrive.

Where to Start

Are you ready to start your container gardening journey? Start by finding the right space inside or outside your home and measuring to see the type of container you can use. Monitor the amount of light that area receives, and talk to gardening experts if you are unsure how your desired plants will do in that environment. 

Once you’ve got the details worked out, choose your containers and purchase your plants and soil. Properly input your dirt, moisture, any needed fertilizers, and your plants. Then maintain your care routine to keep your plant thriving.

For more informative articles about container gardening or gardening in general, visit our blog! We’re passionate about gardening and helping you succeed with your gardening dreams. Learn about us and why we do what we do!

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An Indoor Aromatic Herb Oasis

An Indoor Aromatic Herb Oasis

by | Sep 24, 2020 | Gardening, Indoor Gardening | 4 comments

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It’s a proven fact that certain scents can soothe our minds, trigger memories and even help prevent depression, and many of these powerful perfumes come from herb plants. Herbs produce high levels of natural oils which give them their complex aromas and many of these aromatic herbs are grown commercially for the colognes, shampoos and cosmetics that you use.  You can easily grow your own aromatic garden at home.

 

Aromatic herbs come in a multitude of scents ranging from earthy, like Patchouli or Rosemary, to sweet, like Sweet Woodruff or Lemon Verbena. Even culinary herbs like Basil, Sage and Thyme have wonderful aromas that often go overlooked, but can benefit your nose as much as your palette. These various scents will naturally freshen your home, giving your space a much more natural and clean feel. 

You may want to even alternate herbs in different rooms to create a different scent profile for each area. This can easily be done with potted herbs which are simple ways to add dimension and aroma to your home.

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Citrus and Lemon scented herbs are proven to help fight depression, while Eucalyptus extract is often used in many cold remedies for its minty aroma which helps clear respiratory passages. Mints and Horehound are often found in teas, cough lozenges and chest rubs to help alleviate cold and flu symptoms. Incorporating aromatic herbs that have a medicinal effect on your mind and spirit are a terrific way to stay upbeat and healthy during dreary winter months, or relax after hectic work days. 

Consumers spend millions on aromatherapy products every year, but little do they realize how easy it is to create your own homegrown herbal cosmetics. By growing your own aromatic herbs, you have a constant wealth of anxiety fighting plants at your fingertips.

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The senses of smell and taste are so integral to each other, it’s no wonder that aromatic herbs enhance the flavor of our favorite foods and drinks. Everything from Lemon Thyme cupcakes and Lavender tea to herb rubbed Thanksgiving turkey and Dill sauce for salmon fillets – the sweet and savory smells of herbs delight our palettes and enhance the flavor of our food. Growing your own herbs is the best way to ensure fresh flavor.

 

For centuries, people have infused their drinks with herbs for medicinal, spiritual and ceremonial reasons, believing that drinking the aromas released in the tea would give strength, protection, health or held cultural significance. Even in modern times, we still rely on the soothing power of a great-smelling cup of tea to help us relax, heal us when we’re sick and as a way to socialize. 

 

Aromatic herbs are a naturally green option for many of the products that we buy every day.  Growing your own herbs at home also gives you control over what you put into your body and offers a nontoxic alternative to high priced cosmetics and air fresheners. Try some potted aromatic herbs around your home this season and create your own stress-free environment. The scent and beautiful foliage of these plants will provide a tranquil, sweet smelling space for you to enjoy.

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Grow Plants Indoors This Fall

Grow Plants Indoors This Fall

by | Sep 22, 2020 | Gardening, Indoor Gardening, Miscellaneous | 1 comment

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Growing Herbs indoors can be easy if all the steps are checked. Sunlight…check. Proper soil…check. Proper watering schedule … check. Unfortunately, not all plants can be grown indoors. 

The vital component is knowing which herbs do best and which do not.  

We try to be specific on our site, and try to provide information on why some herbs do well indoors and why others do not.  We always suggest a basil, mint, parsley, and oregano. These are easy to grow and great to start with if this is your first time growing indoors.  

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Rosemary and lavender are a bit trickier but they can be successfully grown indoors remembering that lavenders must dry out well between waterings. This can be tricky in the late fall and winter months, as plants are not in active growth and will not be drinking a lot of water during this time.  

A note of caution – make sure that you don’t crowd out your plants, as good air flow between plants is a must.

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Put them into a 6” pot and give them sunlight!  You don’t really need fertilizer, but if you must, use a ½ strength dilution and use a fish emulsion. Turn those pots occasionally as you really don’t want them leaning in – just rotate for nice even growth.

We have a great Infogram on indoor growing that illustrates the importance of light on plants.  It’s helpful information for indoor growing of any plant, and followed up by more tips from us.  

We want you to have success with indoor growing so you can enjoy fresh cut herbs year round!

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Why This Season Is the Perfect Time to Start Your Victory Garden

Why This Season Is the Perfect Time to Start Your Victory Garden

by | Aug 17, 2020 | DIY Gardening, Gardening, Miscellaneous, Urban Gardening | 0 comments

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Back in World War I, Europe had a huge food shortage, which prompted the creation of the National War Garden Commission. What resulted was American civilians growing fruits and vegetables to feed themselves so commercial agriculture could export to the European allies. They were called “victory gardens”. While we’re not currently in a physical war, it’s certainly a good idea to start victory gardens again. In our war against the novel coronavirus, picking up gardening as a hobby to bring homegrown food to the table can certainly be a fulfilling achievement!

Considering it’s summer, it’s the perfect time to start a victory garden if you don’t already have one. Here’s a quick guide to starting one!

Victory Garden Basics

You want to maximize the gardening space and time you have. Certain fruits and vegetables will grow within a specific timeframe. So you want to do your basic planning and ensure you stagger your plants in the most optimal fashion possible.

Traditionally, people would grow things like carrots, cabbage, lettuce, kale, tomatoes, beans, squashes, turnips, peas, and beets in their victory gardens. So those are great ones to start with.

No matter what you choose to grow, stagger them out so you get a good rhythm going where you can harvest your plants, eat your harvest in a short time, and have another harvest ready by the time you’re done consuming all your fruits and/or veggies. For example, plant 5 heads of lettuce at a time instead of 20 to reduce food waste.

Seasons for Crops

As we mentioned above, there are different seasons for various crops. If you want carrots, peas, lettuce, or kale, then it may be too late to plant them, as those are best planted during early spring.

The best crops to plant for summer include beans, corn, eggplants, peppers, squashes, tomatoes, basils and other herb plants. For the fall and even winter, think about planting lettuce, arugula, carrots, broccoli, beets, spinach, and parsley.

Come up With a List of Your Favored Plants

Not everyone will like every single fruit or vegetable, and that’s ok. Sit down with your family and determine which ones most of you like.

Then, with that list, determine how many of each you want to plant in your victory garden. If you want to try your hand at pickling anything, make sure to grow extra to account for that. For those just starting out or those with limited space; herbs are a great choice to grow. Herbs enhance flavor in all foods, from salads to steaks. Adding fresh herbs make food taste better! Herbs are versatile; each has its own growth habits and environmental needs. Select the herbs you will use; then find a spot where they can thrive and remain hardy when a few clippings are needed. 

Plant a Victory Garden for Fun With Your Family

As you can see, creating a victory garden serves many purposes. Not only can you get the satisfaction of growing your own fruits and veggies, but it can also be a fun pastime to do with your family members.

So get to researching potential crops to grow, order the seeds and any equipment you need, and have a blast for the foreseeable future!

Are you ready to start your victory garden? Then browse our selection of herb plants now!

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