What could be healthier than eating fresh home grown herbs from your own kitchen garden?

Many delicious dishes can be prepared with fresh herbs and when you eat fresh, you will live healthy.  There is a wide range of herbs you can grow right at home in your  own kitchen garden, whether it is indoors or outdoors.  

Growing your own herbs indoors can be fun. They are not only pretty to look at but they also purify your indoor air and have many health benefits when consumed. In addition to flavoring up your favorite dishes, herbs are nutritious and full of antioxidants and vitamins.

We have already discussed how you can grow micro-greens indoors using simple methods, in one of our earlier blogs.  You could easily grow herbs, like micro greens,  in flower pots, recycled containers or in a soil-less aquaponic systems. In this blog we will discuss the top 5 herbs that you can grow using the simple techniques that you have already learned from our previous posts.

Top 5 Herbs To Grow At Home

Don’t let the long cold winter stop you from growing fresh herbs in your own kitchen garden. You can easily grow herbs indoors; any place which gets plenty of sunlight is suitable.  Herbs are great additions to your favorite recipes, for salads, or for a quick snack. Below are 5 herbs that you can easily grow indoors. Grow just your favorite herbs, all grow all five, as you like.

1. Sage

Sage is well known for its antibiotic use in ancient herbal medicine, and also well known for its culinary use. Sage is high in antioxidants and vitamins such as vitamin K. Besides that there is a whole array of health benefits that including treating depression and Alzheimer’s (What are the health benefits of sage? – Medical News Today). Sage can tolerate dry indoor conditions, and they do well in a bright area near a south-facing window. Get young plants to cultivate in indoor containers and watch them grow.

2. Basil

Basil is a highly healthful herb which can easily be grown indoors. It is full of fiber, has a detoxifying effect, and is also known to calm your nerves. Try adding basil in any of your foods as seasoning. Growing basil is very easy because they are hardy plants. They grow best with lots of sunlight so it’s best to keep them on your window sill.

3. Lavender

Lavender has been thought of as a magical, passion filled herb for centuries. It is famous for its aromatic fragrance and its antidepressant and antiseptic properties. You can make soothing herbal tea with lavender to help you fall asleep, and it contains antioxidants known as polyphenols that fight belly bloating, or apply it on sun burns to soothe your skin irritation. Lavender is especially beneficial for opening up your respiratory tracts to relieve your cold symptoms.  Lavender is a large plant and it grows best in open spaces. They need plenty of fresh air and sunlight and make sure that your soil is well drained.

4. Parsley

Parsley is one of the most commonly used herbs all over the world. it can be added to any food to boost its nutritional value. Parsley is not just a garnish it is also full of antioxidants and vitamins. Best of all, it  grows well indoors. You can start from seeds or if you want your plants to grow quickly, you can get some young thriving plants at your local nursery. They will grow their  best with lots of sunlight.

5. Chives

You can add chives to almost everything you are cooking right now and awaken your taste buds!  Add them to your soups, salad, eggs, or toast. To grow chives quickly and easily, pick up a clump of chives from your local garden supply store. Just fill up a pot with light potting soil and replant the young thriving plants in moist potting soil. Make sure you provide plenty of sunlight and moisture for your plants.  When you harvest your chives cut them a few inches above the soil and the plants will regrow! You can harvest a few times during a season.

Growing plants indoors serves multiple purposes. It  will give you far more than culinary benefits. They are great as a hobby, beautify your environment, and also have many health benefits. You just need to find some free time, a sunny window, and work on your indoor herb garden to enjoy these benefits.

I hope you will enjoy growing these herbs indoors as much as I enjoyed writing about them. We will be giving you more tips on health benefits of indoor plants in our later blots, so please visit our site regularly.

To learn more about urban farming, please watch replay of our Biweekly Huddle Hangout with Mike Butts. Mike is a leader at the Urban Farm at Grace Place Church in Berthoud, CO.

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Source: Nourish the Planet

Resources and related articles:

• A Guide to Microgreen Growing Indoors | Nourish The Planet
• The Best Herbs to Grow and Eat at Home – Health.com
• View All Photos | 11 Herbs Every Cook Should Use | Cooking Light
• Get Rid of Antibiotics and Fight Disease Naturally | Nourish The Planet
• 7 Plants that Improve Indoor Air Quality | Nourish The Planet