The Pros and Cons of an Indoor Herb Garden
Most people who are new to herb gardening would usually decide on having the indoor type. It is not a surprise because most people nowadays have no yards or gardens at home and well, seriously, an outdoor herb garden just usually spells a lot of hard work.
It is true that compared to its counterpart, and indoor herb garden is easier to manage. But that doesn’t mean that it is easy and that you could just start growing one tomorrow! It takes time, effort and a lot of research before you go to the nearest store to buy some seeds.
Now, let’s start with the general things that you need in starting a garden. But this would just be a very brief overview because we’re focusing now on indoor gardens.
There are really three things that you need to know before you become a successful gardener: soil, water and sunlight. Now, I will to have to discuss these three in detail in a whole other article because that would be long.
But let’s just cut to the chase. You see, these three components are all equally important- have the right soil and just the right amount of water but not enough sunlight? Well, you can pretty much be sure that you are not going to enjoy harvest day.
The Pros
Well, let’s state the obvious: indoor herb gardens are easier to manage. They don’t take up a lot of space and don’t need too much attention.
Usually, experienced gardeners move their herbs (if possible) inside when it’s winter time. This reminds me, the cold weather is probably the worst enemy of a herb gardener. So yeah, you should really do your research first on whether or not a certain herb can grow inside or not.
Another good thing about growing herbs inside is the fact that you can substitute the sun. Yes, you read that right. But then again, that is a bit of exaggeration. And what I’m trying to say is that instead of the sunlight (which every plant needs) you can just use a light bulb.
These bulbs are called growlights. You can find them in most herb shops or hardware and are entirely different from the regular light bulbs. The “complete set ” is a pot with an overhead light bulb. But you could also choose to just devise one your own by buying a pot and a light bulb. just make sure that the distance between the bulb and pot is about four inches.
The Cons
Ask any experienced gardener, the number one problem for indoor herbs is the temperature or moisture of the room. This one is especially true during the winter because air can be dry and you would need to spray your herb with water more often than usual.
Another problem that you would encounter are pest attacks. Yes, this still is a problem even for gardens that are not exposed. A good tip to protect your herb is to wash your plant in soapy water– this will kill the pests but not your plant.
Herb gardening is starting to be a big hobby for a lot of people nowadays. It’s relaxing, beneficial-in many ways and well, it saves you some bucks. And an indoor herb garden is a good way to enjoy the benefits of having home-grown herbs. You are sure that it’s fresh and you would always get a sense of reward every harvesting day.
