Indoor gardens are not ideal, but living in space-starved places like Hong Kong calls for some creativity! Growing your own food is empowering, you remove a bit of your dependency on grocery stores while enjoying a fresh, pesticide-free harvest. For families, it’s also a wonderful opportunity to teach kids how to grow their own plants. Here’s our guide on how to grow your own herb garden. 

CREATE YOUR INDOOR OASIS

WINDOW SILL

If you’ve got a kitchen window, you’ve got a potential garden. Putting your herb box in the kitchen will also make harvesting and cooking with your herbs quicker. Just make sure that the box is in a window that receives enough sunlight!

HERB WALL

You can use a pallet and set it up on top of a kitchen counter or on a balcony/ patio without using a lot of surface area. Doubling as a decoration tool, a herb wall adds a rustic touch to your space. 

A HANGING PLANTER

No floor space? Look to the skies! Check out this planter that can be mounted from the ceiling or on the wall. 

WHAT HERBS SHOULD YOU CHOOSE?

Most herbs can easily be planted in small spaces, but when choosing your herbs, think about the ones you use the most- do you cook with thyme or basil a lot, or do you dream of homemade mojitos with freshly grown mint? Here are some herbs that work well in beginner gardens:

BASIL

Basil is easy to grow and provides a strong pleasant aroma, and doesn’t need a super warm atmosphere or wet soil. 

CHIVES

Chives can grow in a variety of temperatures, even cold winters. They can grow with little sunlight, but they tend to require more frequent watering. 

THYME

Thyme works well with other plants in the same pot, requiring less frequent watering. However, you should grow it from a plant rather than a seed. 

MINT

Mint is one of the best herbs to use in herb gardens because it grows so easily, but it needs to be watered frequently. Beware: mint grows and spreads quickly!

TIPS FOR MAINTAINING YOUR HERB GARDEN

• Light is key! An east- or south-facing window is best, but if this isn’t possible, position containers directly underneath windows. Move them around as the light shifts. 
• Use a container with good drainage; choose pots with drains and saucers. 
• To know when to water your herbs, place your finger into the soil- if it’s dry, add water. Don’t overwater- most plants die because of too much attention, not a lack thereof!
• Your herbs are ready to be harvested when they’ve developed at least 3 sets of true leaves. Never harvest more than one third of the plant at once and take the largest leaves from the top first! 

A container, some sunlight and effort is all you need to grow your own herb garden. Sounds like a great time (or should we say thyme? No?).