Using Indoor Herb Planters

by

Alan Stables

Some people who enjoy having indoor herb planters use a multiple plant, one pot system. Some use a plant tree which has shelves of different levels around a center pole for multiple plant pots, and some use a stackable planter system. Stackable planters have a central pot which often has pouches or trays around the outside that use the one center pot as drainage. They are connected like the one pot system, but allow for independent growth of multiple plants like the plant tree. They are more compact than a plant tree, which for many users is the ideal situation for small kitchens.

Since they are very mobile, they can be outside on a patio during the best growing times, and brought inside to sit on a table or countertop for the cooler winter season. Different herbs have different life cycles and can be rotated to keep the stackable pot growing constantly. Cilantro, basil, chamomile, and mint are annuals that will expend their growing season and need to be restocked or replanted. Parsley is a biennial that will grow in a two year cycle. Chives, lavender, sage, thyme, and oregano can live for several years and be the strong part of keeping the pot alive. They tend to die back in the fall, but can be encouraged with fertilizer and grow lights to mimic the longer days of summer, and extend their growing cycles.

The bottom level of each pot in the in the herb garden should be small pebbles or wood chips to allow the water to drain easily and discourage root rot. Each pot should be filled with a good potting soil containing peat moss or other additives that encourage good drainage, but they should never be filled completely to the top. Enough room should be left at the top of the pot for the plants to grow without falling out. Smaller plants should be on the outside to allow easy access and plants that grow tall will need to be closer to the top of the planter.

Sunlight is the key with eastern or southern sun being the best. Northern sun is often too diffused and western sun is often too hot especially in the warmest part of the summer. Sunny but cool is best and wet but not soaked is the best level for the water. If additional humidity is needed, the stacking pot garden can be placed on a tray with marbles or pebbles to keep the roots from touching and filled with water. The evaporation of that water gets more humidity into the air to stimulate healthy growth. Making beautiful herb planters can be a family project to be enjoyed for years.

Alan Stables is learning how to

grow herbs indoors

including

growing cilantro

and is currently experimenting on

fertility herbs

. Check out his findings.

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Using Indoor Herb Planters