Growing herbs is a superb pastime. They add to your cooking, decorate your home and are simple to grow. A lot of people believe that herbs will not grow properly indoors. This is certainly a long way from the truth. Most herbs will grow quite happily inside a home. Though, there are a few areas which need a little bit additional thought.

Below are the 3 most typical pit falls and the way to avoid them.

1. Sunlight. Herbs like sunlight. Attempt to keep your plants close to a bright window which catches plenty of sunlight. If the herbs start to get long, weak stems then this is a sign your indoor herb gardens craving more sunshine. If you are unable to provide natural sunlight to your herbs then you should buy a growlight. These are special lights which replicate sunlight and help your herbs to flourish.

2. Temperature. The majority of us love to be warm in winter. However our heating dries out the air and may upset your herbs. You might discover that the plants flourish better with additional moisture. To achieve this you don’t have to go out and buy costly humidifiers, you can simply place your herb pots close to a larger bowl which you can fill with pebbles and water. As your house gets warmer then the water will evaporate and the herbs will perk up almost immediately.

If I buy my fresh Herbs at a Supermarket and use them in my cooking I am mostly disappointed with the quality and the result.

The longer it is between picking the herb from the garden and you using it significantly impacts on the flavor.

The herbs I currently use come from a couple of places, on the deck outside the kitchen and also down the steps in an area behind my workshop.

As its winter here in Sydney Australia, the plants are not too crash hot now, but in summer they can be good. I just use normal soil here.

I have had some great crops using the Hydroponics System I installed about 12 months ago. The Lemon Grass comes from a small pot I got as a gift and the basil is just excellent.

Why is he telling us all of this, you are probably asking?

Leaving the cook bench and going outside to pick some of the great fresh herbs I have, is a real nuisance, So, as you can see – a bit of a defect in the old character.

If you’re a beginner when it comes to herb gardening, you might be worried about which types of herbs you should grow. There are many different herbs available, and some are more difficult to grow than others. There are a few types of herbs that are especially easy to grow for beginners. These are generally more hardy plants that don’t require a lot of fertilizer or special work.

Parsley – Parsley is a relatively hardy annual in zones 2-11. Both flat-leaf and curly varieties are easy to care for and grow very well without a lot of extra care. It can do well in full sun to light shade, and needs rich soil that is well-drained but moist. It doesn’t do particularly well in heat.

Cilantro – Cilantro is used in many Spanish dishes and has a distinct flavor. This is an annual herb that grows well both in the shade and the sun. You’ll find that it is very easy to care for and it will grow pretty well in just about any type of climate.