A variety of plants grow best when they are given as a gift or planted in a pot on your deck or in your herb garden, but you can grow many things well from the soil you have in your home. Plants that flourish in soil that is rich in nutrients will have more growth than plants that are simply transplanted into a new location. You can enjoy indoor gardening and save money by learning to plant your own herbs.
It’s a nice idea to get your plants started indoors, especially if you have them in pots already. Sages don’t like the cold; they thrive when you bring them inside for the summer months. So, it makes sense to begin growing potted sage herbs indoors when they are first put in the ground. The difference in the indoor environment makes a big difference in how quickly your herbs will grow.
You can fill your windows with inexpensive indoor lights such as Low voltage lights (commonly referred to as “ballasts”) that are inexpensive to purchase but will produce brilliant illumination. This lighting is also great for growing sage indoors because the intense light is necessary for photosynthesis. Another way to create a good indoor environment with this type of light is to place several ballasts on the windowsill along with a few fluorescent lamps on the ceiling.
Make sure that your potted plants have been through a spring treatment to kill any weed seeds that may still be present. The plants should be planted in small batches about one inch deep. In the first year, you can’t really tell if the plant is thriving or not. You just need to give it some time. Your first year indoor gardening experience will include pruning some of the smaller branches to help them go out of the way before the main growing area gets overcrowded.
If you’re going to be growing sage plants indoors, it’s best to plant them in groups that are about three inches apart to give them room to grow. If you want to have larger potted plants, such as oregano, then divide the group into two and place these in different rooms. Make sure you keep the potted plants away from the others so that the heat, light, and air don’t affect each other. You’ll also want to make sure there is plenty of direct sunlight coming into the garden area so that your herbs will get all the sunshine they need.
One of the most important things you need to do when growing sage plants indoors is to give them lots of sunlight. If you’re not providing them with enough natural sunlight, the plant will eventually become sickly and die because of overheated. Another issue that can occur is that your herbs will bloom too soon because of too much sunlight or no sunlight at all. Try to find a window that provides indirect sunlight or plan for an alternative source of light during the day.
Other issues you may encounter when growing sage indoors include diseases. These plants are not very high maintenance, but you should still pay attention to making sure they stay healthy by removing any decaying or dead leaves on a regular basis. Make sure you don’t over-water the potted herbs, but water them just enough to remain moist. Don’t let your plants sit in water for more than a couple minutes because they could drown.
A great way to preserve the flavor of your herb plants is to dry them after each harvest. Drying herbs work best outdoors because they retain a lot of moisture. You can hang them in an outdoor basket or a rack to dry out on a sunny windowsill. This preserves the flavor of your herbs even longer, making them a healthier choice for cooking. After you’re done drying your plants, you should put them in a plastic bag and freeze them. When you thaw them out in the coming months, you will be amazed at how much flavor they have lost.