Herbs, glorious herbs

Indoor herb gardening
Herbs can be grown indoors and enjoyed all year round. The critical factors in growing herbs are sunlight and soil that is well drained, and not too rich.  If the soil is too rich the herbs will grow large leaves but have less flavour and scent.

A south or west window is key.  Grow lamps can be helpful as well in winter.

Any container can be used to grow herbs as long as it has a drainage hole. Clay pots are often preferred because they are more porous than plastic.

Place about an inch of gravel in the bottom of the pot to ensure drainage.  Then add a mix of 2 parts potting soil to one part sand. If growing from seed, be sure to sow the seeds shallowly - generally the finer the seed the less soil you will want to cover it. If selecting seedlings, chose plants without blossoms and avoid tall "leggy" plants.

Water with a fine spray. It is important to water plants regularly but not to soak the soil. Because of the nature of container gardening, this may mean watering once or twice a day.

Small and slow-growing herbs look best in containers. Some of these include thyme, oregano, chives, purple sage, and summer savory.

Outdoor herb gardening
Nearly any amount of space - from a half-barrel at the side of the patio to a large plot - can be fashioned into an herb garden.  Again, sunlight and well-drained soil are key to success.  6 to 8 hours of sunlight are optimal.