It's Herbitual! Part One
Having an herb garden is something I have wanted to pursue for a long time. Finding a blog topic finally helped me get the motivation to get the ball rolling while hopefully encouraging others to create at-home gardens.
However, since I'm a college student, I really don't have much space for an indoor garden, and to be honest, landscaping doesn't seem much worth it on a rental. Meaning, for me, I need to find a way to garden indoors with limited spacing.
Thankfully, not everyone is like me on the blog, so my second post this week will continue and touch on outdoor planting. So stay tuned for that!
But back to it, the basics of a beautiful indoor garden include setting up the best environment for your plants and collecting the right tools to plant and harvest the herbs/produce. This means monitoring the plants' needs and creating spaces open to light and precise drainage.
Ok, so I mentioned containers. You know we're all about sustainability, so after a quick Pinterest search, I found a couple of cute options that I am debating between for personal use...
First up, recycled cans.
I know we all have these, so there only things you would need to get are rocks and a terracotta saucer. So first, you will clean and dry the can thoroughly after use, then remove the label using scissors or rubbing alcohol. Next, drill a few small holes into the bottom of each of the cans and place them to the side.
The following part is setting up the drainage system for the plants. Adding the rocks to the terracotta saucer will give the water a place to entirely run out of the cans to keep the plants as healthy as possible. After the stones are placed, add the cans on top of the rocks and pot your plants! It's really that easy and allows for up to 8 potted plants depending on the size of your saucer. For the full DIY directions, click here!
The second planting option is better for houses with less countertop space. The empty bottles!
This project can work with any small bottle from teas, to water, to small soda bottles. The other main component to this garden is plastic totes which can be found at the dollar store. To turn the bottles into planters, you will first cut the ring off the top of the plastic bottle, flip the bottle and remove the bottom section of the bottle; this is where your plant will be planted.
Now on to the totes, place the smallest part of the bottle (where you cut the ring off) and the place on the tote's lid, take a sharpie to mark off where to cut, then remove the bottle to create a hole for the bottle to sit in. Once cut, insert the bottle into the hole to be propped up with the largest side facing up. Finally, add a few drainage holes to the tote lid so that the water can drain into the container. Put the lids on the tote, then plant your plants! Again for the full DIY, click here!
These are just a few options for limited space indoor gardening, so if none of these screamed out to you, go on a Pinterest hunt for one that's more your style. And don't forget to check back later this week for some tips on outdoor gardening and possibly some updates on my personal herb garden!