What do u have to do to start an indoor herb garden?

Question

I have never really gardened much at all or potted a plant for that matter but my thumb is "itching" to start somewhere and I want to start an indoor herb garden. Help!

Answer 1

For many herbs, the best success comes from using special plant or grow lights that simulate the full spectrum of the sun. Even then, the lights will need to be left on for 12 - 15 hours per day, for your seedlings to grow as strong and healthy as they would in sunlight.

However, you can start with these plants in a sunny window if you'd like a windowsill garden:Chives, Parsley & Cilantro(coriander).
Chives grow like small onions with leaves about 6 inches tall. These plants prefer cool conditions with good light, but will grow quite well on a windowsill in the kitchen. Plant seeds in a 6-inch pot. The plants should be about 1 inch apart over the entire surface area. It will require about 12 weeks from the time seeds are planted until leaves can be cut. For variety, try garlic or Chinese chives, which grow in a similar fashion, but have a mild garlic flavor.
http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/mg/vegetable/container.html

Tips for starting most plants:
Soil-less mediums are better than garden or potting soil because they retain moisture, provide good aeration, and reduce pest and disease problems. You can purchase a ready-mixed blend, or mix your own special blend using equal parts of vermiculite, sphagnum moss, and perlite.

Available light can be increased somewhat by providing reflective materials around the plants (aluminum foil, white-painted surfaces, marble chips, etc.).http://mastergardenproducts.com/gardenerscorner/container_gardening.htm
If you are using a large, south-facing window, get the plants right IN the window, as close as possible to the glass, and turn them daily. Plants grown with nature’s light may dry out faster and have the disadvantage of occasionally being a little spindly.http://www.hedgerows.com/?cat=11

Most seedlings require 12-14 hours of direct light in order to manufacture enough food for healthy stems and leaves. The characteristic legginess one sees in a windowsill planter, indicates the plants are not receiving enough intensity or enough hours of light. If you are growing in a south-facing window, you can enhance incoming light by covering a piece of cardboard with aluminum foil and placing it in back of the containers. (The light bounces off the foil and back onto the seedlings.) If you don't have a south window, you'll need to supplement with grow lights... Turn on the lights around 4:00 pm to add an additional 4 hours of quality light.
http://www.stokesbury.org/lindas%20gardening/port2.html

Good luck! Hope these tips are helpful ;)

Answer 2

The most important thing to have when starting an indoor herb garden is lots of light. You will need a sunny window because most herbs love the sun and need all the light they can get. You can keep each herb in their own pot or you can pot several herbs together which creates a nice full potted plant look. Some popular herbs are basil, parsley, oregano, and Thyme. However, there are many herbs to choose from based on you own personal preferences.
Good Luck