6

WINDOWSILL HERB GARDEN IN A DISPLAY CRATE

1 HOUR

From a gardener’s perspective, herbs are a delight to grow. They need hardly any water, feeding, or root space, which means you can grow them in the smallest spaces with relative success. For the best plants to start with, go to a garden center or grow them from seed (especially basil—nothing ever tastes as good as basil grown from seed). Herbs in a garden center are intended for further growing rather than for instant eating, so I would recommend them over anything you buy from the supermarket.

Another great thing about growing herbs in one pot, particularly if you stick to Mediterranean herbs, such as oregano, thyme, rosemary, sage, and marjoram, which all like dry, free-draining soil (with some moisture) and full sunlight, is that it avoids the pitfall of growing plants together that don’t like the same conditions, leading to some dying and others thriving over time.

These kinds of herbs don’t need much space for their roots because they grow wild on rocky ground, so you can squeeze this little container onto a windowsill or the smallest patio.

TIP: Put the crate somewhere that’s easily accessible when you’re cooking or eating. Making it the centerpiece on your outdoor table is effective because it releases its herbal scents while you’re eating al fresco and is also handy to pick at, too.

YOU WILL NEED

Old wooden crate that will fit on a windowsill or in the middle of a table

Drill and drill bit

Multipurpose soil

Sand

Herbs of your choice

METHOD

1.Make some holes in the base of your container. Herbs need plenty of drainage, so drill at least two holes per plant, each hole at least 0.4 inch (1 cm) in diameter. The more holes, the better, without upsetting the stability of the pot.

2.Mix the soil with the sand in a ratio of about 50:50 and add most of it to the container.

3.Arrange your herbs in the container, making sure the colors and textures are evenly distributed so all of the purples are not in one area and all of the strappy foliage is not together. Spread similar-looking plants around to create a balanced arrangement.

4.Fill any spaces around the plants with the remaining soil and then water the plants well.

5.This container is low maintenance, though you might find that as you use the herbs, they will become depleted of foliage. In time, you might want to replace any herbs that look a bit ragged. Most Mediterranean herbs need minimal water and food, with the exception of basil and coriander, which both need a little more water.

I’ve used thyme, rosemary, sage, chives, and golden marjoram.