A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2004 I'm starting my indoor herb garden tomorrow..

Could someone tell me if I should use Miracle Grow w/ my watering?

I have about 10 spices....parsley, cilantro, basil, chives, mints, rosemary, tarragon...etc....

plants will be planted spaciously in plastic deep planters - mix of top soil/potting soil/special potting soil - w/ rocks on bottom for drainage.

Lighting is by 175 Watt 10K Metal Halide Bulb....How far off the 2-3" herb plants should the halide bulb (hot) and reflector be?

Thanks oodles....I'm looking very forward to my herbs.

While I wait patiently for someone that knows what they are doing to pass by this post and steer me down the right path - let me tell you what I've come up w/ so far w/ my indoor herb garden.

I have about 11 spices in 3 large rectangular planters. River rock lines the bottom. On top of that is MiracleGrow potting soil, regular potting soil and top soil all mixed together. There is a large drip tray under the three planters (which have holes poked in all of them).

I was afraid my cat would get into these herbs so I have put the planters inside our dogs crate. She no longer uses the crate....it is from puppy time. I have a 10K 175 Watt Metal Halide bulb elevated slightly above the crate. It is probably about 24" above the plants.

I have two Radio Shack Fans wired on opposite ends of the crate about 12" above the plants. One fan is set back and one front at the same height so two flows of air run past each other and are blowing in.

So far - I have the plants planted - the lights up - the fans going.....now I need help w/ feeding and watering.

Jump here for questions

I have 3 saltwater tanks in the basement where the herb garden is. I evaporate almost 2 gallons of water a day down there so it is pretty humid.....I do run a dehumidifier - should I turn that off?

What fertilizer should I use - do I mix it w/ water?

I'm planning on misting my plants daily - do you agree?

How long should I leave my 175W Halide on each day?

Any other resources I need to visit?

Thanks a bunch for reading and I'd really like to make this a success.....

Hi,
I don't know anything about growing herbs indoors, but I can tell you about how I care for my outdoor container herb garden. It is growing very well and producing too much for my own home use that sometimes I harvest just to share with my friends.

I have 9 herbs which are all in plastic containers. I learned that mint's roots are very invasive, so if you're planning to grow mint, it should have its own container.

As far as watering and fertilizer, I check them every morning and water by hand if needed. Basically, if I dig my finger into the dirt a inch and it feels dry, I add water. I understand that some herbs (like lavender) like to get completely dry before they get water. I'm sure it's better if you can install a drip watering system. I use Miracle-Gro plant Food Drops every time I water.

Sorry I can't help with your humidity and lighting questions.

Best of luck with your new garden!

Thanks for answering my post. Thanks for the input. The biggest question I had right now was the fertilizer and watering. I have regular miracle grow and did not know if that would work. It sounds as if I should try to find a more "herbfriendly" fertilizer. Are the drops the same as regular Miracle Grow?

Yes, it's just a regular indoor-plant Miracle-Gro. I asked at the nursery where I bought the herbs, and this is what they recommended. I don't know if there such a thing as herb-specific fertilizer. This ordinary variety has been working ok for me.

I think that miracle gro soil has slow release fertilizer in it already so you might want to go easy on how much extra you give them. The soil bag will tell you for sure. It's true about mint also--very invasive. If you already have it planted, I would suggest putting a barrier on either side of it. A piece of plastic that is as wide as the container could be pushed into the soil to keep the mint in place. When I plant it in the garden, I usually cut the bottom of a wide container out and plant it in that. The roots can grow down, but not spread out.

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Wish me luck!



.....any idea what herb this is??? I lost the info stick - it is the herb in the foreground -

hello grumpy vet, lets hope you get to the part of your indoor herb garden that you enjoy so you won't be grumpy any more. Re; light amount and intensity...This may not be the answer you're looking for but here goes...Watch and see, if your plants are 'stretching', reaching for more light...if they seem very soft, bending over...lots of space between internodes, they're light hungery and trying in their own way to use what light, is available. Go easy on the fertilizer and watering in the begining, if the plants are light hungery, too much of either will surely rot them. You'just have to play it by ear so to speak, adjusting the lighting slowly until you get the results you want.
Fans are a great idea, its easier to prevent fungal or rot problems with good air circulation than it is to treat them.
The plant in the foreground look to be some sort of basil???Smell the leaves and let me know what you think it is.
It all looks very impressive to me. You've gone to a lot of trouble and heres hoping you success.

hello grumpy vet, lets hope you get to the part of your indoor herb garden that you enjoy so you won't be grumpy any more. Re; light amount and intensity...This may not be the answer you're looking for but here goes...Watch and see, if your plants are 'stretching', reaching for more light...if they seem very soft, bending over...lots of space between internodes, they're light hungery and trying in their own way to use what light, is available. Go easy on the fertilizer and watering in the begining, if the plants are light hungery, too much of either will surely rot them. You'just have to play it by ear so to speak, adjusting the lighting slowly until you get the results you want.
Fans are a great idea, its easier to prevent fungal or rot problems with good air circulation than it is to treat them.
The plant in the foreground look to be some sort of basil???Smell the leaves and let me know what you think it is.
It all looks very impressive to me. You've gone to a lot of trouble and heres hoping you success.