No matter what type of foods you like to cook, most people will agree that freshly picked spices and ingredients are much better than canned or frozen ones. The only problem is that many of us do not have the time or space for a full blown vegetable garden in our homes. There are also many of us that just don't have a green enough thumb to produce enough of these to feed a family. There are a couple things that you can do to supplement your grocery list though. One of these is planting a small herb garden on your windowsill in the kitchen. Not only will this provide you with all the spices that you love to put into your dishes, but it will also save you time, hassle, and much needed cash. There is no need to worry about how green your thumb is either. This is a simple little addition that can not only freshen the air and make your kitchen a little brighter and cheerier, but it will also save you some money on the more exotic spices that many of us truly love, but just can't seem to fit in the grocery budget anymore.
There are a couple different ways that you can go about creating your little herb and spice garden. The starting point is really in the planting area though. You can use individual pots that can be labeled to remind you what is in each pot, or you can easily build your own planter that is custom fitted to the windowsill that it will be placed on. On a recent trip to Target, I noticed that they had small pots with the soil and seeds for a variety of different herbs. These were a dollar each (you can find them in the new discount section that many Targets now have just as you walk in the door) and included everything that you needed to create a small herb garden. Albeit, they were very small pots and had little of each herb, but this is one alternative if you have limited space. Creating a wooden box for planting is rather simple though, and the most novice of Do-It-Yourselfers can easily tackle this project. A simple wooden box is all that is required. To limit the amount of dry rot and mold that this may produce, you can easily line the box with a stiff plastic liner. These can be found almost anywhere from hardware stores to craft stores. You can even decorate and label the outside of this box to keep your plants in order and remember what they are (I am constantly confusing oregano with cilantro). You can also buy several small pots at any gardening or hardware store that can fit on your windowsill. You can even get some that fit together. There are also new Chia Pets that include the seeds for herbs and spices so you can have a more decorative look to your plants.
Once you have decided on the exact look that you are going for, the rest is really simple. Unlike most plants in your home, spices and herbs that are grown on your windowsill are in plain site. Since many abodes have the kitchen sink at least near the windowsill, doing the dishes is a constant reminder to water the plants. Every time I do the dishes (or more often, my wife), we are stuck looking right at the plants in the sill. This reminds us to water them everyday. The rest of our plants may not be so lucky, but at least the edible ones are growing strong. This is an optimum place to keep these herbs as well. Not only do they receive plenty of light and sun, but they are right near the stove so they are easily accessible when cooking.
Many spices like basil, oregano, cilantro, marjoram, and more can cost you boat loads of money at the store, but the seeds are pretty cheap. You can often add several different spices and herbs to your dishes at very little cost if you just have your own herb garden. For people like me, you can also add a hanging planter for all of your peppers and larger spices. These make a great addition to the top part of the window frame from hanging planters. Not only will this help to improve the look of your kitchen, but it can also improve the flavors and aromas that come from it. With just a little extra effort, and a reminder from doing the dishes, you can have an exotic and flavorful cooking experience.
