indoor herb garden

“As long as you have a window with decent light, then you can have an herb garden,” said Kate Gardner, a New York City-based nutritionist. Here are five foolproof steps to sustaining an herb garden.

Step One
Choose your herbs
Herbs such as basil, bay, chervil, chives, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, tarragon and thyme grow well indoors during the fall and winter.
Do a little research to learn which herbs can be planted with others, and which need their own pot.

Step Two
Buy the basics
To start, you’ll need either a ceramic or plastic pot with tiny holes for water drainage. Pots should be at least 8 inches long and 8 inches deep. Also buy organic potting soil, fertilizer and, of course, herbs.

“If you are starting late in the season, it is better to get baby herbs instead of seeds,” Gardner said.

You’re best off purchasing everything from a nursery, where the selection is extensive and the staff is usually very knowledgeable.

Step Three
Plant away
Layer the bottom of the pot with 2 to 3 inches of soil. If you are going to plant multiple herbs in the same pot or container, make sure they are 8 inches apart.
Repot your transplants, or baby herbs, in the soil and then place another layer of soil on top, leaving an inch for watering.

Step Four
Sunlight and air
For most herbs to survive, they need direct sunlight for up to four hours a day.
South-facing windows are brightest.

If you don’t have a window, an inexpensive fluorescent light will do the trick.
In addition to sunlight, plants need air. “Open the window, let the air come in and wiggle the plants around,” said Cynthia Sandberg, founder of Love Apple Farm and growbetterveggies.com.

“If you can’t do that in the winter, then a fan blowing on the plants for a couple of hours every day is important,” she said.

Step Five
Maintenance is key
Most herbs only need a light watering two to three times a week. It’s best to water the plant in the sink and then let it drain.
Fertilize your plant about once a week (any all-purpose organic fertilizer will do the job).
Follow the directions on the package. You’ll almost always have to dilute the fertilizer in water and then add it to the soil.
Trimming herbs on a regular basis will ensure growth.
Be sure not to clip more than one- third of the plant’s foliage at a time.

Additional resources:
gardenweb.com
organicgardening.com

NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF VARIOUS HERBS:

Mint: Mint contains anti-nausea and antiseptic agents, and is known to soothe bug bites.
Basil: Basil is loaded with vitamin A, and has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
Lavender: Lavender has been used for centuries to calm nerves and promote sleep.
Oregano: Oregano is a known antioxidant with antibacterial benefits.
Sage: Recent research suggests that sage helps maintain stable blood sugar levels. It also inhibits perspiration and acts as an antioxidant.

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Friday, September 25, 2009

1. EastVille Comedy Club/85 East 4th Street/ 9pm/ FREE w/ RSVP at 212-260-2445 or eastvillecomedy@yahoo.com/ (Description: Mention NYCDAILYDEALS when you make a reservation for the 9PM show on Friday or Saturday night and they’ll waive the $20 cover charge. Beverages start at $5.00 so you’ll have no problem meeting their 2 drink minimum. Here’s who you’ll see this weekend: Sherrod Small -VH1’s Best Week Ever, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, NBC’s Today Show, Comedy Central; Karith Foster -Imus in the Morning, VH1’s Best Week Ever, Comedy Central, NBC’s Today Show; and Nate Bargatze -Conan O’Brien, Comedy Central.) More Info
2. Malene Younglao/ BAMcafé Live - 30 Lafayette Avenue Brooklyn, NY/ 9 pm/ FREE (Description: Born in Trinidad and Tobago, alt rock siren Younglao has been around, singing soca at home, emceeing in New York, studying jazz in DC, and fronting a hardcore band in Philly. Her multicultural adventures and encounters have enriched her musical experience, turning her into the versatile, confident performer she is today, complete with an alternative rock and roll edge and brazen vocals.) More Info
3. Reel Sisters Film Festival/ Kumble Theater for the Performing Arts @ Long Island University’s Brooklyn Campus/ All Weekend (Description: Reel Sisters 2009 offers a diversity of narratives, docs and shorts. On Sat. Sept. 26 at 2:00 we’ll present a workshop on using film in the classroom. At 4:30 Stacey Muhammad leads a discussion on her short film I Am Sean Bell in our teen section. WBAI-FM host and playwright Esther Armah moderates a panel at 7 pm on our theme: “Honoring Our Roots and Family Ties.” Panelists are award-winning filmmaker Al Santana, documentarian Nia Love and Trey Whitlow, whose “Black to Our Roots,” is featured. This year’s curator is Rhonda L. Haynes. We’ll see and discuss an excerpt from her upcoming film, Let The Eagle Scream: Evolution of Lynching in America. On Sunday, Sept. 27 at 5:50 pm, Heads Up/HAIRitage, Khamit Kinks and the Reel Sisters Film Festival present an excerpt from the upcoming documentary In Our Heads about Our Hair. The film, which features veteran news anchor Melba Tolliver, Dr. Farah Jasmine Griffin and many others, is dedicated to healing Black women’s hair and self-esteem issues. It’s brought to you by the producers of last spring’s smash event, “Heads Up! A Soulful Celebration of Our HAIRitage.” The screening will be part of our closing night awards ceremony) More Info

Saturday, September 26, 2009

1. 2012: The Hip-Hop Experiment/ Harlem Stage - 150 Convent Avenue at West 135th Street/ 6 pm to 12 am/ $15 (Description: For the eclectic “Hip Hop” lover looking for more than the fast food fix, we bring to the stage a collective of Hip Hop, Soul, Electronic, and Jazz up-and-comings along with established stars who are shaping the future. THE HYPOTHESIS - Hip Hop is Future Indigenous Folk with Multi-Media being the 5th Element and 2012 representing the end of an age and the beginning of a new. The artists are the storytellers and Griots carrying the ancient knowledge into the new age. THE EXPERIMENT - The Hip Hop Experiment explores Hip Hop as a multi-media, multi-sensory, and interactive experience. By incorporating sensory and triggering technologies to bring artist and audience participation to the next dimension. Pianist, composer, bandleader Marc Cary (the Marc Cary Experience) and creative director, master of ceremony Shon ‘Chance’ Miller, create a multi-sensory virtual experience in which they re-explore the past and present a vision of the future.) More Info