Growing Herbs Indoors - Fragrance In Every Room



Posted: Saturday, November 21, 2009

by
http://herbgardensolutions.com

There are many reasons why a house might get an unpleasant odour. Many people with cats and dogs find that a certain corner of their house has given itself over to smelling like a litter box, or you may have just moved into an apartment or an older house and it currently sports a musty smell. Even the well-kept house can get a slight odour after being closed up all winter. Thankfully, we can add fragrance to every room in our home by growing herbs indoors.

Herbs are my favourites over flowers when it comes to adding a pleasant scent to my home, that's why growing herbs indoors is one of my passions. First of all, flowers only produce a scent when they are blooming. Even indoor flowering plants will not bloom all year round. In addition, the scent of flowers can sometimes overpower the atmosphere of a room and give it an overpowering feeling. This is especially true during the winter when you have to keep your house shut up and the combination of central heating and flowers can be overwhelming. Growing herbs indoors releases a fragrance whether or not the herbs are blooming and their scent is generally more subtle than that of flowers, their perfume is often fresh and light. In fact, some herbs do not even release scent unless you brush up against them. Therefore, if you are looking for a light, clean scent to fill your rooms, growing herbs indoors is the answer.

As you look around for herbs to add a pleasant aroma to your home, you will find there are many from which to choose. In the kitchen it is good to consider practicalities as well as scents. If the area where we prepare food is occasionally visited by fruit flies or other small insects, then growing herbs indoors like garlic and chives will keep insects out. These two herbs also continually fill the kitchen with the smells of good cooking, so they are great for the windowsill above your sink. Basil is another great herb to keep in the kitchen: it is primarily used for cooking, but after it is snipped it releases a light and fresh fragrance.

You can help the health of your pets by growing herbs indoors - in fact, pennyroyal is a good herb to keep around. You might find the odour a little pungent, so it is better if confined to the litter box or sleeping area of your pet - but remember to keep it up on a high shelf as the leaves are toxic to eat. The scent and oil of the pennyroyal will keep away fleas, therefore as you harvest its leaves, rub the oil on your pet collar and bedding.

When growing herbs indoors one should consider the traditional lavender. Lavender may be the most popular way to add fragrance to your home. It produces a sweet-smelling purple flower that can be used in cake decoration or can be dried and placed in sachets. Dried lavender keeps your clothes smelling great and will also repel moths just as effectively as camphor balls. Since lavender is a hearty plant, you should be able to keep it in any room that gets adequate sunlight.

If you are looking at growing herbs indoors you might want to try rosemary in the bathroom since rosemary is a semi-tropical Mediterranean herb that loves hot and humid conditions. Of course, it needs some natural light or a grow light in order for it to flourish and it will gift you with a wonderful light scent that is reminiscent of evergreen needles.

Mint is a great choice for someone that has just started growing herbs indoors, . These days, mint has been bred to produce a wide array of scents. You can find traditional spearmint and peppermint, but there is also lemon, lime, orange, banana, ginger, and chocolate mint. All these mints produce the same scent as their namesake. If you are feeling creative, you could even create a "fruit bowl" of citrus mints to act as an original centrepiece to your dining room table.

As you start to add fragrance to every room in your home by growing herbs indoors you will quickly see what an enjoyable and rewarding process this can be.

Lisa Summerfield is the author of "Secrets To A Successful Home Herb Garden" - compulsory reading for anyone considering to grow a thriving herb garden. Her website contains valuable information on growing herbs indoors... Even if you have never grown a garden before!

For a FREE 10 part mini-course on "The Secrets To Growing Herbs Indoors and in the Garden!" go to http://herbgardensolutions.com

This Article has been viewed 139 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)
» left by Nenita Wells
 2 years 62 days ago.
302 fans.
Hi Lisa. Thank you for this useful piece. Having basil, chives and garlic plants in the kitchen is a terrific idea. Thanks. Happy Thanksgiving. ~Nenita~
» left by Marijo Phelps
 2 years 61 days ago.
139 fans.
We have 16 paws living with us - how do you keep the kitties away from the plants and which ones are truly lethal to house pets? Good article! Marijo
» left by Lisa Summerfield 2 years 61 days ago.
18 fans.
Hi Marjo ,Cats' livers doesn't produce the enzymes that are needed in order to detoxify some substances and some herbs are dangerous to cats: comfrey, rue, wormwood, red clover. After saying all this, cats have a 6th(?!) sense and know to stay away from harmful herbs.
 

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