DIY Life

I am so itching to get my hands in the dirt again. I love being outside, and right now I have to sit back and count the days until I can do that. Sure, I could go outside for 20 minutes, 20 times a day now, but I seriously can't stand the cold too much, and by the time I get my two year old out of her snow suit, she wants to go back outside again. Spring, where are you?

I have a houseplant that is in seriously need of potting soil, but I just don't want to spend the money for premixed soil. I think It is just too expensive. Tipnut has some awesome recipes for making your own organic potting soil. While you still have to purchase peat moss, top soil, vermiculite, lime, and perlite, in the long run, you will be eating healthier by growing plants in your own potting mixes.

For more simple ideas and recipes, be sure to check out Diane Rixon's post; easy homemade potting soil. With the various recipes and tips, you'll be sure to find the recipe that works for you and your gardening needs.

Herbs and spices were originally used to hide the taste of rotten or potentially rotten foods. Now they are used to enhance flavours and complement dishes. Growing an indoor herb garden is easy and you'll love having access to fresh herbs right at your windowsill. While there are herb garden kits or you can start with mature plants, I thought we'd talk about starting your garden from scratch, in true DIY'er style.

What you need

1. Terracotta pots - with enough space for your mature herbs. A 13-15" container will hold 4 grown plants. If you choose smaller pots you will need to transplant at maturity.
2. Water
3. Sunlight
4. Seeds
5. Potting soil

How to start your herb garden

1. Choose your seeds - Basil, summer savory, dill and parsley all grow well indoors with sunlight. Just about any herb will work. Consider what you plan to use these for and how much of each you'd like on hand.
2. Prepare your soil in the pots - Soil should be equal part mixtures of sand, loam and peat moss. Soak the soil.
3. Place the seeds in the pots about a 1/4-1/2" deep, covering them loosely with soil.
4. Place a piece of light clear plastic on top of the pots. Make sure that there are a couple of holes in it.
5. Place the pots at a window that gets a good amount of direct sun.
6. Water the plants regularly. The soil should always be damp. Check it daily.

The University of Saskatchewan put out this list of 10 easy to grow herbs. This list is particularly useful in describing conditions if you decide to transplant your herbs to an outdoor garden. Some herbs will take 8-10 weeks to come up, so don't get discouraged if you don't see signs of growth right away.

[via Herbs of the Earth]