Hi all,

I'm planning on taking a shelf from my bookshelf and installing some floros
on the underside of the shelf and starting a little herb garden in the
kitchen. Has anyone done anything similar, I'd like some pointers if anyone
has.

I plan on growing basil, chives, parsley, lavendar, and thyme.

How many hours per day should I leave the lights on?

Would it be easier to install the light to the shelf and move the plants to
the light or the other way around?

I am also planning on using some fairly small clay pots for the herbs. I'm
going to germinate my seeds in peat pellets so, how many seeds per peat
pellet or per pot should I use? I'd like to get them started..

Phil..

"Phil Williamson" wrote in message
news
Hi all,

I'm planning on taking a shelf from my bookshelf and installing some
floros
on the underside of the shelf and starting a little herb garden in the
kitchen. Has anyone done anything similar, I'd like some pointers if
anyone
has.

I plan on growing basil, chives, parsley, lavendar, and thyme.

How many hours per day should I leave the lights on?

Would it be easier to install the light to the shelf and move the plants
to
the light or the other way around?

"Phil Williamson" wrote in message
news
Hi all,

I'm planning on taking a shelf from my bookshelf and installing some
floros
on the underside of the shelf and starting a little herb garden in the
kitchen. Has anyone done anything similar, I'd like some pointers if
anyone
has.

Why do that indoors when the summer is just starting and they'll grow much
better outdoors?


I plan on growing basil, chives, parsley, lavendar, and thyme.

How many hours per day should I leave the lights on?

Would it be easier to install the light to the shelf and move the plants
to
the light or the other way around?



It would be easier to plant them outdoors, plus you'll get better plants.

--
Tumbleweed

Remove my socks for email address

It's not practical to grow them outside since I live in a flat and I have
very little window space. I figure a few fluoro tubes and 14 hours a day
light will be more than needed to keep these little guys happy.

"Rodger Whitlock" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 25 Apr 2004 12:24:16 -0400, Phil Williamson wrote:

I'm planning on taking a shelf from my bookshelf and installing some
floros
on the underside of the shelf and starting a little herb garden in the
kitchen. Has anyone done anything similar, I'd like some pointers if
anyone
has.

I plan on growing basil, chives, parsley, lavendar, and thyme.

How many hours per day should I leave the lights on?

Would it be easier to install the light to the shelf and move the plants
to
the light or the other way around?

[and more]

I am also planning on using some fairly small clay pots for the herbs.
I'm
going to germinate my seeds in peat pellets so, how many seeds per peat
pellet or per pot should I use? I'd like to get them started..

If you can possibly grow your herbs out of doors, do so. They
will be *much* happier. Unlike African violets (Saintpaulia)
which are native to the jungles of the Congo, herbs come from
climates with lots of sun, air movment, and, yes, low
temperatures. They detest the still, dry steady warmth of
indoors.

Also, the idea of dear little wee herb plants in eensy-weensy
dear wee little pots ignores the reality: many herbs are fairly
lusty and need plenty of lebensraum.

It's not to say that herbs can't be grown in pots under
artificial light, but it's not as easy and satisfactory as
growing them outside.


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
[change "atlantic" to "pacific" and
"invalid" to "net" to reply by email]

Window box.

--
Tumbleweed

Remove my socks for email address
"Phil Williamson" wrote in message
...
It's not practical to grow them outside since I live in a flat and I have
very little window space. I figure a few fluoro tubes and 14 hours a day
light will be more than needed to keep these little guys happy.

"Rodger Whitlock" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 25 Apr 2004 12:24:16 -0400, Phil Williamson wrote:

I'm planning on taking a shelf from my bookshelf and installing some
floros
on the underside of the shelf and starting a little herb garden in the
kitchen. Has anyone done anything similar, I'd like some pointers if
anyone
has.

I plan on growing basil, chives, parsley, lavendar, and thyme.

How many hours per day should I leave the lights on?

Would it be easier to install the light to the shelf and move the
plants
to
the light or the other way around?

[and more]

I am also planning on using some fairly small clay pots for the herbs.
I'm
going to germinate my seeds in peat pellets so, how many seeds per
peat
pellet or per pot should I use? I'd like to get them started..

If you can possibly grow your herbs out of doors, do so. They
will be *much* happier. Unlike African violets (Saintpaulia)
which are native to the jungles of the Congo, herbs come from
climates with lots of sun, air movment, and, yes, low
temperatures. They detest the still, dry steady warmth of
indoors.

Also, the idea of dear little wee herb plants in eensy-weensy
dear wee little pots ignores the reality: many herbs are fairly
lusty and need plenty of lebensraum.

It's not to say that herbs can't be grown in pots under
artificial light, but it's not as easy and satisfactory as
growing them outside.


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
[change "atlantic" to "pacific" and
"invalid" to "net" to reply by email]

Not an option since I had sliding patio doors and a single window in the
bedroom with a tv in front of it..

"Tumbleweed" wrote in message
.. .
Window box.

--
Tumbleweed

Remove my socks for email address
"Phil Williamson" wrote in message
...
It's not practical to grow them outside since I live in a flat and I
have
very little window space. I figure a few fluoro tubes and 14 hours a
day
light will be more than needed to keep these little guys happy.

"Rodger Whitlock" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 25 Apr 2004 12:24:16 -0400, Phil Williamson wrote:

I'm planning on taking a shelf from my bookshelf and installing some
floros
on the underside of the shelf and starting a little herb garden in
the
kitchen. Has anyone done anything similar, I'd like some pointers
if
anyone
has.

I plan on growing basil, chives, parsley, lavendar, and thyme.

How many hours per day should I leave the lights on?

Would it be easier to install the light to the shelf and move the
plants
to
the light or the other way around?

[and more]

I am also planning on using some fairly small clay pots for the
herbs.
I'm
going to germinate my seeds in peat pellets so, how many seeds per
peat
pellet or per pot should I use? I'd like to get them started..

If you can possibly grow your herbs out of doors, do so. They
will be *much* happier. Unlike African violets (Saintpaulia)
which are native to the jungles of the Congo, herbs come from
climates with lots of sun, air movment, and, yes, low
temperatures. They detest the still, dry steady warmth of
indoors.

Also, the idea of dear little wee herb plants in eensy-weensy
dear wee little pots ignores the reality: many herbs are fairly
lusty and need plenty of lebensraum.

It's not to say that herbs can't be grown in pots under
artificial light, but it's not as easy and satisfactory as
growing them outside.


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
[change "atlantic" to "pacific" and
"invalid" to "net" to reply by email]

On Sun, 25 Apr 2004 12:24:16 -0400, Phil Williamson wrote:

I'm planning on taking a shelf from my bookshelf and installing some floros
on the underside of the shelf and starting a little herb garden in the
kitchen. Has anyone done anything similar, I'd like some pointers if anyone
has.

I plan on growing basil, chives, parsley, lavendar, and thyme.

How many hours per day should I leave the lights on?

Would it be easier to install the light to the shelf and move the plants to
the light or the other way around?

[and more]

I am also planning on using some fairly small clay pots for the herbs. I'm
going to germinate my seeds in peat pellets so, how many seeds per peat
pellet or per pot should I use? I'd like to get them started..

If you can possibly grow your herbs out of doors, do so. They
will be *much* happier. Unlike African violets (Saintpaulia)
which are native to the jungles of the Congo, herbs come from
climates with lots of sun, air movment, and, yes, low
temperatures. They detest the still, dry steady warmth of
indoors.

Also, the idea of dear little wee herb plants in eensy-weensy
dear wee little pots ignores the reality: many herbs are fairly
lusty and need plenty of lebensraum.

It's not to say that herbs can't be grown in pots under
artificial light, but it's not as easy and satisfactory as
growing them outside.


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
[change "atlantic" to "pacific" and
"invalid" to "net" to reply by email]

"Phil Williamson" wrote in message
...
It's not practical to grow them outside since I live in a flat and I have
very little window space. I figure a few fluoro tubes and 14 hours a day
light will be more than needed to keep these little guys happy.

"Rodger Whitlock" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 25 Apr 2004 12:24:16 -0400, Phil Williamson wrote:

I'm planning on taking a shelf from my bookshelf and installing some
floros
on the underside of the shelf and starting a little herb garden in the
kitchen. Has anyone done anything similar, I'd like some pointers if
anyone
has.

I plan on growing basil, chives, parsley, lavendar, and thyme.

How many hours per day should I leave the lights on?

Would it be easier to install the light to the shelf and move the
plants
to
the light or the other way around?

[and more]

I am also planning on using some fairly small clay pots for the herbs.
I'm
going to germinate my seeds in peat pellets so, how many seeds per
peat
pellet or per pot should I use? I'd like to get them started..

If you can possibly grow your herbs out of doors, do so. They
will be *much* happier. Unlike African violets (Saintpaulia)
which are native to the jungles of the Congo, herbs come from
climates with lots of sun, air movment, and, yes, low
temperatures. They detest the still, dry steady warmth of
indoors.

Also, the idea of dear little wee herb plants in eensy-weensy
dear wee little pots ignores the reality: many herbs are fairly
lusty and need plenty of lebensraum.

It's not to say that herbs can't be grown in pots under
artificial light, but it's not as easy and satisfactory as
growing them outside.


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
[change "atlantic" to "pacific" and
"invalid" to "net" to reply by email]


Any chance of putting in a window box ?, that would be better than indoors.
Failing that if you have a south facing window many herbs can be grown quite
happily on that window ledge.
Duncan

In article , D Russell
wrote:

Any chance of putting in a window box ?, that would be better than indoors.
Failing that if you have a south facing window many herbs can be grown quite
happily on that window ledge.
Duncan

There's no point. There have been dozens of people sharing their
experience that herbs like being outdoors. This guy's determined to
grow them indoors, and he's sure he's right.

L

--
Remover the rock from the email address

In article ,
Lazarus Cooke wrote:
In article , D Russell
wrote:

Any chance of putting in a window box ?, that would be better than indoors.
Failing that if you have a south facing window many herbs can be grown quite
happily on that window ledge.

There's no point. There have been dozens of people sharing their
experience that herbs like being outdoors. This guy's determined to
grow them indoors, and he's sure he's right.

Basil does better on a south-facing window ledge than outdoors, but
it is a true tropical.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

It's not that I'm ignoring all the comments about the herbs loving it
outside, it's just not possible for me to do that. I live in Canada where
it gets really cold outside in the winter, I have patio doors (no room
there) and a window in my bedroom (can't put a window box there either) and
that's it for lighting. My options are to grow these herbs under artifitial
light or to not grow them at all.

"Lazarus Cooke" wrote in message
om...
In article , D Russell
wrote:

Any chance of putting in a window box ?, that would be better than
indoors.
Failing that if you have a south facing window many herbs can be grown
quite
happily on that window ledge.
Duncan

There's no point. There have been dozens of people sharing their
experience that herbs like being outdoors. This guy's determined to
grow them indoors, and he's sure he's right.

"Phil Williamson" wrote in message ...
[...]
My options are to grow these herbs under artifitial
light or to not grow them at all.
[...]
Sounds really interesting: even in the temperate British Isles there
are plenty of people with no outdoor space, and who might like to grow
something more useful than the usual houseplants.

Somebody mentioned that the ordinary culinary herbs are used to cold
winters giving a check to their growth. If your plants don't get that,
they may put on lusher growth and lose some of their scent and
flavour: but let's find out!

Your idea of treating them like African violets, 40W fluoro tube a bit
over a foot over their heads for 14 hours a day, sounds like a good
place to start. I wouldn't give them the moisture African violets
want, though.

Please tell us how it works out: I think you'll be breaking new ground
(and what gardener can resist doing that?)

Mike.

On Wed, 28 Apr 2004 17:14:10 -0400, "Phil Williamson"
wrote:

It's not that I'm ignoring all the comments about the herbs loving it
outside, it's just not possible for me to do that. I live in Canada where
it gets really cold outside in the winter, I have patio doors (no room
there) and a window in my bedroom (can't put a window box there either) and
that's it for lighting. My options are to grow these herbs under artifitial
light or to not grow them at all.

I'm a fanatic sunshine proponent, but people *do* report successfully
growing herbs indoors. It's certainly worth trying. If it doesn't work
out, I'll send you an African violet plant to fill in. :-) Thyme
might be one candidate -- it's low-growing anyhow, and perennial. You
could try chives. If basil or sage grew vigorously, they'd probably
outgrow space available in terms of tallness. Parsley is a
possibility. One problem I see is that if plants don't get enough
light, they get 'leggy' reaching for what's available. Which means
they'd soon be burnt reaching for a fluorescent.

Right now I'm working with a massively inconvenient arrangement in my
'computer pantry' involving a teacart. I needed a surface to rest a
book on, and the pantry is just crammed with barely-fitting equipment.
The cart blocks access to some things, but it *can* be wheeled out of
the way when necessary. Perhaps something like that could be employed
in front of your glass door? Hey -- if you have a door, it must lead
*somewhere*. Herbs in pots don't take up a lot of space. You could at
least give them a good dose of sunlight in the summer. Basil is an
annual anyhow -- you have to plant new each year. Parsely is a
biennial, but might just as well be an annual for all the use it is
the 2nd year (mine is just sending up bloom stalks).