By Kayla, Founder, Third Orbit Flora
You can get fresh herbs right from your counter without another run to the store, or tending a garden.
Why not try growing your own kitchen herbs from store-bought cuttings? Not only is it incredibly easy, but it also ensures a constant supply of fresh herbs right at your fingertips. Here’s how to do it:
Many common herbs can be easily propagated from cuttings bought at the grocery store.
Think of staples like basil, mint, rosemary, thyme, and parsley. When selecting your cuttings, look for healthy stems with no signs of damage or disease. You'll want to snip off a few inches of stem with several sets of leaves intact.
Once you've got your cuttings, it's time to prepare them for planting. Remove the lower leaves from each cutting, leaving a few sets of leaves at the top.
This will prevent the leaves from rotting when submerged in water. Next, place your cuttings in a glass of water, ensuring that the bottom of the stems is submerged while the leaves remain above water. Place the glass in a sunny spot, such as a windowsill, where your herbs will receive plenty of light.
Now comes the waiting game. In a few weeks, you should start to see roots forming on your cuttings.
Once the roots are a couple of inches long, your cuttings are ready to be transferred to pots. Choose small pots with good drainage, fill them with potting soil, and plant your cuttings, making sure to bury the roots and leave the leaves above the soil line. Water your newly potted herbs thoroughly and place them back in their sunny spot.
With a little patience and care, your kitchen herb garden will soon be flourishing.
Remember to water your herbs regularly, but be careful not to overwater, as this can lead to root rot. You can also fertilize your herbs occasionally with a gentle, water-soluble fertilizer to encourage healthy growth. Before you know it, you'll be snipping fresh herbs to add a burst of flavor to your favorite dishes, all thanks to a few store-bought cuttings and a bit of green-thumb magic. Happy gardening!
- Kayla, Third Orbit Flora
Photo Credit: Adobe Stock image of plant cuttings in small glass containers on a windowsill in the light.