Growing your own spices at home is a fun and easy way to add flavor to food. Not only do you save money, you also know that the spices are 100% fresh and pesticide-free. If you’re looking for ways to add more flavor and spice to your meals, try growing some of these 5 spices at home.
Basil – Easy and delicious in a lot of dishes. Grow from seed in late winter through spring or early summer. The basil plant will produce flowers all summer long so don’t let it get shaded out or over-watered as this will cause the leaves to wilt. You can grow basil in pots or a garden bed with very little effort – you can even grow it in water if you want. Basil does best with lots of sunshine but is still pretty happy with indirect sunlight once it’s established. You can cut the plant back several times throughout the season if necessary but always leave some flowering buds on the top of the plant so that they can continue flowering even after harvest. We have a post on how to grow basil here: Growing Basil from Seed
Carrots – Grow from seed in early spring through fall, depending on where you live and what kind of weather you have. Carrots grow best in warm weather, but they will also tolerate cooler weather as long as there is enough light. A sunny windowsill will be perfect for starting seeds. You can also grow carrots in a small pot or under the window of a sunny patio, deck, or balcony if you don’t have much space indoors. Carrots need lots of water and fertilizer (but not too much). They do best with regular waterings and about a quarter teaspoon of fish emulsion once or twice weekly. We have an article on how to grow carrots here: How to Grow Carrots
Cilantro – Easy to grow from seed in early spring through late summer/early fall depending on where you live and what weather you have. You can start cilantro seeds indoors about 10 weeks before your last frost date, but if you want them to germinate right away then keep them outdoors until the soil warms up sometime around that same date so that they can get light and soil contact right away. Once the seeds start sprouting, keep them in a warm location like underneath your windowsill or outside on a porch, patio or deck as long as there is light for about 6-8 weeks until the seedlings have two true leaves. You can also plant cilantro in a large pot or window box but you’ll need to make sure that the soil stays moist and loose. Cilantro does best in full sun, so be sure to keep it out of any shade. We have an article on how to grow cilantro here: How to Grow Cilantro
Cinnamon – Easy and delicious in almost anything you cook. Cinnamon is easy to grow from seed indoors from late spring through fall. The easiest method is to sprinkle the seeds on top of your seed starting mix and cover with a light misting of water. Or you can also start them off on peat pellets, small pots, or seed starting trays (see the list of supplies below). If you are planting directly in the ground then sow them no more than 1 inch deep with rows about 6 inches apart, spacing your seeds evenly down each row. As soon as you see new growth coming out of the soil after about 5-7 days, gently remove them from the ground and transplant them into individual 3″ pots or 3″ cell trays until they are ready for their final outdoor location. Don’t forget that you can grow cinnamon in the water. We have an article on how to grow cinnamon here: How to Grow Cinnamon
Cucumbers – Cucumbers are one of the easiest vegetables you can grow from seed. They are also one of the most rewarding. Cucumbers like a lot of suns and a steady supply of water. They don’t do well in hot weather or when there is much rain, but they do just fine with a moderate amount of shade. You can start cucumber seeds indoors about 10 weeks before your last frost date, but if you want them to germinate right away then keep them outdoors until the soil warms up sometime around that same date so that they can get light and soil contact right away. Once the seeds start sprouting, keep them in a warm location like underneath your windowsill or outside on a porch, patio or deck as long as there is light for about 6-8 weeks until the seedlings have two true leaves. You can also plant cucumbers in a large pot or window box but you’ll need to make sure that the soil stays moist and loose. We have an article on how to grow cucumbers here: How to Grow Cucumbers
Lettuce – Easy and delicious in almost anything you cook. Lettuce is easy to grow from seed indoors from late spring through fall. The easiest method is to sprinkle the seeds on top of your seed starting mix and cover with a light misting of water. Or you can also start them off on peat pellets, small pots, or seed starting trays (see the list of supplies below). If you are planting directly in the ground then sow them no more than 1 inch deep with rows about 6 inches apart, spacing your seeds evenly down each row. As soon as you see new growth coming out of the soil after about 5-7 days, gently remove them from the ground and transplant them into individual 3″ pots or 3″ cell trays until they are ready for their final outdoor location. Don’t forget that you can grow lettuce in the water. We have an article on how to grow lettuce here: How to Grow Lettuce
Mustard – Easy and delicious in almost anything you cook. Mustard is easy to grow from seed indoors from late spring through fall. The easiest method is to sprinkle the seeds on top of your seed starting mix and cover with a light misting of water. Or you can also start them off on peat pellets, small pots, or seed starting trays (see the list of supplies below). If you are planting directly in the ground then sow them no more than 1 inch deep with rows about 6 inches apart, spacing your seeds evenly down each row. As soon as you see new growth coming out of the soil after about 5-7 days, gently remove them from the ground and transplant them into individual 3″ pots or 3″ cell trays until they are ready for their final outdoor location. Don’t forget that you can grow mustard in the water. We have an article on how to grow mustard here: How to Grow Mustard
Onions – Onions are easy and delicious in almost anything you cook. Onion seeds germinate best when planted at night in the soil or seed starting mix that you’d use for transplants. Or if it is warm enough to do so, you can plant directly into your garden in a bed that gets full sun. You can also start onions off on peat pellets, small pots, or seed starting trays (see the list of supplies below). If planting directly in the ground then sow them no more than 1 inch deep with rows about 4-6 inches apart, spacing your seeds evenly down each row. As soon as you see new growth coming out of the soil after about 5-7 days, gently remove them from the ground and transplant them into individual 3″ pots or 3″ cell trays until they are ready for their final outdoor location. Don’t forget that you can grow onions in the water! We have an article on how to grow onions here: How to Grow Onions
Peas – Peas are easy and delicious in almost anything you cook. Pea seeds germinate best when planted at night in the soil or seed starting mix that you’d use for transplants. Or if it is warm enough to do so, you can plant directly into your garden in a bed that gets full sun. You can also start peas off on peat pellets, small pots, or seed starting trays (see the list of supplies below). If planting directly in the ground then sow them no more than 1 inch deep with rows about 4-6 inches apart, spacing your seeds evenly down each row. As soon as you see new growth coming out of the soil after about 5-7 days, gently remove them from the ground and transplant them into individual 3″ pots or 3″ cell trays until they are ready for their final outdoor location. Don’t forget that you can grow peas in the water. We have an article on how to grow peas here: How to Grow Peas at Home
Spinach – Spinach is easy and delicious in almost anything you cook. Spinach seeds germinate best when planted at night in the soil or seed starting mix that you’d use for transplants. Or if it is warm enough to do so, you can plant directly into your garden in a bed that gets full sun. You can also start spinach off on peat pellets, small pots, or seed starting trays (see the list of supplies below). If planting directly in the ground then sow them no more than 1 inch deep with rows about 4-6 inches apart, spacing your seeds evenly down each row. As soon as you see new growth coming out of the soil after about 5-7 days, gently remove them from the ground and transplant them into individual 3″ pots or 3″ cell trays until they are ready for their final outdoor location. Don’t forget that you can grow spinach in the water. We have an article on how to grow spinach here: How to Grow Spinach
