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Its only gotten worse duringthe pandemic.
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I lust after my friends lush herbs and walkways draped in edible plants.
Whats easy to grow?
What might survive long enough to actually eat?
What does the most with the least amount of space?
The first step in answering these questions is knowing what kinds of produce and herbs thrive in your area.
key in your zip code at theUSDAs online toolto get the zone for your exact location.
The plants theyre selling are grown for the current season and for your local area.
People even grow them indoors.
Burke recommends you get a healthy-looking plant at a nursery, which can last you for years.
Green onions
Piggybacking off of chives, Im going to recommend green onions.
Youll be growing new green tops in a matter of days.
Replace the water every few days (it gets kind of gross if you dont).
Planting the onions youve been regrowing in water into soil seems to bring them back to their grocery-level glory.
Arugula
Arugula grows very easily from seed.
In Houston we grow it year-round, so it can stand up under heat and cold, Burke says.
This gives it a nutritional profile similar tokale, but its easier to grow, Burke says.
Oregano
Ive personally found oregano to be the easiest of all the woody herbs to grow, Burke says.
Thats been true for her in both Houston and Chicago.
Try a pot that has at least a 12-inch diameter.
you’re able to grow oregano indoors if its by a super-sunny window and stays warm.
Sprouts
Low on space and light?
Venelin Dimitrov, lead horticulturist at the seed and plant companyBurpee, recommends a sprouting kit.
They take four to five days and theyll be ready to consume in seven days tops, he says.
They dont need light, they dont need to be outside.
Lettuce
Burkes favorite lettuce mix is calledRocky Top, and she also enjoysBlack-Seeded SimpsonandButter Crunch.
Theyre all easy to grow from seed.
Cut it on the smaller side, she recommendssmaller than the leaf size youd get at the grocery store.
Instead, they stopped growing and eventually died.
That way youll maximize your greens and have more seeds on hand for replanting.
Basil
If youre growing in the spring or summer, Hammond recommends basil.
Because most people seem to like it, and growing foods youre going to actuallyeatis important.
you could grow basil year-round indoors, but its more challenging.
Grow [it] in cooler weather, she suggests.
The plant can be grumpy about temperature.
Youll get something [in] 60 days depending on the variety, Hammond says.
They also dont have as many pests as some other fruiting plants, like tomatoes.
Beans can be grown indoors in a minimum eight-inch-diameter pot with plenty of sunlight.
Radishes
Im adding radishes despite the fact that Burke says she just had a radish harvest fail.
(Apparently March was the ideal time to startoops, were all learning here.)
But if not, Ive got more seeds to try for fall.
When I lived in Arizona, I noticed that sage grew wild on the sides of hiking trails.
The takeaway: Find out whats exciting and easy to grow nearby or stick with tried-and-true classics.
Either way, youre en route to some delicious discoveries.
