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How to Grow a Mini Herb Garden in Sponges

Picture
courtesy PBS Parents
If you love fresh herbs but simply can't handle the mess of potting soil on your counters - or even worse, under your fingernails - you'll love this project. Growing herbs in ordinary household sponges - clean ones, of course - eliminates the need to for soil and provides you with fresh herbs all winter.  If you are struggling with the concept, don't feel bad. I'm an avid gardener and I didn't believe it either - until I saw the pictures of lush green herbs springing from an ordinary sponge. The trick of course it to keep the sponge wet, but you've probably figured that out on your own.

Sponges 
Some sources recommend that you use recycled sponges, but somehow this just doesn't set right to me. New sponges are inexpensive and you can be reasonably sure they are free of bacteria or contaminants that recycled sponges can hold. I personally prefer sea sponges, mainly because I like the natural look. You could, of course, choose brightly-colored kitchen sponges to brighten the décor. If that's your style - go ahead - I promise, I won't tell a soul.

Containers 
Select a container for your herb garden. Plant pots, window trays or shallow serving dishes make good choices, but here again; it's totally up to you. If you want to grow herbs in grandma's old teapot - go ahead. As long as the container is waterproof and holds the sponge, there are no rules.

Preparations 
Rinse the sponge thoroughly for several minutes to remove any residue in may contain. If you are using recycled sponges, soak them in boiling water for 15 minutes to kill any bacteria.

Place the sponge in your container. A snug fit works best and prevents accidental spilling. If necessary, cut your sponge to the shape of the container to get a good fit.

Water to saturate the sponge. A little water on the bottom of the container is fine, but more that one half inch of water should be poured off before planting your herb seeds.

Planting 
Sprinkle your favorite herb seeds over the top of the sponge and press them into the sponge with your fingers. Most herbs have tiny seeds and easily penetrate the surface of the sponge. For larger seeds - like chives - push the seeds into the holes of the sponge until they are secure.

Cover the top of the container with plastic food wrap. Punch several holes in the plastic with the tip of a pencil to allow air to circulate and prevent excessive moisture buildup. Place the herb garden in a warm location until the seeds germinate.

Growing 
Remove the plastic cover once seedlings have emerged and place the herb garden in a sunny window. If light is limited, place them under a plant light or a fluorescent light. Herbs prefer bright light and suffer in shaded areas. Keep the sponge moist at all times to prevent injury to your herb plants.

Harvesting 
Begin harvesting fresh herbs when the plants are three to four inches tall. Harvesting leaves from the growing tip forces new foliage to form along the stem and creates a bushy plant.

So, go ahead. Enjoy the flavor of fresh herbs all winter without the mess and fuss of potting soil by growing your favorite herbs in sponges.


Copyright © 2014 Nannette Richford



  • Home
  • Garden Thyme Blog
  • Themes
    • Butterfly Gardens
    • Moon Gardens
    • Sensory Gardens
    • All About Fairies
  • Flowers
    • Annual Flowers >
      • Alyssum
      • Cosmos
      • Geraniums
      • Marigolds
      • Morning Glories
      • Nasturtiums
      • Petunias >
        • Reviving Petunias
      • Snapdragons
      • Sunflowers
      • Sweet Peas
      • Zinnias
    • Perennial Flowers >
      • Golden Glow (Rudbeckia laciniata ‘Hortensia’)
      • Lupines
      • Purple Coneflower (Echinacea Purpurea)
    • Maine Wildflowers
  • Veggies
    • Warm Season Vegetables >
      • About Beans >
        • Growing Beans
        • Growing Pole Beans
        • How to Make a Teepee Trellis
      • About Corn >
        • Growing Corn
        • What is Baby Corn, anyway?
        • Can you grow corn in containers?
      • Cucumbers >
        • Grow a cucumber in a bottle
        • Growing Pickling Cucumbers
        • Growing cucamelons (Mexican Gherkin)
        • Why do cucumbers blossom but fail to set fruit?
        • Trellising Cucumbers
        • Making Cucumber Relish
        • Powdery Mildew on Cucumbers
      • Melons
      • Peppers >
        • Growing Peppers
      • Squash >
        • Growing Zucchini
        • Spaghetti Squash
      • Tomatoes >
        • How to Harden Off Tomato Plants
        • How (and when) to Prune Tomatoes
        • Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salt) for Tomatoes
        • Blossom End Rot in Tomatoes
        • Growing Cherry Tomatoes in Hanging Baskets
        • 4 Best Tomatoes for Short Seasons - Early Tomatoes
        • 5 Early Maturing Tomatoes for Short Season Gardening
        • How to Ripen Green Tomatoes
        • How to Make Sun-Dried Tomatoes at Home
        • How to Grow a Pomato Plant
    • Cool Season Vegetables >
      • Cole Crops
      • Greens >
        • How to Grow Spinach
        • How to Grow Malabar Spinach
        • How to Grow Swiss Chard
        • Harvesting and Cooking Beet Greens
        • How to Grow Microgreens
      • Onions & Garlic >
        • How to Grow Garlic
        • How to Grow Onions
      • Peas >
        • Growing Garden (shelling) Peas
        • Growing Sugar Snap Peas
      • Potatoes >
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Containers
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Hay Bales
      • Root Crops >
        • Growing Beets
        • How to Grow Carrots
        • Turnips vs Rutabagas
  • Herbs
    • Growing Basil
    • Growing Chives
    • Growing Lavender
    • Herbal Tea Garden
    • How to Grow a Culinary Herb Garden
    • How to Grow Herbs in Sponges
    • Colonial Herb Garden - Classroom Project
    • Herbed Butter
    • Making Herbed Oils
  • Gardening Basics
    • Seed Starting Basics
    • Grafting Basics
    • Soil >
      • Starting a New Garden
      • How to Prepare Soil
      • How to Test Soil Drainage
      • What Type of Soil Do You Have
      • Soil Mix Recipe for Containers
      • How to Make Compost Tea
      • How to Use Mulch
  • Garden Pests
    • How to Control Japanese Beetles
    • How to Control Blister Beetles
    • How to Get Rid of Colorado Potato Beetles
  • Birds
    • Hummingbirds >
      • DIY Hummingbird Feeders from Recycled Bottles
      • Annuals for Hummingbird Gardens
      • Perennials for Hummingbird Gardens
    • About Birdseed
    • Choosing a Birdfeeder
  • Fiddleheads and Fairies
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • How to Marinate Roasted Vegetables