Shady Herbs.

I was wondering if anyone could help me. I have recently become interested in growing some herbs, I don't have a garden so I will have to grow them indoors in pots which is fine by me. Unfortunately my house is quite dark, my bedroom window receives some light but not a lot, so I was wondering what kind of herbs I could grow? It would be nice if the herbs could help me with spiritual/psychic enhancement. I'm also from Ireland so keep in mind it's not warm here at all!

-Adam

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I'll assume that nobody has any ideas?

Maybe some books have ideas?


~Jayne~

If it were me I would first research to discover what herbs grow well in my area and I would find out what herbs work best for my goals then I would cross reference.

Maybe you can get one of those planting boxes that you hang outside your window? They are usually pretty easy to just hang on the window and can be used in most apartments also. All you would have to do is open your window to water them and take care of them.

First off if you got 4-5 hours of light you got it made if not a grow light will also be actuate. 98% of your herbs require very little light just as long you water them. Some herbs take as long as 4-6 weeks to fully grow.

Parsley can grow in partial shade and it does not mind the cold(as long as it is not minus 10 Celsius).It is winter here my parsley is outside in pots and it is still growing, but slowly.Another one that stays almost all day in shade in my garden is the oregano.I know it is a Mediterranean herb and it puzzled me because as soon as I moved the pot in more bright light it became more yellow so had to move it back in more shady position.I have had the oregano now 3 years started it from seed and it never went fully dormant.It grew even in the cold and under the ice that covered it for few weeks last early spring.Rosemary grows well too and it is very sturdy thing.It can take some cold ,because it grows outside in massive bushes and it flowers also in the very cold early spring.You have to prune the rosemary or it becomes massive if you do not do that.I had it growing from cutting in a dark and cold kitchen just sitting in jar of water and it grew roots entire winter.Peppermint goes dormant for me outside ,but it does like shade and can take some cold.It grows as weed it is so vigorous that it takes over gardens if it not kept in a pot.As long as you prune it it will not be too troublesome to deal with.I think those will do well for you in your growing conditions.Plant those in separate pots they will smother each other !Rosemary has massive roots and grow fast only mint or peppermint can compete with it.The mint itself will grow new plant from each single peace of root ,so it is hard to control it and dig it out once it is fully established.If you need additional help ,please mail me here I will be glad to advice you.

Look at Ellen Dugan's books. She has some great information on herbs, how to grow and take care of them.

I have an indoor garden that consists of tomatoes, peppers, apple and citrus tree saplings and roses all while we have snow on the ground. They are all flourishing. I have found that proper fertilization and keeping them warm with warm water and heat does the trick. I have plenty of natural light but you can buy a growing lamp if you are concerned about the sunlight and don't want to limit your self to shade only herbs.

Here is a link to one. You can even find smaller cheaper ones.

http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-FLCDG125D-Fluorowing-Compact-Fluorescent/dp/B001UV6P9I/ref=br_lf_m_1001173541_1_3_ttl/180-7256925-3733140?_encoding=UTF8&s=lawn-garden&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-3&pf_rd_r=1TTDN58K6BKFTPKDCJMQ&pf_rd_t=1401&pf_rd_p=1718046462&pf_rd_i=1001173541


Also, Ellen Dugan is a great source for herbal magick as previously mentioned. And you can never go wrong with Scott Cunningham. I have a few of both of their books.

I hope this helps and offers you some options and encouragement. :)

Brightest blessings!

There are many different herbs you can grow indoors with little light (Basil, Parsley, Chives, Mint, Lemongrass, Rosemary are very common herbs that seem to behave and produce in a non-sunlight area.). But, make sure you read up on them to identify all of their specific needs.

If you do ever want to try out other types of herbs that require more sunlight, it is really easy to create a setup that can produce supplimental/artificial lighting. You can pick up most of the stuff at a local hardware store or gardening store at a cheap price.

For magickal purposes, make sure you understand how the herbs will react based upon how you intend to use it. For instance, the mint herb is great as tea treat headaches and upset stomach, but you don't want to burn it as doesn't smell pleasant.

Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs and Wylundt Book of Incense are great resources to start from.