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Lifestyle

Dorm-Friendly Herbs That Will Survive in That Shoebox You Call a Room

This article is written by a student writer from the Spoon University at Ithaca chapter.

Herbs can be a great way to add some flavor to your dishes (or water) and if you grow them yourself, they don’t require coveted space in your micro-fridge. 

Growing these dorm-friendly herbs yourself is also much more cost-efficient for the broke college student, and herbs are known as being amazing life hacks.

Dorm-Friendly Herbs pasture vegetable
Jeanne Kessira

They do however, require light to grow, so whatever plant you decide to plant, be sure to keep them on your windowsill. In order to make sure they don’t ruin your sill (no one wants to pay those damage fees), put a pan underneath them to catch any water.

#SpoonTip: Most dorm-friendly herbs that you would cook with will do well in normal indoor temperatures, but basil needs to be kept in a room with a temperature around 70 degrees.

Parsley

parsley substitute herb parsley
Elyse Belarge

Parsley is probably the easiest herb to grow in your dorm. It can sit in wet soil for weeks at a time, so even if you forget about it, it’s not likely to die. 

As long as parsley is watered about every two weeks and is set by your windowsill in sunlight, you’ll be able to use this versatile herb for anything from a yummy greek pizza to rice pudding.

Mint

Another super easy herb is mint. Although it needs sun, it also benefits from shade. It does well in a room kept from 60 degrees to room temperature and having it on hand can be great for making mint juleps in your room.

Rosemary 

Rosemary is a great herb to grow in your dorm because it can be grown in average room temperature. You can even bring your freshly grown herbs to the dining hall with you to help season the bland dishes that are often made to satisfy everyone.

Sage

Dorm-Friendly Herbs fish seafood
Ellen Gibbs

Sage is a great indoor plant because although it needs to be placed by a window in order to get enough sun, it deals well with an indoor temperature climate. Sage is a great way to add some flavor to your favorite vegan dish or upgrade a yummy stir-fry.

Just remember, every plant needs water, so do your best to bring them home over winter break. Enjoy your flavorful food!

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