Apart from adding flavor to your food, the spices can provide you with numerous health benefits. They have a high content of volatile oils which are effective in supporting many bodily functions. Generally, the spices are very difficult to be grown at home since they can survive only in tropical and subtropical regions, and some of them come from mature trees. However, there are certain low growing spices which can easily thrive in the heated interior of your home. Here are some of the best spices that you can grow at your home.
Saffron
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In order to plant saffron, you need to obtain crocus corms from some well-known nurseries. Once you have the planting material, you should fill gravel or sand into the bottom of the pots. Then, you should add well-draining potting mix above the sand layer. Press 2 to 3 crocus corns in the soil and add some soil mixture and sand on top of them. You should store the pots in an unheated room, where they can be exposed to direct sunlight for a few hours. When the crocus plants that grow from the bulbs begin to wither, move the pots to a warmer room. By doing so, you will easily trigger flowering. Pick the three red stigmas from each flower, dry them on a piece of parchment paper, and store them in dry containers.
Cumin
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To grow cumin indoors, you should sow the cumin seeds in large pots which need to be placed in some sunny location. Maintaining the soil moist is just as important as a good drainage. Normally, it takes 4 to 5 months from sprouting to harvesting. The clusters of the tiny fruits that grow from the flowers need to be harvested before they fall off the plant. Until the fruits fall off, you should dry the flower heads in big paper bags. Clean them by winnowing and dry them in the sun. You can either use the dried cumin whole, or you can ground it into powder. Before grinding, you should roast the cumin in order to increase its flavor.
Turmeric
A planting material for turmeric can be quite difficult to be found since this spice is usually sold as a powder. However, if you can get a few pieces of the rhizome, they will leave you with an abundance of the root. Stick some turmeric pieces into pots or tubes of well-draining potting mix and cover them with an inch of soil. The turmeric requires a lot of water and light so that the large emerging leaves will have a lush green look.
Ginger
In order to grow ginger, you should get several pieces of ginger root which contain at least one growing bud. Then fill a large tub with a well-draining potting mix, lay the ginger root pieces on top of the tub, and cover them with about an inch of sand. Keep the tub under grow lights or in a well-lit area. You should water the rhizomes regularly, just before the soil dries out completely. Also, you should fertilize them twice a month. Each time you need ginger, you should dig into the soil and break off of the rhizome only as much as you need.
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