By Kristen Hawley

Think you can’t grow your own herbs at home? Think again! Not only is it a cost-effective way to add flavor to any recipe, it’s also a simple way to make sure the fresh herbs you’re eating are pesticide-free. Take a cue from Ian Cheney, a Brooklyn-based filmmaker who created a vegetable garden in the bed of a 1986 Dodge Ram Pickup truck. Truck Farm is most frequently seen driving through the Red Hook and Park Slope neighborhoods of Brooklyn.

Cheney enlisted the help of a green roofer to create his unique garden. They drilled holes in the bed of the truck and laid down plastic to aid in draining. Then they added a special lightweight soil blend to keep the 100% drivable truck from becoming too heavy. The farmers’ initial reports are calling it a success, growing everything from broccoli to lettuce and supplying the goodies to local residents.

You don’t have to have a spare truck bed to plant your own pesticide-free food. Follow these easy steps to create your own indoor or herb garden.

Choose your plants
Some herbs are easier to grow than others. Some – like mint – grow easily but spread quickly, so be sure to keep them trimmed. Other easy-to-grow herbs include parsley, sage, chives, and tarragon. Find small herb plants at your local nursery or home improvement store.

Choose the right location
Make sure the location you choose gets at least five hours of sunlight each day. A sunny windowsill is sufficient! Also be sure that any container is at least 6-12 inches deep.

Plant the herbs
Add a two- to three-inch layer of soil in the bottom of the pot. A store-bought garden soil is fine. Position small herb plants (found at your local greenhouse or home-improvement store) in the center, and fill in the surrounding area with potting soil. Water them frequently but don’t over water. Most herbs are pretty resilient, but don’t allow them to dry out – they’ll lose some flavor.

Harvesting herbs
You can trim herbs from your plants as you need them, leaving at least 1/3 of the leaves on the plant to ensure they’ll keep growing. Use fresh herbs in your favorite recipe, even if the recipe calls for dried. Substitute fresh herbs for dried at a 3:1 ratio: if a recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of dried, use 3 fresh.