Home
RIGHT AT HOME with Kate Springer
I
n a busy, dense city like Hong Kong, there’s something undeniably soothing about having some greenery at home. And there’s a reason for that: a growing body of research has shown that plants, green space and gardening can improve our mental and physical health. While most of us don’t have room for a bountiful outdoor vegetable garden, you can likely spare a windowsill for some leafy herbs or microgreens. And who doesn’t love fresh herbs to jazz up their cooking, cocktails and baked goods? Homegrown social enterprise Rooftop Republic is all about cultivating urban farming and gardening across Hong Kong, so we caught up with keen home gardener Cherry Mak, the company’s marketing and operations executive. She shares her insights on how to start a herb garden, the basic tools you’ll need, common mistakes, and which herbs will work best for your living space: Q When did you start gardening at home? After I joined Rooftop Republic, I felt inspired to start my own indoor garden in 2018. I have a small plot of herbs and plants – basil, rosemary and mint – which is perfect for my apartment.
34
Q What’s your favourite thing about having a herb garden? I love that it’s very practical. Herbs are quite expensive in Hong Kong and, often, you have to buy a big pack, only to use a few leaves. But when I have my own herbs, I can just pluck leaves when I need them for pizza, mojitos, pasta, pork dishes, steak, baking... For instance, I love to put fresh basil in my tomato bread. Q What’s the first step to starting your own herb garden? Buy a pot, organic soil, seeds, and get started. It’s so simple, but a lot of people overthink it. And actually, you don't even need a pot! You can use a bottle, jar or a cup for a small garden in your apartment, then use a fork or spoon to care for them. Q What are the best types of herbs to grow indoors? My windows are north-facing, so I don’t have direct sunlight, which I think is a common issue in Hong Kong. I have found that rosemary and mint can tolerate low-light well. Even though basil prefers direct sunlight, it can still grow on your windowsill. Mine just grows a bit slower. We also suggest microgreens, sage, parsley, lemon balm and marigold for indoor spaces. Marigold is like a
