We all know having plants at home can be hard. I often find myself wondering if I should even own plants since sometimes I can’t decide whether I can take care of them. But then I realized, why not make your garden something you can fully enjoy?

I have now transformed my wish to garden into growing spices. You’d be surprised at the different spices you can plant anywhere, no matter where you live.

First, let me tell you, if you are wondering what really contributes a spice, your question is valid. The difference between a herb and a spice is that the first one refers to the leaf of the plant–such as basil, or rosemary–while the latter one refers to the root, bark or seed that is used. By this definition then, even garlic or ginger, are spices.

Now that we got that out of the way let’s find out which are the best spices you can plant at home no matter where you live.

#1. Onion

Believe it or not, you can grow onions almost everywhere. While this is a vegetable in itself, onion powder is a spice. You can grow onions from seeds in a tub full of soil, keep it moist but not too wet.

When the bulbs are visible on the ground, you will know that your onions are ready to be collected. To create the spice, simply hang the onions to dry and slice them thin and then powder them.

#2. Coriander

This one grows year-round and can be grown indoors. To grow it from seeds, rub them in your hands to break them in half. Then use these halves and plant them onto large pots; as with onion, you should keep the soil moist at all times.

As the plant grows, you will notice fine leaves. Slowly, the seedlings will begin to fall over, and you should cover them with more soil. Keep your coriander in cool weather, as the hot weather damages the flower.

When the flowers turn into a green fruit, it is time to cut them. Do so by cutting the entire stem and then placing them into a brown paper bag so they dry, finish drying them in the sun if you want, and store in airtight containers.

With coriander, you can either grind them into powder, or keep them whole for roasting.

#3. Garlic

It is very easy to grow garlic bulbs whether inside or outside. All you need to do is take one clove and plant it in moist soil. The mature bulbs will be ready to be harvested when the leaves begin to droop or wilt.

Dig out the mature bulbs and dry them until their outer covering feels papery. You can keep the leaves together and even hang them up to dry for easier storage. Use the clove whole, or again, grind it to make garlic powder.

#4. Mustard

Another easy seed to grow at home. You can start planting the seeds on a tray, and once they develop 2 sets of leaves, transfer them to a pot. Keep the pots in a sunny spot and water them constantly.

You will begin to notice thin, long seed pods along with the flowers. These need to be harvested before they open. Cut off the stalks when they are green and place them on a sack–or paper bag–to dry.

The seeds will need winnowing to be clean. You can use the whole seeds, or grind them with vinegar to make your own mustard sauce.

While these are only some of the spices you can grow at home, they are the easiest ones to grow everywhere. You could try ginger, paprika, fennel, cumin and saffron, but the light and temperature requirements for these vary, so they aren’t as easy to have at home either.

Have you tried growing your spices at home? I love keeping some of these at home and being able to use them whenever I want. Let me know what you think and if you’d do it too!

Author Bio: Chidinma is the founder of Fruitful Kitchen, a blog that shares delicious recipes and lifestyle tips. Most of her recipes help women with fertility issues, especially fibroids, PCOS, and Endometriosis. Sometimes, however, you will find other interesting recipes, as well as cooking tips and tricks there.