I've wanted to start an indoor (no yard) herb garden for a long time and I don't know anything about gardening. The herbs I'm interested in growing are: basil, thai basil, flat leaf parsley, thyme, and sage (and maybe some others so I'm open to suggestions).

From the research I did online, I read that:

- I should plant in a terra cotta pots so the root system can breathe

- southern exposure

- water sparingly

- gravel on the bottom and a soil-less potting mix for the plants.

- pinch off the shoot when the plant has grown enough to encourage more growth and pinch off flowers

- aside from the basil which is best started from seed, everything else should be bought as a starter plant from a nursery.

I'm not sure if the imformation I have so far is right so please correct me if anything sounds wrong.

The questions I have are:

Are there any other herbs I should plant/any herbs that are really commonly used in cooking?

Is it possible to grow green onions/scallions?

Do herbs need fertilization? I read somewhere that I should use food safe fertilization but I have no idea what this means... does Miracle Grow count?

Where is the best place to buy all this equipment? Would a hardware/garden store like Home Depot or Lowes carry it or should I go to a nursery?

Can I use an incandescent table lamp as a grow light?

and finally: is an AeroGarden a better choice for someone like me who doesn't have a green thumb?

Any help is much appreciated! Thanks!