How to Grow Herbs Indoors
Got a sunny windowsill? Then you can enjoy the flavour of fresh herbs year-round by growing them in your home
Noelle Johnson
8 July 2016
Not all of us have the outdoor space to grow herbs and some of us might want to grow the kind that won’t thrive in a British climate. Others, perhaps, simply want their herbs to last through the winter. If any of these apply to you, instead of lamenting the absence of fresh herbs to pick, why not create your own mini herb garden on a sunny windowsill indoors? That way, you can enjoy the flavour of your favourite herbs all year long.
Chives, mint, parsley and thyme are just a few of the herbs that can be grown inside successfully. Read on to find out what you need to grow and maintain your favourite herbs indoors.
Chives, mint, parsley and thyme are just a few of the herbs that can be grown inside successfully. Read on to find out what you need to grow and maintain your favourite herbs indoors.
What You’ll Need
Location Herbs do best when grown in sunny conditions. For best results, select a window that receives at least six hours of sunlight. South-facing windows are best, but east- and west-facing ones can also work. North-facing windows simply don’t provide enough sunlight for herbs to grow. In areas that don’t quite get enough light, you can use supplemental lighting, such as fluorescent bulbs or grow lights, placed about 20cm from the herbs.
The ideal temperature for growing herbs indoors is 65°F to 70°F (18°C to 21°C) during the day, dipping down into the low 60s to mid 50s at night.
Containers The container type isn’t important, but it must have holes for drainage. Pots should be at least 15cm across to allow enough space for roots to grow. Larger pots are better because the soil dries out more slowly and needs to be watered less often.
Soil Well-drained soil is a must for herbs. Use a potting or planting mix, which is best for containers as it won’t get overly moist like many potting or garden soils can.
Location Herbs do best when grown in sunny conditions. For best results, select a window that receives at least six hours of sunlight. South-facing windows are best, but east- and west-facing ones can also work. North-facing windows simply don’t provide enough sunlight for herbs to grow. In areas that don’t quite get enough light, you can use supplemental lighting, such as fluorescent bulbs or grow lights, placed about 20cm from the herbs.
The ideal temperature for growing herbs indoors is 65°F to 70°F (18°C to 21°C) during the day, dipping down into the low 60s to mid 50s at night.
Containers The container type isn’t important, but it must have holes for drainage. Pots should be at least 15cm across to allow enough space for roots to grow. Larger pots are better because the soil dries out more slowly and needs to be watered less often.
Soil Well-drained soil is a must for herbs. Use a potting or planting mix, which is best for containers as it won’t get overly moist like many potting or garden soils can.
Herbs Many kinds of herbs can adapt to growing indoors. Chives, lemongrass, mint, oregano, parsley and thyme are the easiest herbs to grow on a sunny windowsill. Other ones, including basil and rosemary, can be grown inside with a little extra care.
Are your supermarket herbs wilting? See how to help them live longer
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Planting Herbs
Your indoor herb garden can come from a variety of sources. If you have herbs growing outdoors, bring them inside in the autumn and transplant them into your windowsill containers. Some herbs, such as rosemary, may lose their leaves temporarily as they adjust to the lower light levels indoors but they should soon recover and grow new leaves.
Purchasing herbs as transplants from your local nursery is also a great way to get started. If growing herbs from seed appeals to you, try basil and chives, which grow well this way.
Your indoor herb garden can come from a variety of sources. If you have herbs growing outdoors, bring them inside in the autumn and transplant them into your windowsill containers. Some herbs, such as rosemary, may lose their leaves temporarily as they adjust to the lower light levels indoors but they should soon recover and grow new leaves.
Purchasing herbs as transplants from your local nursery is also a great way to get started. If growing herbs from seed appeals to you, try basil and chives, which grow well this way.
Another way to obtain herbs is to root them from cuttings. This method is inexpensive and can be done using cuttings either from herbs growing in your garden or from a sprig of fresh herbs bought at your local grocery store. Rooting herbs from cuttings works particularly well with basil and mint.
Simply take a leafy stem of the herb you’d like to grow and remove the lower leaves. Place it in a clear container filled with water and make sure no leaves are submerged. Keep the container in a well-lit area but not in direct sunlight. Change the water every other day. Roots will begin appearing within a few days. Once the roots reach 2.5cm in length, transplant them into a pot filled with potting mix.
Simply take a leafy stem of the herb you’d like to grow and remove the lower leaves. Place it in a clear container filled with water and make sure no leaves are submerged. Keep the container in a well-lit area but not in direct sunlight. Change the water every other day. Roots will begin appearing within a few days. Once the roots reach 2.5cm in length, transplant them into a pot filled with potting mix.
Caring for indoor herbs
Watering Herbs don’t like wet soil, so it’s important not to overwater them. Check the soil’s moisture by inserting your finger a couple of centimetres into the soil. If it’s barely moist or almost dry, water it until the water runs out of the bottom drainage holes.
Fertilising It’s important not to overfertilise herbs, which will promote flowering when all we want are the leaves. Apply a liquid fertiliser monthly at half strength, or use an organic fertiliser, such as fish emulsion, for best results.
Other Tips
Watering Herbs don’t like wet soil, so it’s important not to overwater them. Check the soil’s moisture by inserting your finger a couple of centimetres into the soil. If it’s barely moist or almost dry, water it until the water runs out of the bottom drainage holes.
Fertilising It’s important not to overfertilise herbs, which will promote flowering when all we want are the leaves. Apply a liquid fertiliser monthly at half strength, or use an organic fertiliser, such as fish emulsion, for best results.
Other Tips
- Rotate your potted herbs weekly to ensure that the entire plant receives sun and grows evenly.
- Keep the herbs from touching the window, where outside temperatures can cause their leaves to freeze in winter or burn in summer.
- Remember that herbs grow more slowly indoors, and the leaves will be thinner and a lighter green than those grown outside due to the weaker sunlight inside. This is especially true of basil, which needs a lot of light to grow well indoors.
Harvesting Cut off up to one-third of an individual herb at a time, concentrating on the oldest stems first, which will promote new growth of more flavourful leaves.
Growing herbs indoors takes a little effort, but it’s well worth it when you can enjoy their fresh flavour all year long.
TELL US…
Have you had success growing herbs – or other edibles – indoors? Share your tips in the Comments below.
Growing herbs indoors takes a little effort, but it’s well worth it when you can enjoy their fresh flavour all year long.
TELL US…
Have you had success growing herbs – or other edibles – indoors? Share your tips in the Comments below.
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Zone 5a...
Im a huge fan of gardening indoors or outdoors all year around..organic everything at my fingertips! :)
Well now I know I must get grow lights so my herbs will grow indoors Face Northeast! So not enough sunlight! This is a very helpful awesome article!! Thankyou! And I can grow plants in the garden no problem but herbs indoors noway! But I will try again!