How To Start An Herb Garden Indoors

I used to love looking at pretty home magazines as a child. You know the pretty country homes with white kitchens, lots of natural light, and the herbs growing in the kitchen window?

Well, if you are fortunate enough to have one of those kitchens, I hope you enjoy it. I still don't have a kitchen quite like that.

But I'm learning that adding plants around my home certainly has a way of giving it a little more life and sparks that little country dream I still hold for my kitchen one day.

So one thing I do to keep that dream alive is try to keep fresh herbs growing. I usually grow mine outdoors, but you can grow herbs in the kitchen too.

Hopefully, fresh herbs will add a little freshness to your kitchen. Here is how you grow your own herbs indoors:

1. Sun is Your Friend

When growing anything, you know most plants need an adequate amount of sunlight. It is important that they get this so they can grow properly.

When deciding to grow herbs in your kitchen (or other well lit room), you'll need to choose a south or southwest facing window (if you are in the northern hemisphere).

But if you are like me, and don't have the greatest window set-up in your home, then you can also choose a window that is east/west facing as well. Either of these, should give your herbs an adequate amount of sunlight so they can grow big and strong.

2. Give Them a Great Space to Grow

Next, you'll need to give your herbs a great space to grow. This means they'll need all of the basics for any indoor plant.

Make sure that you plant the herbs in well-drained soil. This is important so the plants don't retain too much water.

Then you'll need to be sure to plant them in some sort of pot that has holes for the herbs to drain the water.

However, be sure to put a small saucer, cake pan, or pie plate under the pot so it can catch the water that drains out.

Finally, you'll want to be sure that you use a good quality potting soil. Herbs need vitamins, too. Giving them a quality soil to grow in that can provide these vitamins and minerals will boost their chances of surviving and thriving.

But it should be mentioned, when planting herbs near a window you'll have to keep an eye on the night time temperatures. The reason is because sometimes the windows get cold and collect water on them. This can actually harm your herbs if they are left sitting on a window sill on a too cold night.

So just be attentive to your herbs and their potential needs. A lot of herbs enjoy the cool temperature drop at night. You just don't want it to be too drastic, and remember that basil doesn't like this dip in temperatures at all.

3. Herbs to Grow Indoors

There are some herbs that just grow better indoors in comparison to some others that just don't. A few herbs that you might want to try to grow indoors are:

Chives

I love chives. I think they taste so delicious, and they look pretty as well. They are a great decorative addition to the kitchen when growing, and they add a lot of flavor and color to your food as well.

Lemon Balm

We use lemon balm a lot for our bees. They love the smell of lemon. Granted, I usually plant this outside around where we keep their hives.

But if you like adding a little lemon flavor to your food or drinks, then you might really enjoy growing this on your window sill.

Marjoram

If I'm truthful, I don't use this herb a lot. It is a little strong for me, but if you enjoy stronger herbs, then you might really enjoy this one.

Plus, it has lots of great benefits as well. So it could come in handy being grown right in the kitchen.

Mint

Mint has so many wonderful uses. I usually grow a lot of it outside because it helps deter bugs and other pests.

But it is also great for use in tea and other dishes as well. So if you love mint, then you might want to grow it.

Oregano

I am a huge fan of oregano. I use it a lot when I cook. It tastes great in chicken stew. I love it in my spaghetti sauce.

Plus, it is great for garnishing dishes as well. So this would be handy to have growing indoors as well.

Parsley

Parsley is another herb we use a lot. It goes great in a variety of dishes, which is why we grow so much of it.

Rosemary

Rosemary is another herb that I find to be rather strong. However, if you like stronger herbs, then you might definitely want to keep this on hand.

Sage

Sage is an herb I use only a few times a year. I love to use it when we are making homemade sausage, and I also love it when I'm cooking turkeys.

So if you decide to grow sage indoors, keep those couple of ideas on hand. You might enjoy using it the same way I do.

Thyme

Thyme is a beast all of its own. I actually grow it every year, but you don't need to grow a whole lot of it. Why?

Because with thyme, a whole lot goes a long way. So it is great to keep on hand. Just know that you don't have to grow much of it.

Basil

I am a basil fanatic. When we grow it outside, my husband and I will just walk through the yard munching on basil.

So needless to say, basil is an herb I always want to keep around. It is so versatile how could you not love it?

Cilantro

My husband is a cilantro fiend. When we make salsa we have to add a ton of cilantro, or he is an unhappy man.

Plus, cilantro is actually really good for you too. So if considering growing an herb in your home, you might want to keep cilantro in mind.

Bay

Bay leaf is an addition in a lot of recipes. It adds a nice little taste of freshness to many soups and stocks. So if you'd like to grow a versatile herb indoors, then you might want to consider bay.

Tarragon

Tarragon is a fun herb. I just like saying the name if nothing else. So if you'd like to grow something that you can use, but isn't one of the most common herbs, then give it a little consideration.

So after you give your herbs the perfect home, growing space, and then select the right variety you are ready to roll.

However, keep in mind, that you can start your own herbs from seed if you desire. We actually didn't for a lot of years because everyone told us how hard it was to do. We did it last year for the first time and decided (for us) that was the only route to go because we had such a great success rate.

But if you think that is too much, or you just don't have a lot of luck with starting herbs from seed you can always purchase the plants from local stores. Most stores actually sell them in their produce department.

Plus, you can also purchase them from local nurseries during the warmer months as well.

Indoor Herb Garden Ideas:

Now that you know how to grow your own indoor herb garden, you might want a few ideas on how you can do this in a creative manner and not spend a fortune.

Well, I'm including a few ideas I found all over the internet. Hopefully they will inspire you.

1. Mason Jar Herb Garden

I'll be honest, this project was the one that really encouraged me to grow herbs in the house. I just love the rustic look of it.

But when I did it, it turned out quite different. Remember how I mentioned herbs need drainage? Well, that is lacking in this design. So if you can get that worked out, then you could have a very attractive indoor herb garden.

Create this herb garden

2. The Hanging Herb Planters

We are in the midst of purchasing a new home. (Fingers crossed it will all go smoothly.) But that is what makes me love this idea.

See, we have a kitchen in that house very similar to this one. It would be a great use of that space to grow herbs, and how handy would that be, having them grow right at the kitchen sink?

Create this herb garden.

3. The Chalkboard Pots

This idea was just a random one I found floating around Pinterest. Unfortunately, I never could locate a source or a tutorial on how they did this exactly.

But from what I'm gathering they just used chalkboard paint to paint some old clay pots. This dresses them up a bit and also provides great drainage for the herbs.

Create this herb garden

4. The Window Mounted Hanging Herb Garden

I love this idea. It gives the herbs plenty of sunlight and also is a really unique way to grow your herbs.

Plus, if you are limited on space, this wouldn't take up any extra counter space because it hangs. How cool is that?

Create this herb garden

5. Vertical Herb Garden

This one would take a little extra work to create, but once you got it, it would be a great addition to any kitchen.

So this would require you had some grow lights too, but how amazing does it look? You could grow a variety of items with this set-up. You wouldn't have to just grow herbs.

Create this herb garden

Well, now you know how to grow your own herbs indoors in three easy to follow steps. You also have five ideas to create the perfect indoor herb garden.

But I'd like to know what you think about growing herbs indoors. Do you do it? Do you like it? Which herbs work best? If you have experience in growing indoor herbs, what tips can you offer to the new comer?

We love hearing from you all so please leave us your comments in the space designated below.

Was this article helpful?

Yes No