by Evin Morrison, Extension Master Gardener
Photos by Evin Morrison unless otherwise noted
Growing herbs indoors is one of the most rewarding ways to bring freshness, fragrance, and flavor into your home year-round. With the holidays on our doorsteps, there’s no better way to create your delicious family recipes than with fresh herbs. Of course, now that the temperatures are dropping, just running out to snip some garden-fresh herbs isn’t always an option. So, can you bring them inside?
You bet you can! With the right setup and a few tips, anyone can successfully grow herbs indoors!
Why Grow Herbs Indoors?
Growing herbs indoors offers a unique combination of convenience and keeping your outdoor garden going all year round. One of the most obvious benefits is accessibility: when you cook, fresh herbs are literally within reach. Instead of buying herb bundles all winter from the grocery store—many of which wilt quickly—you can snip only what you need and allow the plant to keep producing.
Indoor herbs are also cost-effective. A small potted basil plant, for example, can provide months of harvestable leaves for the price of a single grocery-store bunch. Plus, indoor herb gardening is perfect for people who lack outdoor space or live in climates with harsh winters.
Not to mention, tending to your culinary plants can help chase away the winter blues and keep you gardening and cooking with what you grow – even in the depths of winter!
Choosing the Best Herbs for Indoor Growing
While many herbs thrive outdoors, not all are well-suited for indoor conditions. Basil is a fan favorite because it grows quickly, allowing you to cut and come again all season long. Mint and lemon balm are both great to grow for warming winter teas and are hardy and highly adaptable, therefore making them ideal to bring indoors. Chives are fast growers and can tolerate less light than some of the others. Thyme is a must for seasonal cooking and because it tolerates drought better than most herbs, it’s a safe option for our drier homes. Thyme is also a trailing plant so you can create a beautiful hanging planter in your kitchen window. Similarly, oregano is another Mediterranean herb, that thrives indoors with strong light and moderate watering.
Rosemary is a popular herb that many people want to grow indoors. Or more often they want to keep their outdoor, potted rosemary going through the winter. Rosemary can be very finicky inside and many people struggle to keep them alive until it’s warm enough to take them back out. However, with bright enough light and careful watering, it can be done successfully!
Creating the Ideal Environment
Herbs may be resilient, but they still require certain conditions to grow successfully indoors. Paying attention to light, temperature, humidity, and soil will help ensure your herbs stay healthy and productive.
Like with most houseplants, light is the most important factor! Most culinary herbs need at least six hours of direct sunlight per day. Unobstructed, south-facing windows are ideal, as they provide consistent and the most intense light.
If natural light is limited in your space, you’ll want to consider using grow lights to supplement. LED grow lights are energy-efficient, low-heat, and full-spectrum, making them ideal for indoor herbs. Position lights 6–12 inches above the plants and keep them on for 12–16 hours a day, depending on the herb. Most lights come equipped with timers so you can set them to turn on and off.
Luckily, it’s not all a guessing game. Your herbs will give you signs when they need more light. Most commonly your plants will become leggy. This means that the stems will stretch and the space between the leaves (the internodal spacing) will become longer and longer. You might also notice pale or yellowing leaves, but pale leaves could also be a symptom of your grow lights being too close to the plants, so look at your setup and adjust as necessary. Lastly, slow or weak looking growth is a good sign that you need more light. If you are experiencing any of these problems, be careful how much you are cutting on the herbs. The fewer leaves there are to help support the plant the more likely it is to fail.
Temperature and humidity are also important factors to ensure a successful indoor herb garden. Most herbs prefer daytime temperatures between 65°F and 75°F with slightly cooler nights. So, they should thrive in our winter homes. Avoid placing herbs near drafts, heaters, or stoves, as sudden temperature shifts can stress the plants. These areas can also add unnecessary airflow that dries out soil and decreases humidity.
Indoor air—especially in winter—can be dry, which may cause herbs like basil and parsley to wilt. Some of the hardier Mediterranean varieties can handle a little bit of a drier environment. When you’re concerned about increasing humidity try adding a small humidifier nearby. Adding a hydrometer to keep an eye on your home’s humidity range is a great way to know for sure what you’re dealing with. You can also try grouping plants together to create a micro-environment, but with your plants so close together keep a close eye to make sure pests aren’t jumping from plant to plant. The closer they are to one another the easier it is for pests and problems to spread.
Also, make sure to avoid overly damp conditions that encourage mold or disease. Molds will likely start on the surfaces of wet soil. It should be easy to see and to rectify before the plants start to suffer.
Setting up Your Indoor Herb Garden
Herbs grow well in many types of containers, but there are two key requirements drainage holes and adequate sizing.
Without proper drainage, roots can rot. If you happen to fall in love with a pot that lacks holes, use it as a decorative cover pot and place a pot with drainage inside it. That way you can water your plants, allow them to drain and then place them back in the pretty pots!
Most herbs do fine in 6- to 8-inch pots. Mint prefers larger containers, while chives and thyme can do well in smaller ones. If roots begin crowding the pot or growing out the bottom, it’s time to repot, but that’s very unlikely to happen over the winter growing season. Most likely, you can leave the herbs in the pots that you bring them home in and worry about repotting them in the spring or next summer.
Роман Рябенко, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Use a high-quality potting mix, not garden soil, which is too dense and may harbor pests. Look for a mix that drains well yet retains some moisture. If you think the soil is too dense you can add some perlite or crushed granite to increase the drainage.
Herbs aren’t heavy feeders, but they do benefit from light fertilization. Use a balanced liquid fertilizer at half strength about once a month to ensure that your plants are actively growing. Over-fertilizing can cause lush foliage with weak flavor, so err on the side of caution. If your plant is growing well and it was planted in a good quality soil that already had nutrients, fertilization is not a priority. Keep an eye on your plants and only fertilize if you see signs of low nutrients.
Watering Herbs Indoors
Overwatering is the most common mistake in indoor herb gardening. Many of the herbs we love to grow are mediterranean plants and they tend to grow in rocky soils. Root rot can happen quite quickly, so check your soil each and every time you water the plant. A good rule of thumb is to water when the top inch of soil feels dry. Water thoroughly until the excess drains out, then empty the saucer to prevent standing water.
Some herbs have specific needs, for instance, basil can handle being consistently moist—but not wet. Rosemary and thyme prefer drier soil and can tolerate some neglect, but it’s important to keep a close eye as slightly dry can become very dry when the heaters in our houses are running. Too dry and the leaves will start to get crispy very quickly. Mint and lemon balm enjoy even moisture but will survive occasional dryness.
Yellowing leaves can be a sign of overwatering. While wilting can a sign of over or underwatering, so if you notice any of these common problems, feel the soil to help understand why your herbs are struggling.
Harvesting Herbs for Maximum Growth
Harvesting your herbs properly not only gives you fresh ingredients but also encourages the plant to grow bushier and healthier. As a best practice, only harvest up to one-third of the plant at a time. For basil, mint, oregano, and thyme, pinch stems just above a leaf pair to encourage branching. If you choose to grow chives, cut leaves about an inch from the soil and they will grow back quickly. Frequent and gentle harvesting often leads to stronger, fuller plants.
Seasonal Care and Long-Term Maintenance
Indoor herbs can live for years if properly maintained. However, some—like basil—are naturally short-lived annuals. Others, like rosemary and thyme, can thrive for years. To keep your herb garden healthy trim plants regularly to prevent flowering and encourage leaf production. Try to rotate pots to ensure even growth. Refresh the top layer of soil every few months by adding some compost or worm castings to replenish nutrients in the soil without chemical fertilizers. Repot your perennial herbs yearly or when you notice that they are rootbound. With continued attention, your herbs will remain productive and attractive throughout the seasons.
Will You Give Herbs a Try This Winter?
Growing herbs indoors is a simple, fun way to extend your gardening hobby through the dreariest of months. And it offers both immediate and long-term rewards. With a little attention to lighting, watering, and your home’s growing environment, even beginners can cultivate a thriving indoor herb garden filled with basil, mint, rosemary, thyme, and more. Whether you’re cooking with freshly snipped leaves, enjoying their scents, or simply appreciating the greenery they add to your home, indoor herbs bring natural beauty and flavor into your everyday life.
If you’re ready to get started, begin with one or two easy herbs and expand from there. Before long, you’ll have a lush indoor garden that provides culinary inspiration all year long.