In case you didn't know, a kitchen windowsill makes for a perfect garden which you can grow great tasting herbs right in the comfort of your home.
You can start growing herbs indoors right now and even throughout winter to add that "just picked" taste to your food, even if outside is covered in snow. Even better, you don't need any special grow lights or any of that fancy stuff. Herbs do just fine in a bright window. Below are some of the best herbs for growing indoors on a windowsill and some techniques you will need to keep them healthy and happy until you decided to plan them outside.
1. Basil - Start basil from seed and place the pot in a south facing window, basil likes lots of sun and warmth.
2. Bay Leaves - A perennial that grows well in containers all year long. Place the pot in an east or west facing window, but be sure it does not get crowded—bay leaves needs air circulation to remain healthy.
3. Chervil - Start chervil from seed in late summer. It grows well in low light but needs temperatures between 65°F and 70°F to thrive.
4. Chives - Dig up a clump of chives from your garden at the end of the growing season and pot it up. Leave the pot outside until the leaves die back. In early winter, move the pot to your coolest indoor spot, such as a basement or crawlspace, for a few days, then finally to your brightest window.
5. Oregano - Your best bet is to start with a tip cutting from an outdoor oregano plant. Place the pot in a south facing window.
6. Parsley - You can start this herb from seeds or dig up a clump from your garden at the end of the season. Parsley likes full sun, but will grow slowly in an east- or west facing window.
7. Rosemary - Start with a cutting of rosemary, and keep it in moist soilless mix until it roots. It grows best in a south-facing window.
8. Sage - Take a tip cutting from an outdoor plant to start an indoor sage. It tolerates dry, indoor air well, but it needs the strong sun it will get in a south-facing window
9. Tarragon - A dormant period in late fall or early winter is essential for tarragon to grow indoors. Pot up a mature plant from your outdoor garden and leave it outside until the leaves die back. Bring it to your coolest indoor spot for a few days, then place it in a south-facing window for as much sun as possible. Feed well with an organic liquid fertilizer.
10. Thyme - You can start thyme indoors either by rooting a soft tip cutting or by digging up and potting an outdoor plant. Thyme likes full sun but will grow in an east- or west-facing window.
What herbs have you had success with growing indoors?
You can start growing herbs indoors right now and even throughout winter to add that "just picked" taste to your food, even if outside is covered in snow. Even better, you don't need any special grow lights or any of that fancy stuff. Herbs do just fine in a bright window. Below are some of the best herbs for growing indoors on a windowsill and some techniques you will need to keep them healthy and happy until you decided to plan them outside.
1. Basil - Start basil from seed and place the pot in a south facing window, basil likes lots of sun and warmth.
2. Bay Leaves - A perennial that grows well in containers all year long. Place the pot in an east or west facing window, but be sure it does not get crowded—bay leaves needs air circulation to remain healthy.
3. Chervil - Start chervil from seed in late summer. It grows well in low light but needs temperatures between 65°F and 70°F to thrive.
4. Chives - Dig up a clump of chives from your garden at the end of the growing season and pot it up. Leave the pot outside until the leaves die back. In early winter, move the pot to your coolest indoor spot, such as a basement or crawlspace, for a few days, then finally to your brightest window.
5. Oregano - Your best bet is to start with a tip cutting from an outdoor oregano plant. Place the pot in a south facing window.
6. Parsley - You can start this herb from seeds or dig up a clump from your garden at the end of the season. Parsley likes full sun, but will grow slowly in an east- or west facing window.
7. Rosemary - Start with a cutting of rosemary, and keep it in moist soilless mix until it roots. It grows best in a south-facing window.
8. Sage - Take a tip cutting from an outdoor plant to start an indoor sage. It tolerates dry, indoor air well, but it needs the strong sun it will get in a south-facing window
9. Tarragon - A dormant period in late fall or early winter is essential for tarragon to grow indoors. Pot up a mature plant from your outdoor garden and leave it outside until the leaves die back. Bring it to your coolest indoor spot for a few days, then place it in a south-facing window for as much sun as possible. Feed well with an organic liquid fertilizer.
10. Thyme - You can start thyme indoors either by rooting a soft tip cutting or by digging up and potting an outdoor plant. Thyme likes full sun but will grow in an east- or west-facing window.
What herbs have you had success with growing indoors?