How to Grow Herbs Indoors

Photo: Garden.org

Growing Herbs Indoors

Growing herbs is easy and fun to do, but it can be a challenge to do indoors. Basil & Dill are usually harder to grow indoors in the wintertime. Some of the most successful herbs to grow indoors will be Parsley, Chives, Thyme, Tarragon, Mints, Marjoram, and Sage.

I am going to ATTEMPT to grow:

*Basil

*Mint

*Oregano

*Chives

*Parsley

*Lavender (flowering herb)

*To begin, make sure you allow enough pot space for each plant and don't overcrowd them. Use containers which will be able to dry frequently, good drainage holes are very important.

*Choose a location which is very bright and away from heater vents and fireplaces. Most kitchens have enough light! If your kitchen does not have enough light you can buy special bulbs. The lights are not enough on their own but with a window as well, it should be bright enough.

* You will need to keep them warm as well as sunny.

*Use good potting soil and include a little bit of compost such as worm castings or black cow which will help the potting soil consistency. Make sure you let the soil become dry in-between watering, not enough to wilt the plant, just don't ever water a plant with wet soil.

*Large pots are crucial, 8-10" pots seem to do best for long term growth. Those cute little pots marked with the name of the herbs are very short term.

* Make sure you have good drainage, so watch for trays that catch water and keep the roots wet all the time.

*Rosemary, Thyme, Sage and Oregano must have a period of dry soil before they are watered again so make sure the soil gets dry most of the way down by only watering when the soil is very dry to the touch. Overwatering is the number 1 killer of indoor herbs. You can add gravel to trays or saucers and fill them with water for humidity, or mist the leaves of the plant once a week with a spray bottle.

*Pick your herbs frequently as it stimulates new growth but limit your cuttings to very small amounts, you don't want to cut too much of the plant away at one time...only clip away about 1/3 of the herb.

*To keep indoor pests that bother herbs in wintertime, mostly fungus gnats and whiteflies use soapy water to spray the leaves. Fungus gnats can be a problem since they live in the soil. The best thing to do is to try to remove the top 1/2 inch of the soil and replace it with fresh. If you still have a problem, drench the pot with soapy dishwater. Whiteflies should be sprayed with Neem II or sprayed with soapy water making sure to get the soap actually on the flies to kill them.