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Can you grow herbs indoors year round


Indoor Herb Gardening How-to | Bonnie Plants

Even if you live in an apartment or condo without any outdoor space, you can grow herbs indoors. The ideal setting for an indoor herb garden is the kitchen.

Many kitchen gardeners love the convenience of fresh herbs at home, and what could be more convenient that an indoor herb garden? Even if you live in an apartment or condo without any outdoor space, you can grow herbs indoors.

The ideal setting for an indoor herb garden is the kitchen, where you can snip fresh herbs and use them in dishes without skipping a beat. If you don't have a spot in your kitchen, though, you can still grow herbs in any sunny room. And to increase your chances of success, be sure to start with strong young herbs from Bonnie Plants®, which are grown near where you live by a company with over a century of growing experience. They're also already well on their way to maturity, meaning you're that much closer to your first tasty harvest.

Follow these tips for growing herbs indoors.

Find the best spot for an indoor herb garden.

To grow well indoors, herbs need as much natural light as possible. Place them in a sunny spot near a window that faces south and receives at least 6 hours of sun daily. (While indoor light is not quite as intense as direct light outdoors, light coming in through an unblocked, south-facing window is enough for most herbs.) Some herbs that require less light, like mint, parsley, and thyme, can also grow well in west-facing windows.

Be sure to keep an eye out for signs that your herbs are not getting enough light. These include poor growth, stems that grow unusually long between leaf sets, leaves that are smaller than usual, and stems or leaves that are abnormally pale or begin to turn yellow.

One easy way to ensure your indoor herbs are getting enough light no matter where place them is to use a grow light, which mimics direct sunlight. This is a great solution when you're short on southern-exposure window space. It's also an excellent way to provide extra light in the winter, when there's less daylight.

Give indoor herbs good drainage.

The best way to ruin a tabletop or windowsill is to let a potted plant drain on it. Likewise, the best way to ruin most herbs is to let them sit in water so the roots will rot. Be sure to use a saucer, liner, or drain pan under the pot to catch water and protect your surface. A clay saucer lets moisture pass through, so opt for plastic, rubber, or metal instead.

Clay pots help with drainage, but they can dry out quickly. If you live in a dry climate or are growing herbs indoors during winter, when furnace heat causes homes to get especially dry, try a glazed or plastic container that won't dry out as quickly as clay.

Use a premium potting mix, such as Miracle-Gro® Indoor Potting Mix, to pot your indoor herbs. And by all means, be sure your pots have drainage holes!

Indoor herbs are happy with typical indoor temperatures.

Many cooks grow herbs indoors during the winter when it's too cold outside or too wet to dig in the dirt, but you can grow herbs inside any time of year. Indoor herbs prefer the same temperatures that most people do—around 65 to 70 degrees F—so if you're comfortable, they probably are. At night, temperatures near a window may drop to 55 or 60, but most herbs like that, too. Keep foliage from touching glass to protect from getting nipped by cold.

Basil is trickier. Many kitchen gardeners yearn for basil in their indoor garden. If you have plenty of sun and warmth indoors, basil should thrive, but don't keep it on a cool windowsill. Basil leaves will droop and fade after a short time in cool air. It prefers indoor temperatures in the 70s day and night.

Remember that the air next to a window will be cooler in winter (or hotter in summer) than your average indoor temperature, so adjust your plants accordingly. Dry air, whether from air conditioning or heating, is hard on most herbs, so you may want to consider increasing the surrounding humidity.

Indoor herb plants will probably stretch and be spindlier than plants in the outdoors, but they will still give you plenty of fresh clippings. To encourage lots of growth, fertilize regularly with plant food, such as Miracle-Gro® Water Soluble Plant Food for Vegetables & Herbs, especially if you are harvesting leaves regularly. (Be sure to follow directions!)

Grow in water.

One easy way to grow herbs indoors is to grow them in a water-based (aka hydroponic) system. Your plants grow directly in water or a soilless medium, so moisture and nutrients are delivered directly to plant roots, and a grow light provides all of the "sunlight" needed by the plants. The Miracle-Gro® Twelve™ Indoor Growing System is a great choice for growing herbs, as it's easy to use, doubles as an attractive end table, and can be managed from your smartphone.

Try growing these culinary herbs:

Basil Chives Grow Indoors Herb Garden Herb Gardening Herbs Indoor Garden Indoor Gardening Mint Oregano Parsley Rosemary Sage Thyme

10 Herbs to Grow Inside Year-Round

A sunny windowsill is all you need to grow the kitchen garden of your dreams. Many of your go-to herbs like parsley, basil, and thyme will thrive indoors with the right care. Keep the harvest season going all winter long and flavor your favorite soups, veggies, roasts, and more with a never-ending supply of fresh-picked leaves.

Get the full details on how to best start, care for, and use your indoor herb garden below with 10 great plant varieties for nurturing inside. With the right amount of water and sunshine, you can skip the weeding and get straight to harvesting.

How to Grow Herbs

As a general rule of (green) thumb, place your herbs in a spot that gets at least six hours of sun daily. To test the strength of sun, Bonnie Plants suggests that you turn off all lights on a sunny or partly sunny day, and periodically check to see how natural sunlight there is.

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In addition to sunlight, all herbs need to be planted in pots with good drainage. If you're concerned that the drainage holes will ruin your tabletop or windowsill, use a saucer or liner to catch any excess water. For specifics on watering and sun exposure, follow this guide.

Megan's Garden Seeds Genovese Basil Seeds

Megan's Garden Seeds Genovese Basil Seeds

$2 at Etsy

Basil

Start basil from seeds and place the pots in a south-facing window; it likes lots of sun and warmth plus ample water, so keep the soil moist but not drenched. Pinch the tops of the plant frequently to encourage fuller growth.

Add your fresh basil to pizza and pasta sauces, ratatouille, salads, and more. Puree any extra leaves with a little water, then pour puree into an ice cube tray and freeze to user later in sauces, soups, and pesto.

Bay Laurel Plant

Bay Laurel Plant

$26 at burpee.com

Credit: Ekaterina Kondratov/Shutterstock

Bay

Bay laurel is a perennial that actually does best using the container gardening method. Place the pot in an east- or west-facing window as it prefers full to partial sun. Thin the plant if it starts to get crowded. Bay needs air circulation to remain healthy.

Use bay leaves to flavor stews, soups, and sauces — or try making a fragrant, fresh-smelling wreath with any extra sprigs.

Chervil Seeds

Chervil Seeds

$4 at burpee.com

Credit: Brent Hofacker/Shutterstock

Chervil

Chervil is a delicate annual and a favorite flavor in French cuisine, hence its nickname, "French parsley." Start chervil seeds in spring or late summer. It prefers part light but needs temperatures between 65 degrees and 70 degrees to thrive. Like basil, chervil will grow fuller if you pinch the tops occasionally.

Add the leaves to soups, fish, veggies, and poultry. You can also use it to make your own herb butter.

Bonnie Plants Chives Plant

Bonnie Plants Chives Plant

$13 at Home Depot

Chives

This onion-y herb does quite nicely in a container with full sun. If you have one already in your garden, you can move it inside at the end of the growing season. Dig up a clump from your herb bed and replant it in a pot. Leave the pot outside until the leaves die back. In early winter, move the pot to your coolest indoor spot (like your basement) for a few days. Then place it in your brightest window.

Mince the leaves and sprinkle them in soups and salads or on top of eggs or baked potatoes. Even the purple flowers are edible and make great garnishes.

Bonnie Plants Italian Oregano Plant

Bonnie Plants Italian Oregano Plant

$13 at Home Depot

Oregano

Like other ground cover plants, this Mediterranean herb grows low and tends to spread. Your best bet is to start with a tip that has been cut from an outdoor oregano plant. Once you've then planted that tip in a pot, place it in a south-facing window.

Go easy on the watering — oregano doesn't need as much as other herbs, so wait until the soil feels dry to the touch. Regular trimming will keep your plant look healthy and full.

Bonnie Plants Italian Parsley Plant

Bonnie Plants Italian Parsley Plant

$13 at Home Depot

Parsley

Skip the wilted bunches at the grocery store and grow your own parsley at home instead. Start it from 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.

Choose the flat-leaf variety for cooking and the curly kind for pretty garnishes on potatoes, rice, fish, lamb, steak and more.

Bonnie Plants Rosemary Plant

Bonnie Plants Rosemary Plant

$6 at Lowe's

Rosemary

Start with a cutting of rosemary and keep it in a moist soilless mix until it roots. It grows best in a south-facing window with good drainage. Prune regularly (up to a third of the plant) and dry any extra stems to flavor winter stews and soups.

Expect your kitchen to smell fresh throughout the cooler seasons thanks to the pungent scent of this herb — it acts like a natural air freshener!

Bonnie Plants Sage Plant

Bonnie Plants Sage Plant

$13 at Home Depot

Sage

Take a tip that was cut from an outdoor plant to start an indoor sage plant. It tolerates dry, indoor air well, but it needs the strong sun from a south-facing window. You'll be rewarded with gorgeous silver foliage and a nice aroma.

Add your homegrown sage to poultry, pork, or sausage dishes, not to mention your Thanksgiving turkey and stuffing.

Tarragon Plant

Tarragon Plant

$7 at burpee.com

Credit: Dani Vincek/Shutterstock

Tarragon

A dormant period in late fall or early winter is essential for tarragon to grow indoors. Pot 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 a liquid fertilizer.

Chop the leaves finely before adding to salad dressings, eggs, sauces, or meat. You'll get a flavor similar to anise or fennel.

Thyme Plant

Thyme Plant

$7 at burpee.com

Credit: Bahurlet Sandrine / EyeEm/getty

Thyme

You can start thyme indoors by either rooting a soft tip that was cut from an outdoor plant or digging up and repotting the entire thing. Thyme likes full sun but will grow in an east- or west-facing window. Keep the soil moist and harvest sprigs as needed.

To dry thyme leaves, cut whole stems and tie them into bunches. Hang in a dry, airy location out of the sun. Add fresh or dried leaves to roasts, sauces, soups, dressings, and more — or infuse them in honey or vinegar.

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Garden all year round: how to grow greens on the windowsill | High Harvest World

The end of the gardening season is no reason to give up fresh greens. Of course, now you can easily buy any greens in the supermarket. The only question is under what conditions it was grown, and whether it can be considered absolutely safe and environmentally friendly.

But there is no doubt about the benefits of its greenery. To have natural vitamins on your table all year round, you can arrange a mini-garden at home. We will talk about how to grow greens on the windowsill and what types of green crops are best suited for this in our article.

What is required to create a home garden

Location

For intensive growth and development, plants need a lot of light. Therefore, it is better to place them on windows facing the sunny side. If there are no such in the apartment, then you will have to consider options for additional lighting. It is also necessary for plants in winter, when a short daylight hours cannot provide all the needs of plants for lighting.

Inventory

For growing greens you will need:

Soil and seeds

For green crops, nutritious soil mixtures are suitable, which include sod, leaf or garden soil, peat, compost. You can prepare the soil in advance yourself or buy specially formulated soil mixtures for vegetables in a garden store. For plants in need of additional nutrition, fertilizers and top dressings (preferably of organic origin) should be stocked.

Green seeds need to be chosen quite carefully. Not all varieties of green crops are able to grow well and give a friendly harvest in an apartment. Therefore, when choosing, be guided by the descriptions and, if possible, choose the names suitable for growing on the window.

Which herbs to choose for your home garden

Green onions

Growing onions on a windowsill is so easy that even kids can do it. It is enough to put the onion on the window in a jar of water - and soon you can already cut the juicy vitamin greens for the salad. However, in order to have a more serious harvest, it is better to plant onions in the ground. For this, fertile neutral or slightly acidic soil is suitable.

It is not necessary to fertilize the plants, as the bulbs themselves contain all the necessary nutrients.

Before planting, the tops of the bulbs are cut off, then the planting material is soaked in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for about 15 minutes. Bulbs are planted in the ground, pressing them to a depth of 3-5 cm (depending on the size of the bulbs).

For the first week, the container with planted onions should be kept in a warm place, and when the first sprouts appear, you can put it on the window. Unlike most other green crops, onions are not very picky about lighting. Natural daylight is enough for him, he grows well without additional illumination.

Dill

To successfully grow dill at home, it is advisable to choose bush-type varieties. They give a lot of greenery and form flower stalks late, therefore they are the most productive.

It is also worth paying attention to the fact that these varieties are early ripening, then only about 4-5 weeks will pass from sowing to the first harvest of greens.

Plantings in containers or boxes should not be too dense, otherwise the plants will oppress each other. As a seed soil, you can use garden soil with the addition of peat or sand. Can be sown in purchased soil for indoor plants. Another option is to mix garden soil with ready-made soil mixture.

Before sowing, the seeds should be soaked for two days in warm water, which must be changed periodically. With this procedure, the seeds will get rid of the essential oils covering them and sprout faster.

Dill is quite picky about lighting, so it will not get enough natural sunlight. For the formation of a dense green mass, plants will need illumination with fluorescent or LED lamps.

Parsley

You can grow parsley at home from seeds. Or you can dig up a few plants from the garden in the fall and transplant them into a large pot or container, so you will be able to cut fresh greens much faster.

Ideally, the composition of the soil for this crop should include the following components:

It is good to add phosphorus and potash fertilizers to this mixture, as well as lime to neutralize acidity.

Parsley is an unpretentious plant, but some conditions for its growth in an apartment still need to be observed. She does not like the cold, but she does not tolerate heat well. Therefore, you need to place it away from hot radiators. It is also worth protecting it from drafts, which can form when the room is ventilated.

The plant is quite photophilous. Lack of lighting can be detrimental to young shoots grown from seeds. For normal growth and development in winter, they need good lighting.

Basil

Basil grows well in light, airy soil mixtures. Both ready-made store soils and ordinary garden soil with the addition of river sand or peat are suitable for it.

To avoid picking plants, basil seeds can be sown directly in plastic pots or containers with good drainage. They are laid out in moistened soil to a depth of 1.5-2 cm, covered with earth and covered with a film to create greenhouse conditions. After about 10-14 days, shoots appear and the film is removed. In order not to damage the seedlings, at first the earth is not watered, but moistened with a spray bottle.

For full growth and development in winter, the basilica requires additional lighting.

Microgreens

Growing microgreens in an apartment has become a real hobby for many. Now on sale you can find many devices that make the task easier. These are special kits, which include containers, greenhouse covers, germination baskets, seed substrates.

In such kits, you can easily grow any microgreen seeds, as well as seeds of common crops: radishes, beets, cabbages, arugula, etc. However, the use of special containers is optional, microgreens can be grown without problems in any suitable container, for example, in a plastic container or in a glass jar.

For germination, not only soil is used, but also such alternative options as substrates (coco peat, linseed cake, etc.), hydrogel substrates. Seeds can be germinated even on ordinary cotton wool moistened with water. The main thing is to make sure that they do not rot, do not become moldy and do not suffer from an excess of ultraviolet rays, which can dry them out.

Conclusion

Growing herbs at home is a very exciting and rewarding activity. By the way, many avid vegetable growers, along with green crops, quite successfully cultivate even cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers on windowsills. This is quite real, the main thing is to choose the right vegetable seeds and provide the plants with proper care.

We offer you all the best that is in our range for creating a vegetable garden on the windowsill and we wish you great harvests!

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What vegetables can be grown at home

Garden all year round: vegetables and herbs on the windowsill

Do you want your favorite vegetables to never run out of your house? There is nothing easier. Arrange a garden in miniature on the balcony or windowsill. About what vegetables and herbs you can grow at home - in our article.

Green favorite

Cucumbers are ideal for growing vegetables at home. But only if these are seeds of self-pollinated varieties, such as Masha, Brownie Kuzya or Marinda. The container for growing should be capacious, at least 5 liters, and with holes in the bottom. We fill it with drainage, moistened soil and plant seeds. Remember, cucumbers drink a lot of water, are afraid of drafts and love warmth. Just don't overheat them above 20-25°C. Did you notice the first 10-12 leaves? Trim the top, otherwise you will be left without a crop.

Sun in the window

Tomatoes are another vegetable that is easy to grow at home. Here we give preference to dwarf varieties that are tolerant of a lack of light: “baby”, “hummingbird” or “balcony miracle”. Seeds can be planted both in large boxes and in plastic bottles without a neck. The main thing is to feed them more often, moisten the soil, but do not overdo it with watering. Tomatoes feel most comfortable at a temperature of 23–25 ° C. When the first fruits are heavy, tie up the branches so that they do not break.

Bow and arrows

What vegetables can be grown at home in company with cucumbers and tomatoes? Green onions, which are easiest to get from onions. The most productive are multi-bearing varieties, such as Rostov or Spassky. Before planting, fill the bulbs with hot water overnight, then remove the husk and trim the tops a little. We plant the bulbs at a distance of 1-2 cm from each other, without deepening into the soil. Make sure that the temperature does not exceed 18-20 °C. As soon as the green arrows stretch 25–30 cm, feel free to cut them off.

Sweet traffic light

Sweet pepper is a vegetable that is easy to grow at home. The varieties Treasure Island or Winnie the Pooh will help in this. First we germinate them in plastic cups. With the appearance of 6–7 leaves, we transplant the pepper into a ceramic container with a volume of 4–5 liters. Remember to water and mist the seedlings regularly, treat them for aphids once a week, and keep the temperature below 25°C. We remove the ripened fruits immediately - there should be no more than 4 peppers on the stems.

Beauty is sitting on the windowsill

What vegetables can be grown on the windowsill at home besides this? You may be surprised, but this is a carrot. Unpretentious and prolific mini-varieties "Parmex", "Sophie" or "Granddaughter" are the most successful choice. Growing containers should be deep so that the root crops have room to grow. Carrots are very thermophilic, but wither away from direct sunlight. The optimal temperature regime is from 15 to 25 ° C. Water it more often and do not get carried away with fertilizers, otherwise you will get tops instead of root crops.

Green queen

Can you grow greens at home? It is possible, and the most different. First of all, we need parsley. The fastest way is to grow it from mature roots weighing 30–60 g, always with a bud on top. We plant them in a pot or box, sprinkle the tops with soil and water abundantly. It is best to keep parsley in a cool place until sprouts appear. Broken greens need more heat and light, ideally 20-25 ° C. To make the bushes lush, water them moderately and often.

Good Salad

Your own watercress is a great way to teach kids how to grow greens at home on a windowsill and show them a little wonder of nature at the same time. This is one of the most unpretentious herbs, so failure is almost impossible. The main thing is to provide watercress with a temperature not higher than 18 ° C and a moderate shade. Regularly moisten the soil and the air around - and after 2-3 weeks the first crop will appear on your balcony garden. Cut off a small amount of greens, as watercress wilts quickly.

Young, green and tasty

Juicy lettuce is very capricious. So the question of how to grow greens at home, here you need to approach with skill. Lettuce loves plenty of light, so on cloudy days, additional lighting will not hurt. At the same time, he painfully endures drought.

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