I would like to start an indoor herb garden this winter once outdoor gardening season is over. Any advice? Which herbs grow well inside and in small pots/cans?
Cans? Most herbs do well indoors, at least for a while, but they need drainage. Small pots--how small? Marjoram, oregano, basil, rosemary, chives, mint, all can be grown indoors, but they need sunlight (south or east facing window or grow lights)and moist but not wet soil. You also need to harvest regularly so the top growth doesn't get weak and floppy. Let us know how big your pots will be, and the exposure the herbs will get, and we'll be able to help more.
Thanks. I have not purchases pots yet. Is there a size that you would recommend? I have about an 8 inch window seat that I am planning to put them in.
For herbs that tend to get larger, like rosemary, marjoram and mint, a one-gallon size pot would work. For the others, chives, oregano, etc. you could go with a slightly smaller pot, but not down to the 1 qt. size. Of course, if you see an herb is getting root bound in its pot, you can always move it up to a larger size.
Hi EmilyS, Tight quarters for the herb plants with the 8 inch window seat. There should at least 3 to 4 hours of sunlight streaming in for your herbs to produce. I would purchase an oblong planter. Make sure it's at least 6 inches deep. Fill it with high quality potting mix. I'd use the Miracle Gro with micro nutrients. Hyponex or Hoffman's potting soil is also excellent. The premium brands will feed the herb plants over a longer period of time, and with very litle fertilizer salt build-up. You don't want to add any additional plant foods, as this will decrease the herbs natural flavor. Fill the planter with the soil, leaving about two inches from the top. Wet the soil, and let it drain out completely. Lightly sprinkle the seeds on top of the soil. Don't cover them. Place the planter in the window, and mist the soil daily until the seedlings appear. I would suggest because of limited space that you try these herbs in the planter: Dill, Cilantro, Sweet Basil, Italian Parsley, and Chives. These are basic kitchen herbs, and can tolerate a little overcrowding, and still deliver lush, green herbs. If the herbs come up to thickly, you can thin them out, and use the thinnings for salads. Snip the herbs on a weekly basis. The more you prune them, the longer they will produce. You can still buy these herbs seeds at garden centers, or those other stores that begin with W or K. Happy growing, I hope it goes well for you.
it's a good time to buy, everything is on sale. I grow sage in doors because I love it. I have never been the best gardener, although I try and sage always does beautifully. (I also love to have fresh basil)
Yes, herbs like sunny windows in the house but they do better if it is not a warm room. Rosemary will get leggy but basil grows well if you snip it and use it frequently. Don't forget to give them a weak fertilizer every week.
Herb gardening is an exciting thing to do and taste better than the herbs from the supermarket. Herbs that will do well indoors are basil, chives, parsley, thyme and cilantro. I recommend to grow your herbs in large containers, so they offer enough room for roots to spread out. Also, don’t use to much fertilizer, because it contains high concentrations of nitrogen. It will decrease the oils contained within the leaves. Good luck!
Emily, I have a lot of experience growing herbs indoors, but I really think you should consider investing in a fluorescent grow light. They are like $20 at your hardware store and will make it so you can enjoy just about any herb. All this being said, I have grown many many herbs i indoors with light / without light and trust me on the light; it's worth it.
