One may think that having a garden is a luxury only households with ample outdoor space can afford, but that’s not the situation at all. Regardless of whether you live in an apartment with no outdoor space to your name, you can still grow your own herbs at home through the means of an indoor herb garden. All you need to set up your indoor herb garden is a sunny spot in the house and plenty of water with no other special equipment needed.
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Why Grow Herbs Indoors?
Freshly grown herbs brightens up any and every dish prepared. That’s the only reason you need to start your very own herb garden. Don’t worry about the changing weather and the access to an outside area to do that, because the modern day has paved the way for an indoor garden! Your freshly picked herbs can never be closer to you if you have it in your very own kitchen!
There are absolutely countless of reasons as to why one should grow their herbs indoors. For one, it doesn’t take up an excess space at all! In fact, it only livens up the interior of your kitchen or any part of your home. A splash of green in a corner is bound to brighten up and already cosy house even more. There are also various types of furniture, planters and indoor gardens that you can choose from to suit your home’s aesthetics.
Even though herbs may not cost a bomb, saving a penny or two for long periods of time might be a lowkey advantage as well. What’s more, you’ll feel way more accomplished and satisfied when you cook using your own grown herbs!
How to Grow Herbs Indoors?
Just like any other outdoor garden of herbs, indoor herb gardens would require a good, sufficient amount of sunlight daily. About six hours is plenty for them to grow healthily, so picking a spot that can cater to that is essential.
To find out which part of your house gets the most sunlight, it’s recommended to turn off all the lights in your house on a sunny day and periodically check to see the natural sunlight in different parts. South-facing windows have the best light and sun.
It also depends on what kind of herbs you plant. Herbs from semi-tropical climates like thyme, basil, rosemary, oregano and bay laurel would require more sunlight as compared to herbs like parsley, chives and mint, where they grow best with less intense light.
If your home does not have a great sunlight entry point, consider the full-spectrum grow lights. These are ideal for all types of herbs, and leave the lights on depending on the instructions provided with your lights.
On top of sunlight, the way these herbs are planted is crucial as well. They need to be planted in pots that have good drainage. Soggy soil can have a negative impact on the plants. Use a liner or saucer if you’re worried about the holes in the pots ruining your tabletop.
1. Basil
Everyone has definitely had basil in at least one of their dishes before. It’s the most essential herb for all sorts of cuisine all around the world. The best part is, basil is an extremely easy herb to grow indoors. Plant seeds in rich, organic potting soil and leave them in bright light for a good amount of time. Basil is not known to be a long-term houseplant. If you’d like to have a steady supply of basil for your cooking needs, plant a new batch of basil seeds every few weeks.
2. Chives
Chives are wonderful additions to soups and salads. They make great garnishes for various of other dishes as well. Having a good supply of chives at home from your indoor herb garden is a great idea. You can grow them from seeds or even purchased plant and pot them in rich, organic soil and facing the brightest light you can get at home. Make sure to leave at least two inches of the chive growth so that the herb can resprout.
3. Lemon Balm
The lemon balm herb is famous for, as its name suggest, its lemony scent. A good place to have these herbs in the house is at entryways or gates so that the aroma of the lemon balm fills the air. Lemon balm is often combined with other herbs in cooking, and can be found in desserts and meat dishes. Lemon balm herb is also famous in its tea form as well, and fresh lemon balm can be freshly picked to make your lemon balm tea!
4. Parsley
You may know this herb as a wonderful pop of colour on your pasta, soups, poultry and even salad. Parsley is a crucial addition to your indoor herb garden. You can either grow them from the seed directly, or just harvest individual leaves, pinching the stems off near the base so they’re still able to grow from it. Similar to basil, parsley needs strong sunlight, so keep in mind of that.
5. Sage
With loads of health benefits and uses, there’s no reason not to have sage as part of your indoor herb garden. Sage is not only used in cooking — it can be found in dishes like pasta and omelettes as its earthy essence is a killer flavour in them — it has countless of other uses as well. You can either plant it from the seeds or get a tip of the outdoor-planted sage. Don’t forget to put it under bright sunlight as it would require that to grow healthily.
6. Rosemary
Wouldn’t it be nice to have your home filled with the earthy aroma of rosemary on cold winter days? It’s even better to have these earthy fragrance in your poultry dishes, and is arguably one of the most essential herbs to have in the kitchen. With it being such a crucial addition to cooking, what other reason is there to include it in your indoor herb garden? The rosemary herb can survive on hot summer months and even cold winter ones, as long as it has bright, strong light.
7. Thyme
Thyme is an extremely easy and practical herb to grow, especially for an indoor garden. There are loads of different flavoured thymes in all of its various varieties. Each of them are great additions to different cuisines, so depending on what you usually prepare for cooking, there’s always a variety of thyme that’s perfect for that. The thyme herb requires a good amount of sunlight and is potted in the right moisture of soil.
8. Mint
If you think thyme has a lot of varieties, you have not seen the list of mint varieties. You could grow an entire indoor garden or two just dedicated to mint! Pick from loads of flavorful varieties including spearmint and peppermint — whatever that you would want to have an ample, easy access supply of at home. The mint herb makes wonderful teas as well that have countless of health benefits. Isn’t that a great addition to your indoor herb garden?
9. Oregano
Oregano is a member of the mint family. This herb is an extremely important one for a number of cuisines including Italian, Mexican, Middle Eastern and Central American. The herb is often snipped from the stems and added to stews, poultry and soups. Growing oregano is just like growing other mint herbs — moderate light and perfect moisture level for soil.
10. Chervil
This herb is not used as often as other herbs, but it would be a unique addition to your indoor herb garden. Chervil is one of the four herbs of the traditional French cuisine, and some may say that it has a flavour of anise and parsley combined. There are many dishes that chervil can be a great addition to. Plant chervil in well-drained pots and deep in the organic soil. It’s best to replant them every few weeks to have a comfortable supply of fresh chervil on hand.
11. Bay Laurel
Bay laurel is a Mediterranean shrub that is an essential in various soups and stews. The older the leaves of the herb are, the stronger the flavours. This herb requires quite a lot of sunlight and needs to be potted in a fast-draining soil to grow healthily. On top of that, make sure it doesn’t get too crowded as bay laurel requires good air circulation.
12. Tarragon
The tarragon herb is widely used in French cooking, and is known to be one of the four of the “fine herbes” blend. Its fine texture makes it quite versatile — it can be mixed with other greens in salads or sprinkled on dishes like parsley. The tarragon herb needs quite a bit of sunlight, and maybe fertilizer if you’re feeling a bit more invested for this essential French cuisine herb.
13. Cilantro
Often used in Mexican and Asian cuisine, cilantro’s appearance doesn’t limit to just that. It’s more famously used in the seasoning called coriander, and even the roots of the herb is used in cooking and it’s mostly referred to the coriander root. Cilantro herb needs quite a bit of heat and light. Compared to other herbs, this one quickly develops a tap root, making it unsuitable for transplanting. On the upside, this cilantro is an easy one to grow as it self-sows. Use the cilantro leaves fresh as it loses its flavour when dried.
Tips for Indoor Herb Garden
Now that you know what herbs to grow in your indoor herb garden, it’s best to take note of some tips that will make it even more successful on your first try. As you’ve read, different herbs require different levels of things like sunlight and moisture of soil. For a beginner, pick the right herbs that are less of a fuss than others.
Some people may think that the more you water plants, the better and faster it grows. On the contrary though, overwatering may lead to destroying the herb rather than helping it. Pay attention to details — if leaves of the herb begin to wilt or turn yellow, take it down a notch on the watering.
While it may be tempting to harvest all of your herbs at once, it’s best to do it a little at a time. Try not to remove more than a quarter of the herbs at one time as it might lead to distress or even kill the plant.
Tea Recipes from Indoor Herbs
Indoor herbs are not just for cooking even though they’re mainly grown for that very reason. Some indoor herbs are perfect for making tea. Some indoor herbs from your indoor herb garden that make great tea with extremely wonderful benefits and health benefits include rosemary tea, mint tea, lemon balm tea and thyme tea.
Depending on your personal taste buds and preference for benefits, pick your herbs for your indoor garden wisely. Your plants may have dual function — cooking herbs as well as tea leaves.
Conclusion
Regardless of your skill in potting and planting, everyone has a slight green thumb in them. Not only does an indoor herb garden create a pleasant display in your home as well as a fresh flavor in your dishes, it may even be a therapeutic hobby you end up loving. There are so many plus points to it, so why not get started on it now?
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