Growing Herbs Indoors

Everyone has some herbs that they can’t do without. We’re big fans of fresh basil, rosemary, and oregano. Herbs are easy to love, because they add flavor to foods—and a lovely scent to the kitchen. 

These herbs can be grown indoors during winter but also any time of the year. Indoor herbs prefer the same temperatures that most people do—around 65 to 70 degrees F—so it’s a cozy relationship!

Best Herbs to Grow Indoors

1. Greek oregano is a perennial best propagated by root division. If you have an established plant just separate off a chunk and pot it up to bring indoors. New plants can be started from seed but may take a few months to reach a harvestable size.
2. Basil is an annual so it is best to start new plants from seed or take cuttings from an established plant - they will root in water. Small-leaved varieties like dwarf Greek basil or ‘Finissimo Verde’ are best for windowsill culture but I still grow a pot of ‘Genovese’ and keep the size down by cutting it often.
3. Thymes such as caraway, lemon, narrow-leaved French, and English garden thyme are all good culinary types. They are perennials (though some may not be hardy where you live) and new plants can be divided from the parent plant.
4. Parsley is a biennial plant, which means that it goes to seed its second season. If you pot up an existing plant, use a deep container to avoid injuring the tap root. New plants can be started from seed.
5. Sage is a perennial and can be grown from a softwood cutting or by division. If you want a more decorative plant than ordinary garden sage, try a tri-colored or golden one. Their flavor is not as pronounced but they grow better indoors.
6. Rosemary is a tender perennial where I live so I have been growing it in a pot outdoors so I can bring it in when the weather cools down. If you have an established plant outside you can take cuttings. Rosemary can be fussy. It will need bright light, a cool location, lots of air circulation, and frequent misting but the extra pampering is worth the effort, especially if it rewards you with its delicate blue blossoms.
7. Cilantro is best started from seed but it grows fast. Use it before it flowers for the best flavor. Keep starting new plants from seed as needed.

We have Herb Growing Guides for all seven of the herbs listed above for information on planting, growing, and harvesting.

Note: Not every herb grows well indoors. Forget about coriander (cilantro), dill, and other spice herbs indoors for their seeds. Parsley doesn’t do well when grown indoors from seed, but an established plant from outdoors can be brought inside and grow well in pots. French tarragon and chives in particular benefit from a cool period so they are not ideal candidates.

Almanac editor, Ben, who successfully grows herbs and vegetables in the Almanac office under grow lights!

Starting Herbs From Seeds Vs. Small Plants

• Perennial herbs, such as rosemary, Greek oregano, and thyme are easiest to grow from young plants that you buy at a garden center.
• If you are buying small plants, it’s very important to check for pests, especially aphids (sticky droppings) and spider mites (fine webs on and between the leaves).

Using Small Plants From Your Garden

• You can also use small plants dug from the garden. 
• Cut back any plants that you are digging up to bring indoors. They will suffer a bit of shock and may take a while to adjust and start to regrow.
• Be sure to use a large enough pot to accommodate the rootball and remove as much of the old soil as possible to get rid of any insects or their eggs.
• Isolate them from your other houseplants for a few weeks and spray them every 3 to 7 days with a soapy water solution to kill off any hitchhiking pests.
• To encourage new growth, begin fertilizing the plants once you move them to your sunny windowsill.

Tips on Growing Herbs Indoors

Light

Remember that herbs are sun worshipers which thrive in the Mediterranean, so they need a lot of light. 

• Herbs need 6 to 8 hours of bright light. South-facing windows are usually warmer and good choices for rosemary, thyme, basil, and oregano. East- and west-facing windows that get bright light are fine, but better for herbs that don’t like to get baked such as parsley, chives and chervil. Herbs don’t tolerate north-facing windows.
• We recommend installing supplementary lighting to ensure strong growth.  Grow Lights work for any herb as long as the light intensity is high enough. Place plants within a foot of full-spectrum bulbs and leave on for 12 to 16 hours a day or as instructed.

See more using grow lights to start seeds indoors and choosing the right grow lights.

Soil and Food

• Be careful not to overwater herbs. 
• More tropical or semi-tropical herbs (rosemary, thyme, oregano) do well with equal parts of cactus mix and regular potting soil. Let the soil dry a bit before watering.
• Other herbs grow do best in regular potting soil. Keep soil slightly moist, but never soggy.
• Fertilize once or twice a month with a liquid houseplant fertilizer.

Also, see our video about the best way to preserve and store your herbs.