Keep an herb garden in the kitchen is an easy and convenient way to ensure fresh herbs are always at hand, but make sure your plants receive adequate sunlight and watering.
Herbs need six hours of direct sunlight each day in order to thrive, with a south-facing window providing optimal conditions. Other windows or skylights may also provide enough illumination.
How to Grow Herbs Indoors
Herbs make an ideal indoor garden because they require minimal space, are easy to harvest for cooking or garnishing purposes and offer an accessible entryway into edible gardening for novices.
Most herbs are Mediterranean plants and thrive best when exposed to full sunlight, so place them near a windowsill that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight each day from south-facing windows or supplement with grow lights for 12-14 hours of bright illumination daily.
If your windows do not face south, try placing your herbs in west or east facing windows with ample sunlight, or even under skylights. Herbs that tolerate less direct sun (such as mint, chives and lemon balm) do well even in north facing windows.
Sunlight
Herbs require sunlight in order to thrive and taste their best, yet providing it indoors may be impractical or impossible. Aim for windows without curtains blocking their sun exposure that receive at least 6 hours a day of direct sun light; that way your herbs can flourish!
Skylights or windows facing west, east or north may also work effectively – many herbs can tolerate indirect sunlight exposure.
Herbs that don’t receive enough sunlight tend to grow leggy and produce smaller, less flavorful leaves, while eventually they begin wilting and stop growing altogether.
If you can’t find a sunny window, consider investing in inexpensive fluorescent bulbs to supplement the light your herbs are receiving. Herbs require good drainage so make sure any pot or container has adequate holes at its base to drain excess moisture away. Clay pots make great choices as their porous nature helps retain soil moisture longer.
Soil
Fresh or dried, herbs add both flavor and aroma to our favorite dishes. Plus, growing them in an appropriate environment makes them easy to maintain and can quickly become the focal point of any kitchen!
Herbs thrive best in soil with adequate drainage. A mix of potting soil, compost and perlite or sand works perfectly to keep moisture at a comfortable level without becoming waterlogged and reduce stress on plants.
If your herb plant becomes leggy, this could be an indicator that there is not enough sunlight reaching it. Consider moving to a brighter area or pinching off leggy parts to encourage bushier growth.
If your space does not feature south-facing windows to offer full sunlight, consider investing in full spectrum lights equipped with timers or remotes – they provide herbs with light throughout the day, especially beneficial in winter when windows receive less direct light.
Water
Herbs grown in water rather than soil are less vulnerable to issues like fungus. An additional advantage is keeping plants close to your kitchen, making harvesting simpler.
To grow herbs in water, select a healthy herb plant and cut off 6-8 inch stems above nodes (where leaves attach to the stem), leaving an inch at the top for growth. Fill clean glass jars or mason jars with filtered water before placing your cuttings in them.
Regular checks of herbs to ensure sufficient moisture, especially during the dry air of winter when their needs increase. Leggy or wilting midday foliage could indicate insufficient sunlight; moving to a sunnier spot might help, or pinching off leggy portions to promote new growth. When watering lightly using mister or small watering cans can also help avoid overly saturated soil conditions.
