There is no denying the numerous benefits of indoor plants, but I think herbs take it to the next level. So I thought why not share all the benefits of growing herbs indoors.
If you are on the fence about starting an indoor herb garden, or if you want to convince someone else in your home, then check out this list.
I bet you will be convinced by the end of this post. So without further ado…
Here are my top benefits of growing herbs indoors:
1. You will save money
Once you set up your indoor herb garden you will get a steady supply of fresh herbs at a fraction of the cost.
This is a huge one. Everyone is looking for ways to save money these days. With just a small investment upfront and a little bit of care, you will be making your money back in no time at all.
How much would local, organic store-bought herbs normally cost you? Can you even purchase that, or do the herbs come from some faraway country?
2. You can grow herbs year-round
When you are growing herbs inside you are not restricted to the first and last frost dates of the growing season. It is a great way to extend your gardening season.
Eating healthy in the winter can be more difficult as a lot of things are out of season. When you grow your own herb garden you can replace some of those lost nutrients.
3. Indoor herbs provide easy access
Indoor gardening with herbs makes them easily accessible. You will not need to run out to the store for last-minute ingredients as you will have them right there in your kitchen.
Something else that I appreciated is if I only need a tsp of a certain herb, I can harvest just that amount. I do not need to buy a huge bundle of dill and then try and find a way to not waste the rest.
4. Contribute to a more sustainable lifestyle
Anytime you can think of producing more in your home vs. consuming, you will be contributing to a more sustainable lifestyle and reducing your carbon footprint.
The herbs you grow will never need to be packaged or shipped so you are reducing gas emissions and plastic waste.
5. You get the freshest herbs possible
You can’t get any fresher than harvesting herbs off your kitchen windowsill and adding them straight to your meal.
And I mean actually fresh. Not like the “fresh herbs” you spend a small fortune on from your local grocery store that are already wilting when you buy them.
Fresh herbs not only enhance taste, but as an added bonus, you will get more nutritional value from them as well. After any herb or vegetable is harvested the clock starts ticking and they start to lose flavour and nutritional value.
6. Growing Herbs Indoors will Change How you Cook
Having fresh herbs in the kitchen will change the way you cook. No – seriously. It will bring out your inner chef and all of a sudden you will find yourself coming up with new culinary creations and adding herbs to things you may never have thought of.
I mean why not add some fresh cilantro to your scrambled eggs?
You can tailor your menu to the herbs you have growing. If you need to prune back your basil, then it may be time for a nice pasta dish. Yum.
7. Enjoy a Larger Variety of Herbs
When you grow your own herbs, you will find so many more varieties to choose from. Especially if you are starting from seed.
In the winter you may find the odd “living” basil plant or other very popular herb you can take home from the grocery store and grow. In the summer, you will find slightly more variety at the garden center.
But I find the cut herbs in the produce section are very much lacking in variety. Or the quality is so poor that I have decided to skip it altogether.
But seed companies have worked so hard to create amazing varieties. Like how about some grapefruit mint for example?
One of my favourite seed companies for herbs is Richters Herbs. They literally have over 60 different types of basil – like wow!
8. Indoor herb gardens are less maintenance
It’s true – indoor herb gardens are much less maintenance and commitment when compared to an outdoor garden.
If you are new to gardening, then I think this is a perfect place to start. You can try it out with very minimal investment of time and resources.
Then when you find that you love it (as I’m sure you will), you can scale up.
After your initial setup, you will only need to check in on your herbs about once per week, in addition to your regular harvesting.
9. Does not take much to get started
One of the biggest benefits of growing herbs indoors is you honestly don’t need much at all to get started. If you want all the details then read my complete beginners guide to growing herbs indoors.
You can easily start an indoor garden just by using recycled or repurposed items. The main things you need are a container with drainage holes, well-draining soil, a grow light, and herbs. That’s it.
Your biggest investment will be the lights unless you have a very sunny south-facing window. All in all, an indoor herb garden will be much cheaper than building an outdoor garden.
10. DOes not need much space
You can grow indoor herb plants just about anywhere – even if you live in a small apartment.
You can find so many creative and fun kitchen herb garden ideas on Pinterest. Some just need a little space on your kitchen counter, while others grow on the walls, or even in hanging baskets.
In general, herbs are small plants, so you can easily grow several small pots of herbs right on your windowsill.
11. Grow in a More controlled environment
When you grow herbs indoors, you can benefit from a more controlled environment. You will not need to worry about temperature fluctuations, the amount of rain you are getting, or some of the pests that live outdoors.
This means that your indoor herb garden will be more predictable, and you can develop more of a routine around the maintenance of it. I love routine and predictability.
12. Add to your home décor
My big thing as I have gotten older is decorating with things I use. Like my collection of cast iron pans displayed on my kitchen wall, or herbs hanging to dry on a vintage herb drying rack, or other kitchen tools, and pretty flour canisters.
Growing herbs indoors greatly adds to this aesthetic that I am going for. It gives it a fresh feel and is very nature-inspired.
You can also customize this on whatever style you have by using different pots or ways of growing herbs indoors.
13. DIY Home Aromatherapy
If you have ever walked through an herb garden in the summer, then you know the joy that the fragrance of fresh herbs can bring. An indoor herb garden is no different.
Every time I water, the scent becomes even stronger, or when I run my fingers through the leaves because I just can’t resist. I find the smell very calming, and a good stress reliever.
It always brings me right back to summertime and I think of being in the garden. It is an excellent way to boost my mood – especially in the dark days of winter.
So put those store-bought scented plugins and aromatherapy candles aside, and get to herb gardening.
14. Living plants may sharpen your attention
This is a fun one that I read about in one of my garden books, and it dates back to the ancient Greeks.
It is said that plants may help to boost your productivity and sharpen your attention. I know they help me to practice mindfulness and be more present when I am working in the soil and tending to my herbs.
It is referenced in many, many history books that the Ancient Greeks used to wear rosemary crowns or eat rosemary during their exams as they believed it helped with their memory.
Scent is said to be one of the largest triggers of memory, so perhaps they were on to something.
Rosemary is full of fun folklore. It is known for love and remembrance, and also said to be best planted by your garden gate.
15. purify air in the home
Many people grow plants in their homes to help purify the air. You may research which plants are the best to purify air, but really they all are.
I am sure some might be better than others, but all plants take in CO2 and produce oxygen during photosynthesis.
For me, this is another benefit of having just a little bit more fresh air in my home.
16. Helps connect with nature
I love connecting with nature wherever possible. We spend way too much time in office cubicles and in front of computer screens. It is so great to come home from my 9-5 to be greeted by happy little plants.
It is exciting to watch your herb garden growing and to start looking forward to eating fresh basil as you see it get bigger.
Time in nature is good for physical and mental health, so why not try and bring those benefits inside as well?
If you are looking for a simple way to connect with nature in your home or just add some more natural décor then this is it!
17. More rewarding when you grow your own food
When you start growing your food no matter how big the scale you will find this great sense of accomplishment. As you should.
It is amazing to be able to take a young plant or a seed and create something beautiful, nourishing, and useful in your everyday life.
18. start learning to grow herbs anywhere
If you are in an apartment and dreaming of a large in-ground garden one day – then this is perfect for you. But even if not, it is always fun to learn something new.
As one of my favourite YouTubers says, you should always “turn your waiting room into a classroom” – Roots and Refuge. I couldn’t agree more with this statement.
You really can learn a lot from starting some herb seeds or learning to care for herb plants indoors.
Then if you ever expand your gardening efforts, you have already learned some good lessons and developed your green thumb a bit. So, you will be ahead of the game.
But just a heads up – the learning will never stop. That is one thing I love most about gardening. You can always be learning, and you will continue to get the odd curve ball thrown at you. So dive in and accept the challenge.
19. A great activity for families
Putting together an indoor herb garden can be a great activity to do with the kids. I think it is so important to teach our children where our food comes from.
A fun weekend project could be to create a mason jar herb garden for example. You can pick out your herbs together, have fun creating plant labels, and decorate the jars.
Then over time, you can watch the plants grow together until you finally get to harvest and enjoy some for dinner.
20. Indoor herb gardening can turn into a fun hobby
Now this leads us down a slippery slope. What once started as just a few herbs in my kitchen has led to a very large garden in the backyard. Don’t get me wrong – I love it and I wouldn’t want it any other way.
But, you will find that as you try new types of herbs and experience flavours that you never could have from the grocery store – it will lead you to want to do even more.
Along with this though I think it helps build your creativity, and is so therapeutic in the long run. So – completely worth it.
21. Build self-esteem, routine, and confidence
I have always been one of those people that feels too busy to stick to something, or for whatever reason I let things go and jump around to different projects.
Deep down I love consistency and I want to have a routine and be able to say I stuck to this thing and now look what I have created.
This is what gardening has become for me. It is my rock in a way. Something I always come back to, and something that just spreads positivity throughout my day. It gives me confidence in other areas of my life as well.
It can give you something to care for, you will get a sense of routine with watering and pruning, and going back to number 10 of this list… it is such a sense of accomplishment.
If we can grow a garden, we can set our minds and work to do anything!
So, have I convinced you with these Benefits of Growing Herbs Indoors?
If you are like me and you enjoy beauty and functionality all wrapped up into one, then I highly suggest starting your very own indoor herb garden.
You will not regret it.
Leave a comment below with the benefit that excited you the most.
Or feel free to add any other benefits of growing herbs indoors that I may have missed.
Until next time!
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