Have you always wanted to try growing herbs indoors? But do you feel that you lack the attention or knowledge to properly care for them? Well, know that you are not alone. We have all been there.
This guide will provide you with everything you need to know so that you can start off on the right foot and have a successful indoor herb garden.
I will walk you through choosing the best types of herbs, the growing conditions herbs require, the equipment needed, setting up your herb garden for the first time, and the care and maintenance of your herbs.
I Feel Your Pain…
First of all, I just want to say that I have been in your shoes before. Here is the scenario that I and many other beginner gardeners have experienced. Let me know if this sounds familiar…
You find this super cute indoor garden idea on Pinterest, so you go out and set it all up.
Then a few weeks go by, and your herbs are suddenly not looking so good. And you start to think maybe this isn’t for you after all.
Been there, done that!
It is so disappointing because you want your herbs to look nice, and you want to grow more than just one basil leaf!
Yay… rock, paper, scissors for who get to use it as a garnish on their pasta. (HAHA) But I promise it does not have to be this way.
Although growing herbs indoors can indeed be more tricky than growing herbs outdoors. With the right knowledge and experience, you can have that lovely kitchen herb garden that you so desire.
The benefits of indoor herb gardening
You can save money at the grocery store, you will have easy access to fresh herbs year-round, and it is a more sustainable option. Plus, the herbs will make your kitchen smell amazing!
If you want to read more about the benefits of indoor herb gardening, then read my post where I have put together a list of 20+ benefits for growing herbs indoors. This could come in handy when you are trying to convince your husband that you need more plants.
So, let’s go back to that vision of you harvesting fresh herbs right in your kitchen and adding them to dinner – amazing!
Choosing the right herbs to Grow Indoors
The truth is that some herbs will be extra difficult to grow indoors. So, it is very important to choose the best herbs to grow in the kitchen because some will do better than others.
It is also very important to choose herbs that you like to eat so you can get good use out of them.
If I were to pick four herbs to grow in my first indoor herb garden I would grow basil, cilantro, chives, and thyme.
These are among the easiest herbs to grow indoors, they provide a wide variety of flavours, and I think they look nice when grouped together. Plus who wouldn’t love adding some fresh basil to their pasta sauce from their windowsill herb garden.
The most important thing is to start with easy, fast-growing herbs, and preferably ones that can handle lower light.
I would also focus on herbs that you grow for their leaves rather than flowers or seeds. You will likely not get enough light indoors for your herbs to flower.
Growing Conditions for Indoor Herbs:
The truth is that herbs want to grow outside. This is why it is so important to set up our indoor herb garden right.
If we don’t go out of our way to provide the right growing environment, then we will be very disappointed with the results.
Light requirements
Most herbs require a minimum of 6 hours of direct sunlight each day. Depending on where you live, and the time of year, you may be able to provide enough light in a east, west, or south-facing window.
If you are growing herbs in a sunny windowsill, make sure to rotate the pot about once per week so all sides of the plant get light.
When using a grow light, you want the light to be on for 12-16 hours per day.
If you do not provide enough light your plants will get leggy, and weak as they stretch towards the light. You will end up with fewer leaves, and the ones that do grow will be small and pale.
Temperature
This one is quite easy to achieve because most herbs are happy to grow at normal room temperature (somewhere between 68-70 degrees F).
The only thing to watch for is large temperature swings. This can happen when growing herbs in a window as it may get colder near the window overnight or extra hot during the heat of the day.
Humidity
Most culinary herbs are happy to grow at an average humidity level of 50% or higher. So, whatever you have in your home should be fine. Just avoid extremes.
Some Mediterranean herbs prefer it to be a bit dryer and other herbs like more humidity. This is not anything I have worried about in the past and it has been just fine.
The only time I would worry is in the winter months if the humidity in your home is extra low and you are experiencing very dry air. Then you may want to raise it slightly.
To increase the humidity around your herbs, you can fill a saucer with some small pebbles and put some water in the bottom. Then set your pot on top of the pebbles. Just don’t let the bottom of the pot come in contact with the water.
Air Flow
Good air circulation is important to keep your herb plants healthy. This will help prevent mold, mildew, fungus gnats, and some other plant diseases.
To increase airflow, make sure to prune regularly, don’t overcrowd your plants, and if needed place a fan in the room near the plants.
At the same time, you do not want to place your herbs near a heating or cooling vent as this can cause temperature swings which could dry out the soil too quickly, or stress out your herbs.
Equipment and supplies needed:
Here are the five main things you need for your indoor herb garden:
- Pots
- Soil
- Lights
- Herbs
- Fertilizer
Setting up and planting your first indoor herb garden:
If you are a beginner, I recommend starting with plants instead of herb seeds. Growing herbs indoors can be tricky enough, so don’t add the additional work of starting from seed also.
As you gain more skills, then I would definitely start your herbs from seeds as you get much more variety. But, let’s start simple in the beginning.
There are so many great indoor herb garden design ideas out there, and I recommend you do your research and find something that fits your style and brings you joy.
planting your indoor herb garden (step by step)
- Gather all your equipment, supplies, and herbs
- Pre-moisten your potting mix in a rubber tote with water. You can soak it overnight, or use warm water and mix it together until you get a nice moist soil
- Fill your pot about halfway with soil, or less depending on how big the root ball is on the plant you are starting with
- Carefully remove the herb from the pot you bought it in and check the root system
- If it is tightly wound around the bottom, then make sure you loosen the soil and roots at the bottom and sides of the root ball
- Put your herb into the pot and fill the soil in around the root ball to just above the current soil level, and gently press the soil down
- Water your herbs in well, and then place them in the window or under a grow light
Care and Maintenance of Indoor Herbs:
Once your herbs are planted, the maintenance is very minimal. So, even if you work a busy 9-5, you can still enjoy some fresh homegrown herbs.
Here are the things you need to do to keep your herbs happy:
Watering
Besides having bright light, watering is the next most important thing. It takes some time to learn how often to water herbs. This is because there is no set formula and you really need to learn how to read your plants and soil.
Most indoor herbs suffer from overwatering. Since they are closer in view – you may be tempted to water more.
On the contrary, many indoor herbs are grown in smaller pots, which means they will need some more regular water. I like to make it a habit to check my herbs about every other day.
Indoor plants may grow less, especially in winter when the light is less intense. In this case, they will want a little less water.
The best thing to do is push your finger down into the soil about an inch and see if you feel moisture. If you do then you can wait, if not then it may be time to water.
When in doubt you can always read the plant label as well for more information.
To assist with proper watering, you will want to choose a pot that has good drainage and use a well-draining potting mix. This way any excess water will be able to drain away and you don’t have to worry about root rot.
Fertilizing Routine
I will admit I don’t often fertilize and I am still able to grow healthy herbs. However, when I do remember to fertilize it really does have a positive impact.
It is best to fertilize very lightly. I choose an organic water-soluble fertilizer and use it at half the strength about once per month. This should be enough to give them a nice little boost of new growth.
If you notice your plants turning yellow – it could be a sign of overfertilizing. If you think you have given too much fertilizer, then I would stop fertilizing for a few months and just water regularly with water to help flush out the fertilizer.
Harvesting and pruning tips
Regular harvest and pruning is important to keep your herbs small and bushy. It will also increase airflow. You want to trim your herbs just above a node where possible. This way you will get new stems branching out.
You never want to cut back more than 1/3 of your plant at a time. I have tested this out a few times, and in most cases, the plant dies. If it does survive, it will take literally forever to grow back to a usable size again.
The other thing is to trim off any flower buds. If you let your herb flower it will stop focusing on producing leaves and start thinking about producing seeds. It can also alter the flavour of some herbs.
Pest Management & Disease
Knock on wood, but I have never had pest issues on my indoor herbs…so I won’t spend too much time on this. If you are using good quality potting mix, and have started with healthy plants then you should be fine.
Some common pests that could affect your indoor herbs are aphids, spider mites, whiteflies, and fungus gnats.
If you do encounter any of these pests, then you want to remedy it ASAP – like yesterday. With no predator bugs in your home to keep them in check, these pests can cause some damage.
Aphids can be removed by running your plant underwater to knock them off. With other pests, you may need to use an organic pest control method. Fungus gnats come from the soil and are generally a sign of overwatering.
Pot Up – refresh – restart
As with any potted herb, you will eventually need to pot-up and refresh, or restart. With indoor herbs, I generally enjoy them for as long as they are producing and then start over with fresh plants as they start to fade.
If you want to repot then you will plant your herbs the same way as when you initially set it up, however, you will want to choose a larger pot and add more fresh potting mix.
I have accepted that eventually, indoor herbs will just fizzle out over time and that is ok. I take it as a great opportunity to try something new.
Common Mistakes when Growing Herbs Indoors:
The top three mistakes that a lot of beginner gardeners make when growing indoors are: over or under-watering, not providing enough light, and choosing the wrong pots.
These mistakes will really hold you back, and success will be few and far between. If you want to know the other mistakes that could be holding you back, then read my full post listing 13 indoor herb garden mistakes.
In Conclusion
The main thing is not to overcomplicate things from the beginning and just try it out to see what works best for you.
I will leave you with these top tips for successful indoor herb gardening: make sure to provide enough light, keep the soil evenly moist, regularly prune your herbs, and just have fun with it!
Now it is time to take this knowledge and get out there to start your very own kitchen garden.
I hope I have provided you with everything you need. If you have any further questions, please leave them in the comments and I will be sure to answer.
Also, if you enjoyed this post, then don’t forget to Pin it for later, or share with your friends!
Until next time!
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