Growing Herbs Indoors

Many herb gardeners love the convenience of fresh herbs all year long. Even if you live in an apartment, you can still grow herbs indoors. Herbs will do well in any room that receives at least 4 hours of sunlight daily. Windows that face south or southwest are the best, but east or west-facing windows will also do. Here’s a good way to tell how much sun certain windows receive on a sunny day. Turn off the indoor lights and observe for the next few hours how bright and sunny that area is.

You can make the most of small window space by growing 3 to 4 herb plants in a single pot or planter that is at least 6 inches deep. Herbs that do well when crowded together are chives, dill, parsley and cilantro. You can grow these herbs from seed. Fill the pot or planter with high quality potting soil. I suggest Miracle Gro or Hyponex complete potting soil mixes.

Wet the soil until the water runs out from the bottom. Allow the soil to drain and settle before sowing the seeds. Open the seed packets and tap out 5 to 10 seeds of each variety you’ll be planting. Sprinkle the seeds evenly over the soil. Do not cover the seeds. Place the pot on the windowsill or in front of patio doors that receive sunlight. You may want to place a shallow saucer under the pot or planter to catch excess water.

In about 7 days, the seeds will sprout and begin to grow. Mist them several times a week to keep the soil moist. In about a month you can begin to snip leaves for salads and for cooking.

Start another pot of herb seeds in 4 weeks, and this will give you an ongoing harvest. If you have room on the windowsill, have 3 or 4 pots of herbs growing all winter long.

As long as the herb plants receive sun and water, they’ll do very well growing indoors.

Blessed be ~ Happy Mabon

~ Meadow Walker