Best Herbs to Plant Indoors The following herbs make the perfect culinary companions to grow indoors and are hardy enough to survive year-round. Consult your local nursery for high-quality, non- GMO seeds, starts and herb varietals to suit your taste.
Sunlight and temperature
Fertilizer Don’t forget to fertilize! Most herbs do best with seaweed extract or fish emulsion, both of which contain ample amounts of nitrogen. During the warmer months, spritz your herbs with fertilizer once a week; in the colder months and during slower growth, fertilize once a month.
A good rule of thumb is to give your herbs at least six to eight hours of bright light per day. Herbs prefer indoor temperatures between 65 and 70 degrees and will do well in most indoor environments. Many herbs love a sunny window, but take care when you place them— if the leaves are touching the glass, they can burn as the window heats up with sunlight. Alternately, herbs can get too cold next to drafty windows, so consider insulating your windows or placing a towel between the window and its screen.
Basil
Watering
Who can resist the refreshing aroma of fresh basil, let alone the taste of fresh-picked leaves atop a margherita pizza? Basil is easy to start from seed and loves sun and warmth. Place in a south-facing window, and prune the leaves regularly to encourage growth. Chives A perennial herb with pretty purple flowers, chives are part of the onion family and lend a sweet onion-y flavor to dishes with their long, green stems. Chives thrive in full sun and partial shade and prefer moist soil. Their compact growth habits make them the perfect addition to a small kitchen herb garden.
Most herbs do best with slow, infrequent watering. Let containers dry out slightly between watering, while periodically testing the soil with your finger. When the soil is dry a couple inches from the top, water your herbs. Make sure to water slowly and thoroughly so that your herbs will fully absorb the water.
Soil
Don’t skimp on soil—spring for the high-quality stuff, and you’ll get high-quality herbs in return. Opt for an organic, non-GMO pottingmix whenever possible, andmake sure it is pottingmix, not potting soil. Specially suited for indoor plants, pottingmix is lighter and will allow for plenty of drainage with your herbs. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can also make your own special pottingmix with coco peat or peat moss, perlite, and coarse sand. Consult your local nursery for tips onmaking the best blend for your herbs.
Air Circulation
Your herbs will need plenty of fresh air to thrive. Avoid crowding your plants, and rearrange them occasionally. This will get the air flowing and will give them room to breathe.
Love
Plants need love, too! Give your herbs a little pep-talk and they’ll get a boost from the carbon dioxide you exude. Running your hand over your herbs will also simulate wind and help strengthen their stems.
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