How to Grow Herbs Indoors All Year Round

An indoor herb garden is the gateway drug to growing your own food. It's cheap, it's gratifying, and the difference between a sprig of basil cut 30 seconds ago and one bought a week ago is enormous. Here is how to make it actually work — including in apartments with limited light.

Best herbs for indoor growing

• Basil — fast-growing, sun-loving, the highest-reward herb.
• Mint — almost indestructible. Keep in its own pot; it bullies neighbors.
• Parsley — slow to start, then steady producer for 6+ months.
• Chives — tolerant of medium light, regrows after every cut.
• Thyme and oregano — slow-growing but very forgiving.
• Cilantro — fast, but bolts quickly. Sow new pots every 3 weeks.

Skip rosemary, sage, and lavender indoors unless you have a south-facing window and good airflow — they sulk and rot in typical kitchen humidity.

Light requirements

Most culinary herbs are Mediterranean and want 6+ hours of direct sun. A south- or west-facing window is ideal. If you don't have that, a simple LED grow light (under $40) on a 12-hour timer placed 6–12 inches above the plants will outperform any windowsill in a north-facing apartment.

Containers and soil

Use pots at least 6 inches deep with drainage holes. Standard potting mix works — avoid garden soil, which compacts in containers. Group herbs with similar water needs: basil and parsley together, thyme and oregano together, mint by itself.

Watering and feeding

Check daily by sticking a finger into the soil. Water when the top inch is dry. Feed every 2–3 weeks with a half-strength liquid fertilizer — indoor herbs are heavy producers and quickly exhaust container nutrients.

Harvesting for more growth

The single biggest mistake is harvesting too timidly. Pinch basil and mint stems just above a leaf node — this triggers two new branches. Harvest 1/3 of the plant at a time; never more than half. Frequent cutting makes the plant bushier and more productive.

Frequently asked questions