10 Best Herbs to Grow Indoors for Fresh Flavor All Year

The 10 Best Herbs to Grow Indoors for Fresh Flavors All Year Round

When the colder temperatures arrive, you don't have to say goodbye to your favorite herbs—you can grow them indoors instead. The best herbs to grow indoors all you need is a sunny window to add fresh flavors to your food and serve as fragrant houseplants. Whether you want to grow new seedlings or bring in winter plants, these are the easiest herbs to grow indoors.

1. Basil

Basil is easy to grow indoors for year-round enjoyment. Try growing several varieties of basil to experience a variety of vibrant flavors and colors, and to have easy access to this delicious herb when cooking. Water your basil regularly and ensure its soil drains well to prevent fungal problems. Harvest basil by cutting the leaves from the top of the plant.

2. Cilantro

Grow cilantro indoors from seed so you can easily have a fresh supply year-round. Plant it in an east-facing window that gets plenty of morning light, and in just 30 days, its leaves will be ready to harvest. You can easily cut the leaves with kitchen shears to avoid crushing or bruising them. Replant every two or three weeks, and you'll have a fresh crop you can save or use whenever you need it.

3. Mint

Get started growing mint indoors by purchasing mint seedlings instead of seeds. If you already have a mint plant growing outside in your garden, you can bring it indoors and replant it to extend the growing season. Propagating mint from cuttings is another way to increase your supply of fresh mint.

Place the container on a south-facing kitchen window so the plant receives four to six hours of bright sunlight each day. Once your plant is at least 4 inches tall, you can begin harvesting mint leaves for salads, teas, and spice blends.

04. Oregano

Providing plenty of sunlight for your oregano plant on a south- or west-facing window is key to growing this herb indoors. Whether you bring this plant indoors as a winter houseplant or grow it from seedlings grown in a nursery, you need to ensure that the soil for this plant is well-drained.

Oregano is sensitive to overwatering, so water only when the surface of the soil feels dry. You can begin harvesting oregano sprigs from all over the plant once the stems reach at least 4 inches in length.

05. Parsley

Growing parsley in pots on a windowsill is easy as long as the plant gets plenty of bright, direct light and is watered regularly. This slow-growing herb takes about 14 weeks to mature, so if you want to be able to harvest your plants in the winter, plant parsley seeds indoors in late summer or early fall. Cut back the leaves frequently to encourage new growth. It's best to start a new pot of parsley every month or two for the best harvest.

06. Rosemary

The easiest way to start growing rosemary indoors is to purchase a small, potted variety like the compact 'Blue Boy,' which is ideal for growing indoors. You can also save rosemary cuttings indoors over the winter by taking stem cuttings in the fall before frost.

Grow potted rosemary on a south-facing kitchen window or under lights during the short-day months. To harvest rosemary stems, cut 2 to 3 inches from the top of the new, flexible growth from your plant, which is at least 6 inches tall.

07. Thyme

It is possible to grow delicious thyme indoors if you place the plant in a south-facing window that receives at least six to eight hours of full sun per day. Once the thyme is established, you won't need to worry about overwatering it, as it is a drought-resistant plant.

To prune thyme without killing the plant, be sure not to prune more than half the plant's height at a time. After harvesting, leave at least 5 inches of stem and green leaves on the plant.

08. Chives

Grow chives indoors and easily harvest them year-round. The fastest way to grow chives is to use nursery-grown plants. You can also eat chives grown in the winter after they've spent the summer outdoors.

Make sure to place the plant in a south-facing window where it receives at least four to six hours of direct sunlight per day. To harvest a few chives for cooking, use scissors to trim off the old outer leaves on the outside of the plant when it reaches about 6 inches tall.

09. Sage

Add a little texture to your indoor herb garden with woolly gray sage leaves. Grow sage in a south- or west-facing window that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight per day. When harvesting sage, choose young, tender leaves on tender stems to add more flavor to your savory dishes.

10. Lemongrass

To easily grow lemongrass indoors, simply purchase a fresh lemongrass stalk from the grocery store and root the stalk in a cup of water before placing it in a container. Place the lemongrass in a container on a windowsill that receives at least six hours of sunlight each day. When it's time to harvest your lemongrass, you'll have a fresh supply of this popular herb to enhance your tea, soups, and other dishes with its citrusy aroma and flavor.