You don’t need a giant garden or even an outdoor space to enjoy herbal flavors throughout the year. As long as you have a bright window or grow lights, you can grow some of the best culinary herbs indoors right in your kitchen.
Here’s how to grow the 11 best indoor herbs. Light is the most limiting factor for indoor crops, so pay careful attention to where you place them.
Basil
Basil thrives indoors with at least 6-8 hours of sunlight to prevent legginess.
Basil is a warm-weather herb that traditionally ends its life when temperatures dip below 40°F. Indoor growing opens up another world of year-round pizza, pasta, and pesto without relying on frozen or preserved leaves.
Follow these tips for better tasting basil in your indoor garden this season!
The biggest mistake people make when growing basil indoors is keeping it in low light. This is not a pothos houseplant! Basil requires 6-8 hours of bright sunlight on a south-facing windowsill. Weekly rotations prevent the plant from getting leggy. If your house is shady or faces another direction, a grow light is a must to ensure the longevity of your basil plant. Hang the light 4-6 inches above young plants and raise it as the plant grows.
When basil doesn’t have enough light, it can quickly grow leggy (long and wimpy stems) and lose its delightful fragrance. Other indicators of insufficient light are pale leaves and slow growth.
You must balance basil’s light requirements with its temperature needs. Basil thrives at room temperature (65-75°F), making it a perfect plant for year-round indoor growing.
While it’s unlikely to encounter a killing frost in your home, it can suffer from cold window drafts during the winter.
Basil is technically a tender subtropical perennial, meaning it can grow continuously year after year as long as it’s not exposed to frost. If growing from seed, ensure the soil temperature is at least 75-85°F. You can add a heat mat beneath cell trays to optimize germination.
Indoor basil plants require a container at least 8” deep and 12” wide, or about 3 gallons of soil. This ensures enough space for the plant to grow into its full bushy glory. If you buy a basil plant from the store, consider up-potting it to keep it happy. Basil enjoys a large, deep pot. It does not like crowded roots and prefers to dig deep. Any material will do as long as it has drainage holes at the bottom.
Of all the herbs listed here, basil requires the richest soil. A premium, loamy, well-drained potting mix is ideal for maintaining consistent moisture. Basil also appreciates several scoops of high-quality aged compost or worm castings. You can top it off with extra compost a couple of times each year. This herb truly loves organic matter and fluffy, rich soil.
Basil insists upon consistent moisture. It requires at least 1 inch of water per week. You cannot let the soil dry out, or this herb will become stressed, turn yellow, and wither. If you tend to forget about watering your plants, basil is not the herb for you.
Choose a drought-tolerant Mediterranean herb like oregano, rosemary, thyme, or lavender if you prefer low-maintenance indoor plants. In direct sun, basil pots can dry out more quickly, so check the soil moisture every other day during the summer. In the winter, basil is less likely to suffer from drought indoors, but you still need to maintain consistent moisture with a once or twice-weekly watering.
Whether garnishing a Caprese salad or decorating a homemade pizza, basil is a joy to use in the kitchen. This herb is perfect for picking off a handful of leaves whenever needed. Harvesting basil actually encourages the plant to produce more fragrant leaves. The key is to pinch only the top leaf tips just above a node. A node is the point where the leaves meet the stem. It looks like a little bump in the center of the basil’s opposite leaves.
Use your fingernails or sharp harvesting snips to pinch a cluster of leaves from just above the top node. This signals to the plant to grow bushier and fuller. At the same time, you don’t have to worry about excess stems in your recipes. Leave the stems on the plant to rejuvenate full growth.
If you pick in an arbitrary spot (not near a node), you may notice the remainder of the stem turning yellow. Simply prune it to the previous node and watch the plant start again!
Chives
Chives, perfect for garnishing, grow well indoors in small pots with good drainage.
These slender onion relatives are perfect for garnishing any meal. In contrast to scallions and onions, perennial chives grow like a bunch of grass. They thrive in even the smallest pot and are easy to keep alive indoors.
However, they are unlikely to produce their pretty purple flowers inside your home. You can always transplant a clump of chives from your container outdoors to enjoy the beautiful (and delicious) blooms!
Chives need full sun or at least 6 hours of light. A south-facing window is ideal, but you can get away with other orientations if you accept slower growth. The plant is much more adaptable than some other herbs, and leggy growth is less of a concern. Still, the leaves can turn limp or yellow under low-light conditions.
An average room temperature of 65-75°F is perfect for chives. They can also take some summer heat. Move your chive containers outdoors during the summer for robust growth. These plants go dormant in frosty conditions, so they are best overwintered indoors to garnish your dishes with fresh chives throughout the winter.
Choose a pot of any size, as long as it has drainage holes. Chives are not particularly deep-rooted, nor are they picky about their pots. Still, a pot at least 6 inches deep ensures plenty of space. You’ll often find them in 4-inch pots at nurseries and grocery stores. Up-potting will allow your chive clumps to multiply. Their clump-growing tendency is aesthetically pleasing as well. They look like a little accent grass on your windowsill or shelf.
A simple potting soil is fine for chives. Light, fluffy, and well-drained mixes keep this perennial allium happy. If the soil feels heavy or waterlogged, amend it with perlite or compost. Ensure that the soil level stays at the base of the chive plant so the slender leaves don’t get buried and rot.
Chives are less needy than basil. Depending on the humidity and season, you can water them once or twice a week. Like many perennial herbs on this list, chives like to dry out a little before the next watering. Check the soil with your finger. When your skin comes out mostly clean (with still a little bit of soil stuck to it), give the plant a deep watering until water pours out of the drainage hole into the catchment tray.
Harvesting chives is like giving them a haircut! Wait until the plant is at least 6 inches tall. Grab a bundle of leaves in one hand and your sharp shears in the other. You can cut off as much as you’d like to use as long as you leave behind a few inches at the base. This actually stimulates more growth. They will re-grow from the base and provide an everlasting harvest.
Mint
Mint, great for containers due to its spreading habit, needs 6-8 hours of sunlight in a south-facing window.
With its aggressive spreading habit in the garden, this fragrant herb is best grown in containers! A pot keeps mint under control and allows you to grow right where you use it. Mint is known for its excitable attitude and grows very easily without much effort.
Mint needs at least 6-8 hours of sunlight. Like most herbs, a south-facing window is ideal. In hotter climates closer to the Equator, give mint a little more shade in the afternoon. A translucent curtain does the trick! You can rotate the container every week to maintain even growth on all sides.
Mint thrives at mild temperatures between 55 and 70°F. The plant is frost tolerant but it dies back to ground level for the winter. If you want to enjoy minty teas throughout the cold months, bring plants indoors and keep them near your other herbs at room temperature. You can move it back outside in the spring if you’d like to enjoy the companion planting benefits near your vegetables.
The right container for mint is at least 12” in diameter and 6” deep. Drainage holes are essential, and a terracotta or unglazed clay pot is even better for evening out soil moisture. Although mint loves water, you don’t want its roots to rot in a container of soggy soil.
A simple potting mix will work well for mint. The plant doesn’t need anything special and tolerates poorer soils. A slow-release fertilizer or compost addition can help the plant take off, but beware of adding too much nitrogen, as this can reduce the fragrant smell of mint. If you want to enjoy the minty fresh smell, a very small amount of balanced organic fertilizer ensures the plant optimizes its essential oil production.
Mint is a water-loving herb that likes consistent soil moisture. The soil should not dry out regularly. Typically, you can water twice per week or slightly more in dry climates. Provide a generous soak until water pours out of the bottom drainage holes. Try not to get the mint leaves wet; instead, water from the base.
Like basil, mint benefits from regular harvests. Harvesting dual functions as pruning and encourages new growth. Wait until plants are 4-6 inches tall. The flavor is most intense just before flowering, but indoor mint plants don’t always bloom, so take a whiff and harvest when you like the aroma.
When making a minty tea, cocktail, or herbal chutney, use your fingernails or sharp scissors to pluck upper leaf clusters and encourage bushy growth. When you cut the stem just above the first or second set of leaves, the lower stem and nodes are left behind to re-grow.
You can also harvest individual leaves from the stems. If you leave a node behind and water generously, mint will regenerate itself quickly. Never harvest more than two-thirds of the entire plant at a time. Mint is robust but not invincible!
Parsley
Parsley, adaptable for indoor growth with space for its taproot, can be flat-leaf or curly.
Although some warn against growing parsley indoors, this deep-rooted Italian herb can adapt as long as its taproot has enough space to grow. You can choose between flat-leaf or curly (moss) parsley or grow them side-by-side! Because the seeds take so long to germinate, it is easiest to start with seedlings and transplant them into your containers.
Parsley prefers direct sunlight for 6-8 hours per day. It tolerates some shade in southern climates, but a south or west-facing window is best in most homes. Curly-leaved parsley may be more adaptable to lower lighting conditions. When indoor parsley isn’t getting enough sun, the leaves will look pale or yellow, and the stems may elongate toward the window.
The ideal growing temperature for this herb is 68-75°F, making it a no-brainer for indoor growing. If growing from seed, ensure the soil is at least 65°F and add a heating mat if desired.
Choose a medium-large container for parsley’s deep taproot. A 3-5 gallon window planter will give you the best results, but this herb will tolerate smaller. The depth of the container is more important than the diameter. If growing multiple plants, provide at least 8” of space between them. As always, this herb needs drainage holes in its container. You can use a diamond-top drill bit to add holes to containers without them.
Parsley likes a general loamy soil blend with moderate fertility. Additional compost ensures adequate drainage and water retention. Amend with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer once or twice a year for an added boost.
Parsley likes to be watered once or twice per week. Use your finger to check that the soil is wet at least 2-3 inches down. Allow it to dry before giving the plant a drink again. Try to keep the leaves dry when watering by aiming irrigation at the base.
You can clip leaves at any time once the plant reaches 5-6” tall. The easiest way to harvest is from the stems, where they meet the base of the plant. Gently snap off the lowest outer stalks first, just like harvesting kale or chard.
Scallions
Scallions, annuals grown in pots together, need around 6 hours of daily sunlight for fast growth.
Also called green onions, scallions are simply baby onions with the leaves still attached. Unlike chives, they are annuals that grow from individual bulbs (rather than a perennial clump). However, you can grow lots of scallions together in a small pot and harvest them in a bunch, like the green onions at the grocery store.
These fast-growing alliums are super beginner-friendly. You can improve the bottom blanching (white, flavorful mini bulbs) by mounding the soil up around the base of young plants. There are even viral gardening hacks that show you how to grow entire scallion plants from the “butts” of store-bought green onions.
Scallions don’t mind partial shade, but they grow fastest with about 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. They don’t need to be as close to the window or grow lights as other herbs. Under low lighting, scallions may develop pale, weak stems that flop over.
Scallion seeds germinate best in soil temperatures around 70-85°F. The plants enjoy a modest room temperature and tolerate cold drafts and even mild frosts.
Like their full-sized onion relatives, green onions are shallow-rooted. You don’t need a particularly deep container; just 4-6” deep will do. A shallow, wide, rectangular pot can produce a great indoor crop of scallions. Sow seeds ¼” apart and ¼” deep, filling the container surface. If you want thicker scallions, thin to 1” between plants. The green onions will grow similarly to chives and look like a pleasant accent on your windowsill.
Use soil rich in compost and a drainage material like perlite. Scallions are not picky about nutrients and don’t require much fertilizer. The key to great green onions is actually related to how you mound the soil. Also called “blanching” or “hilling up,” plants do best when the bottom few inches are buried in soil.
This forces the plant to grow taller and develop crisp, white stalks with superior flavor and more uses in the kitchen. Before seeding your scallions, fill the container with soil and leave an inch or two of space at the top to hill them up once they reach 4” in height. You can hill them again at 6-8” tall.
Green onions enjoy a generous soaking once weekly, depending on weather conditions. About an inch of water is ideal. Remember that the plants are shallow-rooted, so they can dry out quickly in hot or dry weather. The soil should remain consistently moist but never soggy. Green onion bulbs can rot if there isn’t enough drainage in their root zone.
Cilantro
Cilantro, a cool-weather herb, can be grown indoors in a deep container for extended leaf harvest and regrowth.
This indoor herb operates on an opposite schedule from most. As salsa’s best friend, cilantro is a summer essential. However, this cool-weather herb is infamous for bolting in hot summer weather when we need it most!
Growing cilantro inside is a great way to extend its season and prevent it from going to seed. Start cilantro in containers outdoors in the spring and bring it inside once daytime temperatures exceed 80°F. The milder indoor environment will keep cilantro in its leaf production phase and allow you to easily access leaves for a weekly taco night.
Cilantro loves full sun and prefers at least 6 hours a day. However, extreme heat can signal the plant to bolt and produce seeds. If you like coriander, let those seeds go! But if you want more leaves, prevent bolting by keeping cilantro a bit farther from the window during the summer.
This herb thrives in cool temperatures between 50 and 70°F. Evidence shows that the plant starts seeding around 85°F, so as long as it is cooler in your house (I hope so!), cilantro can keep growing aromatic leaves all summer.
Cilantro is not picky about its container, but deeper is always better. A pot at least 12-18” wide and 10-12” deep ensures the roots can penetrate the soil and continuously send up new leaves. Like chives and basil, cilantro can provide an infinite harvest as long as the roots are healthy and the growing tip is left intact at the base of the plant.
Your standard loamy potting mix works great for cilantro. It enjoys fluffy, well-drained soil that allows water to flow through without becoming soggy. Compost improves its growth and usually meets its nutrient needs as well.
You can irrigate cilantro on a similar schedule to parsley. It likes consistently moist soil and tolerates some drying. Check the soil once or twice a week to ensure it is mildly wet. Water if the upper inches of soil feel dry or chalky. In hotter temperatures or lower humidity, water more often. Cilantro will tell you when it is thirsty by wilting. It promptly perks back up when you give it a drink.
You can pick cilantro leaves one by one or by the stalk. It’s easy to pinch branches from the base like parsley or cut leaf clusters above each node like basil. The plant will continuously produce more leaves for as long as you care for it. If the roots are well-established, you can even cut it entirely back with scissors (like you do with chives) and watch it re-grow completely.
Lemon Balm
Lemon balm, with its citrus-mint aroma, can be container-grown in partial shade.
The fragrant, soothing aroma of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is reminiscent of citrus and mint. It’s a lovely herb to have around if you enjoy herbal tea or a zesty accent to your salads.
This plant traditionally grows into a large shrub outdoors, but keeping it compact in a container is easy. Most growth requirements are similar to mint, as they are closely related.
Partial shade is just fine for lemon balm, making this plant great for an east or west-facing window. The leaves don’t like harsh heat or direct sunlight. However, you cannot grow it in complete shade because the leaves will lack fragrance if they don’t have enough light.
Lemon balm is a cold-hardy herbaceous perennial that dies back in the winter and regenerates in the spring. The roots are frost-tolerant, but the foliage is not. You can easily keep the plant alive year-round indoors or bring it inside for the winter before it goes dormant. Room temperature is great for this mint-family herb.
Choose a pot at least 8-10” in diameter and 12” deep. These plants like to produce deep roots that spread. If you keep lemon balm in a container for a long time, you should lift the plant at least once a year to divide it or prune the root system. Ensure there are drainage holes and a catchment tray beneath the pot.
Use a quality soil blend rich in organic matter. Loamy, free-draining soil ensures the plant won’t rot in humid environments. Otherwise, the lemon balm doesn’t have any special nutrient or soil needs.
Consistent moisture keeps lemon balm happy and perky. They tolerate a little drought but do best with morning watering once or twice a week. In the winter, you can water less. Let water drain out the bottom of the container, and then stop irrigating. Lemon balm leaves will look dry, limp, crispy, or yellow when they aren’t getting enough water. The plant may look droopy if you overwater, and the stem bases can rot off.
Pick lemon balm leaves just like mint or basil. You can cut whole sprigs for flavorful cocktail accents or pinch leaf clusters to mix into salads. The plant readily re-grows, so you don’t have to worry about over-harvesting.
Oregano
Mediterranean herbs, including oregano, share similar needs for sunlight, well-drained soil, and drought conditions.
The remaining indoor-friendly herbs on this list are Mediterranean natives with very similar needs. While there are some nuances to harvesting and pruning, these plants can be irrigated and cared for on the same schedule.
Mediterranean herbs generally enjoy extra well-drained soil, mild drought conditions, and lots of bright, warm sunshine.
Provide this pizza herb with full sun or at least 6 hours of direct light daily. It enjoys a location close to a window or grow light. If you only have east or west-facing windows, choose a shade-tolerant variety like golden oregano.
Oregano has a wide temperature tolerance but does best around 60-80°F. You can move pots to a patio in the summer and bring them indoors for winter harvests. In humid climates, maintain plenty of airflow through the leaves.
As one of the easiest herbs to grow in a container, oregano can adapt to almost any pot. It can grow in small windowsill containers of any shape. Terracotta or clay pots are the best for Mediterranean herbs because the earthen material allows airflow into the soil profile and prevents root rot.
Oregano likes well-drained soil with plenty of drainage and low fertility. Sand, perlite, or pea gravel are great additions. A succulent soil mixed with a little bit of compost creates a nice environment for Mediterranean herbs. Avoid fertilizing or adding manure-based compost.
Oregano tolerates moderately dry soils and likes to dry out between waterings. Provide a half-inch to one inch of water per week. Many gardeners prefer to wait until the upper few inches of soil are dry before watering deeply again. Deeper and less frequent waterings are ideal. Allow the water to flow all the way through the soil profile and out of the drainage hole, then stop. You can also use a pebble tray to bottom water this drought-tolerant herb.
When plants reach at least 6” tall, cut oregano sprigs with sharp, clean scissors, leaving behind at least an inch of growth so the plant can re-grow. The flavor is most intense in mid-summer, just before blooming, but you can harvest oregano any time.
Rosemary
Rosemary is suitable for indoor growing by meeting its sunlight needs through patio cultivation and winter indoor care.
Some gardeners warn against growing rosemary indoors because it is difficult to meet its light requirements. While it is true that rosemary craves bright sunlight, it is a good option for patio-growing in the summer and bringing indoors during the winter.
A minimum of 8 hours of direct sunlight per day is necessary to keep rosemary happy. Supplemental grow lights provide a huge boost, particularly in northern or cloudy regions. Rosemary is unlikely to flower indoors unless it receives a lot of light. A lack of sunlight can lead to pale foliage, slow growth, or dropping leaves.
Warm, dry air closely mimics rosemary’s Mediterranean roots. Room temperatures between 60 and 80°F are perfect. In humid climates, keep rosemary closer to a south or west-facing window so the sun can dry it out. Afternoon breezes are helpful to prevent mildew or fungal diseases on the leaves. Rosemary tolerates mild frost but does best indoors during cold weather.
Rosemary isn’t only grown in terracotta pots for aesthetics! You will notice a trend with Mediterranean herbs: They all love terra cotta and clay containers because of their breathability. Rosemary roots are very susceptible to root rot and prefer the water-wicking properties of an earthen pot. Choose the largest pot possible for rosemary to reach its full glory.
Consider a 5-8 gallon pot on a rolling base to move this beautiful fragrant shrub in and out of your home. If you don’t have this space, choose a container at least 10-12” deep and 6-8” in diameter. A large drainage hole is essential. Bottom watering with a catchment tray can be very useful for preventing root rot.
Drainage is key for rosemary. It loves gravelly and even rocky soil without much fertility. Choose a blend with pea gravel, crushed limestone, perlite, and/or horticultural sand. A little bit of compost can provide a mineral boost, but don’t add any super-rich fertilizer.
This drought-tolerant herb prefers to dry out between each watering. Depending on the pot size, it may tolerate watering once every two weeks. Stick your finger in the soil and check that it is dry at least 3-4” deep before irrigating again. Water deeply until the water pours out of the bottom of the pot, then let the plant be for a while. Rosemary can thrive on neglect and doesn’t mind if you forget a few waterings.
It is easy to snip off rosemary sprigs with scissors anytime you need them. You can also harvest the tips to encourage bushier growth. Use your harvests as an opportunity to prune the plant to your desired shape. Rosemary enjoys regular “hard” prunings once or twice a year, cutting back about one-third of the plant. You can even cut it like a gumdrop topiary or another fun shape!
Sage
Sage, suitable for indoor cultivation, needs 8 hours of sunlight and well-drained loamy soil.
For a warming aromatic winter, keep sage in your kitchen in a pot. Almost any variety of culinary sage tolerates indoor growing and may even flower in an extra sunny south-facing windowsill!
Provide at least 8 hours of sunlight and keep sage in the same conditions as rosemary.
Sage doesn’t mind a little chill, but it thrives between 60 and 70°F in a home environment. You can move this heat-tolerant plant to a patio or porch during summer. Don’t forget to bring it back indoors in the fall so the plant doesn’t dip too far below freezing.
Terra cotta or clay is the best material for a sage plant. You can grow it in a fairly small pot, but larger containers are best for longevity. Up-pot or divide the plant annually to make room for new growth.
Sage enjoys loamier soil than other Mediterranean herbs but still demands drainage. Avoid over-fertilizing, as too much nitrogen can diminish the flavor. Usually, a few scoops of compost is sufficient to meet sage’s nutrient needs.
In the early stages, sage needs water once or twice a week. Imagine the soil remaining as wet as a wrung-out sponge; it should be slightly moist but never dripping or soggy. When mature, you can water sage every week or every other week on the same schedule as rosemary. Always check the soil first! It likes to dry out before drinking again.
Cut sage sprigs from the central stem or pinch individual leaves. Never harvest or prune more than two-thirds of the plant’s foliage at a time.
Thyme
Thyme, an easygoing herb, requires well-drained soil with sand or gravel.
We could all use more thyme! While this plant can’t lengthen the day, its health benefits make it a worthwhile addition to roasts, soups, and meat or fish rubs. Thyme is low-growing and even comes in creeping varieties that can grow in the base of other pots. This is probably the easiest-going Mediterranean herb you can plant!
Grow thyme on a windowsill with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight. Creeping varieties tolerate less light and can even dangle down from a hanging basket or the base of another container.
Room temperatures between 65 and 85°F keep thyme happy. These plants are very cold-hardy but go dormant under freezing temperatures. For year-round growth, keep the plant protected.
Thyme doesn’t mind a shallow or oddly shaped container. It can even creep along the base of a larger container, such as beneath a rosemary plant or houseplant. Just be sure the roots can breathe (earthen terra cotta is best!) and drain through a drainage hole.
Thyme likes average, low-fertility soil with exceptional drainage. It isn’t as picky as rosemary and lavender, but it still enjoys some sand or gravel to keep water flowing through. Don’t let it get wet feet!
Thyme is very drought tolerant. Water every other week or even once a month. You should let the soil dry out completely, then give it a heavy drench. Wait until water saturates the soil profile, then let the plant be for another couple of weeks until it dries again.
Harvest thyme just like chives and oregano. Give it a haircut a few inches from the base, and let it grow back right before your eyes!
Final Thoughts
No matter what herbs you pick to grow indoors, light and drainage are the most limiting factors. Ensure you have a bright, south-facing window or at least a west-facing window with supplemental lighting. Always amend container herbs with materials that improve drainage, such as perlite or compost. Don’t forget to harvest regularly to promote more aromatic growth!
