10 Insanely Easy Herbs to Grow Indoors

In my post, Top 10 Absolutely Greatest Vegetables to Grow Indoors Easily, I shared 10 vegetables that grow easily in your home. But you don’t have to limit yourself to just vegetables in the home! There are 10 insanely easy herbs to grow indoors. And herbs are actually even easier to care for inside than those vegetables are.

Herbs are not as “needy” as vegetables are as far as sunlight and water. The biggest difference when planting herbs indoors is that herbs seem to grow and develop better if started from cuttings or from nursery plants. That’s not saying you can’t start herb seeds indoors, but a higher success rate happens from cuttings and nursery plants.

Another difference when growing herbs indoors is in the harvesting. Whereas vegetables grow until they produce the end product and their lifespan is pretty much over, herbs keep right on giving. As a matter of fact, some herbs do better when they are harvested from often. So what are the easy herbs to grow indoors? Read on to learn about them now.

Insanely Easy Herbs to Grow Indoors

1. Lemon Balm:

The best way to grow Lemon Balm is to start the seeds or a starter plant in the winter. Come spring or summer you can place the plant outside. Lemon Balm is a low light herb that will grow best in an east or a west-facing window and requires regular watering up to 3 times a week depending on humidity levels.

2. Chives:

This herb grows just about anywhere as it tolerates low lighting. Chives can be harvested often like lettuce and will resprout growth almost immediately. It loves moist soil and occasional misting may be required.

3. Mint:

Mint grows extremely well in containers as it will take over a garden outdoors. It is most forgiving of conditions and it is hard to kill this plant except in total neglect. To have an abundant harvest throughout the winter, water regularly and pinch back often to encourage bushy growth.

4. Parsley:

Parsley prefers cooler temperatures and east or west-facing windows also. It likes freely draining soil and needs to be watered only occasionally. Harvest as needed and it will replenish itself.

5. Basil:

When growing Basil indoors be sure to choose the smaller globe types. Most people are more successful with these types indoors. Basil prefers sun, maybe more than most herbs so you may want to consider a south-facing window for this plant to thrive.

6. Cilantro:

Cilantro is a short-lived herb so you may want to replant the seeds to this plant at 2 to 3-week intervals for a continuous harvest through the winter. It does prefer cooler temperatures so allow to be in an east or west-facing window. Soil needs to be free draining and it likes watering only occasionally.

7. Thyme:

This herb does wonderfully in a pot but needs to be started from a division of the original plant. It is easy to propagate from cuttings and is easy to care for once established. Thyme does prefer a lot of sun so this is another herb for a south-facing window where it can receive 5 hours of sunlight.

8. Lemon Grass:

This is one of the easy herbs to grow indoors. Simply buy some from the grocery store, bring it home and place it in a jar of water. It will thrive all winter as long as you change the water frequently. Snip what you need just like you would green onions. No maintenance.

9. Oregano:

This herb is easily started with cuttings from an older plant. Just place the cuttings into some soil in a small cup, and water. Oregano needs sun so you need to add this herb to a south-facing window. Transplant when roots are well established or it outgrows the cup. Check the soil often and water before the soil dries too much.

Learn about Oregano and 5 other herbs for homesteaders to see what else is popular in the herb garden of homesteaders!

10. Rosemary:

Start Rosemary from cuttings of 4 inches in length taken from a well-developed plant. Strip the lower foliage and place it into the soil. Cover the container and the plant with plastic to allow for humidity levels to reach a high enough level for roots to start. Once roots are established, place the plant in a slightly larger container and keep in warmer temperatures. Water as needed.

As you can see, these easy herbs to grow indoors will provide you with a great harvest throughout the winter or all year long, and with little maintenance on your part. Why not start your own herb garden indoors today?

For more information check out this detailed post on starting an herb garden indoors from How To Culinary Herb Garden or download a free PDF from Penn State University all about growing herbs indoors. If you want to learn how to start preserving the herbs you grow indoors then read Intro to Herbs or Preserving Herbs on the Homestead.

Do you grow herbs inside the home? What do you grow?