Last updated on December 2nd, 2011
Kitchen Counter Herb Garden. L-R: thyme; rosemary; parsley, silver-leaved thyme; sage; golden oregano; chives.
If you enjoy cooking, and rely all summer on your outdoor herb patch for flavorings, you will also want some pots of herbs indoors in winter. You can grow these with other plants in any sunny window in the house, although the ideal spot is the kitchen, of course, where the herbs will be used. But what if your kitchen windows are sunless, northern exposures like mine? Do you give up on the idea of fresh, home-grown herbs in winter? No way!
To solve my own dull-window-issue, I installed a fluorescent light unit beneath a bank of cabinets, and created a lovely — and prosperous — little herb garden right on my kitchen counter. To raise shorter herbs closer to the light, I set them on glass shelves balanced on inverted pots. Clay pots suit herbs better than plastic ones, and inexpensive “cool white” fluorescents are just as growth-inducing as pricey “full spectrum” or “Gro-Lux” lights.
I’ve found that less than a dozen different herbs make an excellent culinary garden, and whether you grow more than one pot of each depends on your own taste-preference and available space. For the best performance, use young, potted herbs obtained from an herb specialist or a local plant nursery. Herbs that have grown all summer in the open garden are monster-sized, and surgery is required in order to fit them into smallish pots.
Providing they neither dry out nor get too hot, herbs make wonderful houseplants. Daily checking of soil is essential, though rarely daily watering. Herbs do not readily recover from drought, however, and constant wetness is lethal. That’s a nice balance to work out, but not an impossible one if you use a well-draining soil.
Which herbs shall we grow? Well, I suppose we all want parsley, probably two pots of it, since we snip it not only for flavor but decoration, too. (Don’t be afraid to clip all of your parsley; under lights, the plant will completely renew itself in 2-3 weeks). Then we need chives, cut finely and often for soups, salads, and creamy hors d’oeurvres. Basil is a must for spaghetti sauce; ditto for oregano. Be sure to have a pot of thyme for both stuffing and butternut squash soup, and sage for stuffing and frying. Mint, of course, is the secret to fresh-tasting deserts.
Then there is marjoram and something called “winter savory.” But do people actually use these herbs?
Want more gardening tips and tricks? Subscribe to Kevin’s free, weekly newsletter!
Related Posts:
Recipe: Shirred Eggs with Herbs & Garlic
Creating a Window Garden
Puffed Herb & Cheese Cocktail Appetizers
How To Make Your Own Potting Soil
Overwintering Tender Herbs & Annuals
Gardening Under Lights: Fluorescent Setups & Culture
Maureen says
Good Evening Kevin
You have inspired me once again…tell me what potting mixture you are using. I have a small rosemary plant I want to bring. I have never had much success with rosemary inside. Any tips? Thanks.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Maureen – great to see you!
Indoors, Rosemary tends to fail when the house heat comes on, and humidity plummets. Cool temperatures (around 60 degrees), moist air, and plentiful light are the keys to success. Set the plant on a tray (or large saucer) of pebbles and water to boost humidity.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Maureen – I forgot to answer your soil question. I make my own, peat-free potting mixture for herbs, using equal parts leaf mold, garden soil, and sand. You can find this “recipe” in the March archives.
But most commercial potting mixtures are well-draining, too.
Eric says
Kevin, how many hours of fluorescent light do your herbs receive?
Holly says
I hope you have some tips for me. I really want to bring in my own parsley (curly leaf), but it has been growing out in the open. Any steps I can take to make the plant come back to life once it has been potted?
Alisa says
I love cooking with fresh herbs. Thanks for the advise. Can herbs be grown from seeds as well?
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Eric – my herbs receive 16 hours of daily illumination.
Holly – This is how you handle garden-grown parsley for an indoor pot-life: Dig the plant up, trim roots to accommodate a crocked, 4-inch clay pot, and then cut off all but 2-inches of top growth (to make up for the now-missing roots). Water well and place under lights or in a sunny window. You should see new growth in 6-8 weeks.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Alisa – yes, you can grow herbs from seeds, either beneath fluorescents or in a window that receives direct sun. I'll admit that most herb seeds are painfully slow to germinate. Plan on at least a 3-month wait until leaves are of harvest-size, especially if you are growing parsley. Alternatively, you can take cuttings of such herbs as mint, and root them in pots of well-draining soil. This, as you can imagine, saves a considerable amount of time!
Gregory says
Wouldn't basil get too big for a kitchen counter set up?
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Gregory – if any herbs grow too big, it's because they aren't being used!
cajones says
This is great news because I’ve hated the florescent lighting underneath the cabinets in my rental..! I had no idea, but now I know that i can utilize them beautifully. Can you give me more details on the type of bulb you used?? I’ve looked online but can’t seem to find an easy answer 🙂
Justine (Victoria BC Zone 9) says
It’s that time of year when we start looking at which plants to bring indoors… if an herb plant is flowering, is it too late to consider bringing it indoors? Almost all my herbs are flowering right now! Thanks Kevin!