Come and learn all the tips and tricks for an indoor kitchen herb garden. Learn how to plant a kitchen herb garden and get the herbs to grow well.Save this article to Pinterest so you can always find it!
During the cooler months in Michigan, I miss my fresh herbs. We grow so many outside during the warmer seasons that winter and early spring can leave me frustrated. I hate needing to buy herbs from the grocery store because the cost can really add up. If you have made my recipes on the website then you know how often I tend to cook with fresh herbs. This season I’ve found that growing an indoor kitchen herb garden is really the best way to make sure I have the herbs I love and don’t spend a fortune on buying little packages of them from the store.
Decide which herbs to grow
Pick your kitchen herbs based on what you enjoy cooking. Some people might tell you that you should have a variety of herbs growing, but if you never cook with cilantro or lemon grass, why grow them? When you are growing a kitchen herb garden inside the house then your space is usually limited. If you only use rosemary once in a while, maybe it doesn’t make sense to squeeze it into your already limited space? Plan to plant the herbs you love and will truly use.
For me, this means thyme, sage, rosemary, parsley and basil. I will sometimes use chives and they are easy enough to grow that I add them in. I also have more room than most people because my kitchen is fairly large. However, if there are only three or four herbs you really enjoy using, make sure those get the priority in your space.
Here is a large list of culinary herbs to consider if you really love to cook.
Available light
Think about the available light in your space. How many hours of sun does it get? Most herbs need at least 6 hours of sunlight per day. In Michigan this can get tricky because even though we technically get 6 hours of sun in the winter, our winters are very grey. We often have overcast skies and the sun might be hidden for January and part of February. If we are very unlucky that season December is cloudy too.
I find December, January and early February the most difficult months for growing my Kitchen Herb Garden. In these months, I need to use grow lights. I have some for the greenhouse that I will bring indoors. You can find them {HERE}. The first year we lived here we did not have a green house and I started all my seedlings in the basement with these lights.
The good news is, even if you don’t have great light, you can usually get the plants to grow well enough with the grow lights.
Picking the correct planter
Picking kitchen planters might not seem like a big deal, but to get the kitchen herb garden to grow successfully you will want to understand the benefits and drawbacks to each type of planter.
Terracotta
Terracotta is almost always my top pot of choice. I love that it is actually natural and I love the look of it. Terracotta usually has great water flow too. However, terracotta will also soak up some of the water and that can cause the soil to dry out faster. If you are planting in terracotta make sure you are either checking the water daily or planting plants that prefer drier soil in it.
Ceramic, stone or concrete
I love a good stone planter and for growing an indoor Kitchen Herb Garden, I love to use these if I have any floating around. They are durable and hold up really well over time. However, keep in mind, stone will be heavy and more than likely the most costly too. If you are using a few small planters it might not be a big deal, but larger planters can be fairly pricey. Also, make sure that these pots have good drainage. While this isn’t specific for the kitchen herb garden, make sure these pots don’t freeze. Some are frost resistant. Others will crack and break.
Plastic or Fiberglass
Fiberglass and plastic are often the least expensive pots you can find. They will be the lightest when full too. You need to be sure these pots have proper drainage if you want to go in this direction. I have fiberglass and plastic pots but I tend not to use them often. I just generally don’t like the feel and look. I prefer the more natural pots, but that is personal preference. They are still a good, viable option.
Wood
I almost never use wood planters but they are a good option too. They are natural insulators and will help to keep plants cooler or warmer depending on the weather. Although, this isn’t specifically important for planting an indoor kitchen herb garden. If you want to use wood, pick Redwood, Cedar or Teak. They will hold up the best. Also, you should line them with something on the bottom. They will degrade over time without it since they are natural.
Metal
I have a love hate relationship with metal. You can see I have used it here in my kitchen herb garden. I love that you can buy larger tubs so you can plant several things at once. Inside, some of the weather issues they have – like getting too hot when it is hot or – are eliminated. They are resistant to freezing if outside too, although they do tend to warp some. The issue I have with them has more to due with my water. We have well water and even though we have multiple filters on the water, I’ve found over time the metal will rust. If you have hard water, just keep an eye out for that too.
When to plant
If you want to start your kitchen herb garden from seeds, know it will take about 6 weeks to get usable herbs. The herbs need to be large enough that they can sustain themselves after a cutting. If you only have a few leaves on the plant, you are likely to kill it by taking them.
If you want more specialized herbs then the best way to get them it to grow them from seeds and wait. If you plant them inside in late August, the plants should be flourishing by the time the outdoor plants are dying back.
If you only want to grow some of the most common kitchen herbs, you can usually buy those as seedlings, even if it is from the grocery store. You can easily plant these up and have usable herbs within a week or two once the plant has taken root.
Soil for planting
The soil you plant your kitchen herb garden is in just as important – if not more important – than the herbs. For all my indoor plants, no matter what they are, I use FoxFarm Ocean Forest. You can find it {HERE}. Sometimes I can find this at local nurseries too but I prefer to buy it online because the bag is large, heavy and I hate carrying it. However, the soil is like black gold for plants. It includes earthworm castings, bat guano, sea-going fish and crab meal and more.
All of this means it has a lot of good and healthy things for your plants. It is ideal for container planting and it is the only soil that I have found that does not come with bugs. If you have gotten those little pesky gnats in your plants, it is likely due to your soil. I’ve never had that issue using this.
If you feel like you need to fertilize the plants, wait at least one month in between and then use a water soluble fertilizer.
Companion Planting Herbs
Even in your indoor kitchen garden, think about companion planting. This allows you to save space and plant plants that enjoy the same conditions with one another. Some herbs can tolerate wetter soil and full sun, but others prefer a drier soil and maybe only 6 hours of sun. These plants can all be planted with their companions that enjoy the same conditions.
My only exception for companion planting is mint. I always plant that by itself. Some people also like to plant thyme or dill by itself but I have not found that necessary growing inside. Here is an easy chart to help you think about companion planting some of the most common kitchen herbs together.
Watering
Based on the chart above, make sure you are giving the plants like basil, cilantro, parsley and others more often – especially if you are using terracotta pots that will soak up some of the water. Other herbs like sage, rosemary and lavender that can handle drier soil might only need to be watered twice a week. Again, this will be based on your pot and location of the kitchen herb garden.
For the herbs that like wetter soil, I will water them when the top layer of soil looks dry. This might be four to six times per week. For the herbs that prefer drier soil, I will water them when the soil is dry further down. I stick my finger into the plant to test, or just put them on a 2-3 times per week watering schedule.
Harvesting
Once the herbs have established themselves, all of them like to be harvested regularly. The more often you cut from them, usually the better they will do. However, make sure you are not completely stripping the plant of all its leaves.
For things with leaves, like basil or sage, cut the herb right above another leaf set. For things like rosemary and lavender, cut a branch where it joins the plant. Chives, dill, parsley and cilantro can be trimmed at the base of the plant near the soil line.
If you cut them at least weekly you will be encouraging new growth.
Temperature control
Most herbs will thrive around 70 degrees. You may be able to go up to 75 or down to 65 but with planting an indoor kitchen herb garden, the roots are limited and it is best to keep the temperature stable. Also, do not put the herb garden near drafts, radiators or an air vent. All of these additional elements can impact the plant and will usually dry them out faster.
If your home gets dry in the winter, make sure to also mist the plants every few days.
Looking for more gardening tips?
If you love having fresh garden vegetables, visit these articles too!
- How to plan a garden {HERE}
- What is permaculture? {HERE}
- No Till Gardening to build soil {HERE}
- Benefits of growing Zucchini vertical {HERE}
- Flowers and Herbs that repel bugs {HERE}
- Tips for growing tomatoes from seed {HERE}
- How to make a pumpkin trellis {HERE}
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