Growing herbs indoors

[bellahpereira]

Hey all! Wondering if anyone has tried growing herbs indoors? I had such a great time growing basil, thyme, rosemary and parsley in my garden this year that I am heavily considering growing some indoors - I love being able to use fresh herbs when I'm cooking!

I have considered two options when it comes to growing indoors; I was thinking that I could just put a pot at the window sill and grow them there, hopefully allowing them to get all the sun they need but I'm concerned they won't grow well - has anyone tried this method? I was also looking into something called an 'Aerogarden', I saw it at a Canadian Tire and apparently it's supposed to be a better way to grow little plants and herbs indoors without dirt. I thought it looked kind of cool but I'm concerned about the nutrients that need to be put into the water to help the herbs grow, I don't know if they'd be absorbed into the plant or if it has any chemical that would be bad to consume - has anyone tried growing anything with an Aerogarden before?

Any tips and/or ideas are appreciated

 

[Meowmie]

My local garden center has had, for years, several 4' long grow lights hanging on a system where they can be raised and lowered. They have always kept plants growing under them.

When he got his shipment of Aerogardens in, he promptly set it up on the other side of the aisle, thinking those that didn't have room for the larger set up would like it.

He'll never sell the aerogardens if he doesn't take them down but he's too honest to do it. The plants are scrawny compared to what he grows under his lights. Even if they did get big, they wouldn't fit under the light, and the things that need to flower never get to the point of flowering.

He also, after that, set up a few smaller grow bulbs (floodlight size) and put pots under them and things grew better there. The lights in the Aerogarden just seem to be to week to really do a good job. Plus you have to buy their food and pods... just not worth it.

I bought 2 of the 4' lights he has which come with a stand and a way to lower and raise them, I removed the stand and just took the housing to raise and lower them and attached them under the cupboards over a counter where I grow my seedlings in the spring and my herbs, wheat for juicing, baby spinach, etc. during the winter. The two lights cost less than the aerogarden.

There are also small self standing greenhouses for inside if you don't have a counter that will probably give you more freedom for what you want to do.

Aerogardens are cute but not very worthwhile.

 

[JDG1113]

Today I brought my rosemary inside. These are second year plants. both pots survived inside over last winter and have grown to nearly three feet. I have limited heat and light inside, but upstairs temps is higher than freezing and since the leaves have fallen from the trees I will place them in the light of a southern window.

I also grow sage in pots inside. I have two plants growing with the rosemary and a separate pot of sage. I am also growing basil in water at the sink. It roots easily and can be divided for additional plants.

 

[Chuck]

Today I brought my rosemary inside. These are second year plants. both pots survived inside over last winter and have grown to nearly three feet. I have limited heat and light inside, but upstairs temps is higher than freezing and since the leaves have fallen from the trees I will place them in the light of a southern window.

I also grow sage in pots inside. I have two plants growing with the rosemary and a separate pot of sage. I am also growing basil in water at the sink. It roots easily and can be divided for additional plants.

You rosemary lost its leaves? My rosemary is an evergreen. Where are you located?

 

[Trellum]

Hey all! Wondering if anyone has tried growing herbs indoors? I had such a great time growing basil, thyme, rosemary and parsley in my garden this year that I am heavily considering growing some indoors - I love being able to use fresh herbs when I'm cooking!

I have considered two options when it comes to growing indoors; I was thinking that I could just put a pot at the window sill and grow them there, hopefully allowing them to get all the sun they need but I'm concerned they won't grow well - has anyone tried this method? I was also looking into something called an 'Aerogarden', I saw it at a Canadian Tire and apparently it's supposed to be a better way to grow little plants and herbs indoors without dirt. I thought it looked kind of cool but I'm concerned about the nutrients that need to be put into the water to help the herbs grow, I don't know if they'd be absorbed into the plant or if it has any chemical that would be bad to consume - has anyone tried growing anything with an Aerogarden before?

Any tips and/or ideas are appreciated

Definitely! I grow mint and basil indoors, totally indoors and they both do just fine I believe you can grow almost any herb indoors, they are so easy to take care of actually growing mint indoors has kept the red spider mites away! You definitely need to give this a try Growing basil indoors is also totally doable with on issues.

 

[DancingLady]

I have grown parsley indoors and it did very well. I am planning to try cilantro and maybe basil sometime soon. I just haven't gotten around to it quite yet.

 

[claudine]

Hi Bellahpereira!
I've been growing herbs indoors for a few years now. It's very easy. I always keep at least three plants in my kitchen, becuase they smell and look really nice. Currently, I grow basil, mint and thyme.

 

[gata montes]

If you are wanting to grow herbs indoors bellahpereira there really isn't any reason why you can't - as the majority of herbs and particularly the soft herb varieties like mint, basil, chives, cilantro and parsley all grow extremely well indoors without the need for an aerogarden - providing they are given plenty of light and are placed in a south, southeast or southwest facing window - in fact there are even some varieties - although they do need to be turned on a regular basis and don't grow quite as much as they should - that do well when placed in an east facing window

 

[bellahpereira]

My local garden center has had, for years, several 4' long grow lights hanging on a system where they can be raised and lowered. They have always kept plants growing under them.

When he got his shipment of Aerogardens in, he promptly set it up on the other side of the aisle, thinking those that didn't have room for the larger set up would like it.

He'll never sell the aerogardens if he doesn't take them down but he's too honest to do it. The plants are scrawny compared to what he grows under his lights. Even if they did get big, they wouldn't fit under the light, and the things that need to flower never get to the point of flowering.

He also, after that, set up a few smaller grow bulbs (floodlight size) and put pots under them and things grew better there. The lights in the Aerogarden just seem to be to week to really do a good job. Plus you have to buy their food and pods... just not worth it.

I bought 2 of the 4' lights he has which come with a stand and a way to lower and raise them, I removed the stand and just took the housing to raise and lower them and attached them under the cupboards over a counter where I grow my seedlings in the spring and my herbs, wheat for juicing, baby spinach, etc. during the winter. The two lights cost less than the aerogarden.

There are also small self standing greenhouses for inside if you don't have a counter that will probably give you more freedom for what you want to do.

Aerogardens are cute but not very worthwhile.

Thanks for the advice! I'm so glad I read this because my bf and I were talking about picking one up lol. The Canadian Tire I saw them at didn't have a display and now I know why. The lights don't look all too good and they look quite expensive to replace. I tried looking into it but the majority of the information I found was people trying to grow marijuana plants in them instead of herbs and I didn't think that was a fair comparison. The marijuana plants in most videos seem to be doing well but maybe they're sturdier than most herbs, I'm not sure.

The 4' light display sounds amazing! I haven't seen anything like that here. I have tried several garden centers in my area but none of them really have anything that can help me plant indoors. I will look into them and also the small indoor greenhouses. I need to find a way to grow herbs inside because I hate having to wait until the weather gets warm to have fresh herbs

Thanks for the help

 

[bellahpereira]

If you are wanting to grow herbs indoors bellahpereira there really isn't any reason why you can't - as the majority of herbs and particularly the soft herb varieties like mint, basil, chives, cilantro and parsley all grow extremely well indoors without the need for an aerogarden - providing they are given plenty of light and are placed in a south, southeast or southwest facing window - in fact there are even some varieties - although they do need to be turned on a regular basis and don't grow quite as much as they should - that do well when placed in an east facing window

Thank you for the vote of confidence! I only have two south facing windows and neither of them are a good place for plants - that's why my main concern was the plant getting adequate lighting. However, I might be able to create something to allow the plant to sit nicely near the window lol. I will definitely look into the varieties that do well with east facing windows as I have many of those Thank you for your help!

 

[kevinkimers]

Get a growth light bulb and put it in to the light fixture or a small lamp closest to where you want to put the herbs. Most herbs grow just fine even in low levels or fluorescent lighting.

Herb gardens in the kitchen are the greatest thing since sliced bread! With the right combination of herbs, no matter what you are cooking... they make your kitchen smell amazing.

 

[gata montes]

Thank you for the vote of confidence! I only have two south facing windows and neither of them are a good place for plants - that's why my main concern was the plant getting adequate lighting. However, I might be able to create something to allow the plant to sit nicely near the window lol. I will definitely look into the varieties that do well with east facing windows as I have many of those Thank you for your help!

You're welcome and even more so if the information enables you to have fresh herbs all year round - in fact I was just thinking that if its not possible to place your herbs on a window sill - if creating a mixed herb hanging basket something like this

that you could hang near the window might solve the problem.

As I've already mentioned most herbs will grow well indoors but as most of your windows are east facing - all of the following

Parsley
Cilantro
Chives
Lemon Balm
Thyme
Mint
Pineapple Sage

do well particularly well in low light conditions and especially any of the mint or thyme family, pineapple sage and parsley - all of which are known to do extremely well when grown in an east facing window

 

[Meowmie]

This is the particular light set up I got, but as I said earlier we ended up taking it off the stand and mounting it under the cabinets.

http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-JSV...sr=8-5&keywords=grow+lights+for+indoor+plants

This is also a nice alternative if you don't want the full set up, and it comes in various lengths. Had I known I was going to mount my lights I would have gone with these. They are linkable, too.

http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Light-8874...sr=8-9&keywords=grow+lights+for+indoor+plants

 

[JessiFox]

I haven't yet, but my interest in it is growing pretty much daily. I'm really set on the idea at this point, but like you, I'm still considering what exactly would be best to grow indoors and more significantly, what would be the best way to go about growing them?

 

[Krrizal]

I've tried to grow parsley and basil inside, but there was not enough sun reaching my kitchen window and they started to wilt. I placed them on a window sill outside and made sure to water them every two days, and they seem very happy.