Add that just-picked taste to your meals—even when snow is drifting up against the kitchen window—by growing herbs indoors all year long. You won't even need special lights because these herbs fare just fine in a bright window. The 7 Plants That Purify Indoor Air are a great addition to any windowsill—just like the following plants are a great addition to your plate. Click through to see what we mean! Like what you're reading? Sign up for Today’s Organic Life newsletter for must-have tips sent to your inbox. Start basil from seeds and place the pots in a south-facing window—it likes lots of sun and warmth. Related: 8 Plants That Repel Mosquitos Naturally It's a perennial that does best using the container gardening method. Place the pot in an east- or west-facing window, but be sure it does not get crowded—bay needs air circulation to remain healthy. Start chervil seeds in late summer. This herb grows well in low light but needs temperatures between 65 degrees and 70 degrees to thrive.

We Like This: Art Pack Organic Seed CollectionRent Washer And Dryer Columbia Sc Need help getting started on this plant? Blender Best AddonsWe've got you covered with these Hints For Growing Chives. Discount Bedroom Furniture Greensboro NcAt the end of growing season, dig up a clump of chives from your garden and replant them in a pot. Leave the pot outside until the leaves die back. In early winter, move the pot to your coolest indoor spot—like your basement—for a few days, then finally to your brightest window. Your best bet is to start with a tip that has been cut from an outdoor oregano plant. Once you've then planted that tip in a pot, place it in a south-facing window. Related: Organic Gardening Tips For Houseplants

You can start one of The Absolute Easiest Herbs To Grow Indoors from seeds or dig up a clump from your garden at the end of the season. Parsley likes full sun—but will grow slowly in an east- or west-facing window. Start with a cutting of rosemary and keep it in a moist soilless mix until it roots. It grows best in a south-facing window. Expect your kitchen to smell fresh throughout the cooler seasons thanks to the pungent scent of this herb—it acts like a natural air freshener! Take a tip that has been cut from an outdoor plant to start an indoor sage plant. It tolerates dry, indoor air well—but it needs the strong sun that it will get from a south-facing window. A dormant period in late fall or early winter is essential for tarragon to grow indoors. Pot a mature plant from your outdoor garden and leave it outside until the leaves die back. Bring it to your coolest indoor spot for a few days—then place it in a south-facing window for as much sun as possible.

Feed well with a liquid organic fertilizer. You can start thyme indoors by either rooting a soft tip that has been cut from or by digging up and potting an outdoor plant. Thyme likes full sun but will grow in an east- or west-facing window. You may unsubscribe at any time.Many kitchen gardeners love the convenience of fresh herbs at home, and what could be more convenient that an indoor herb garden? Even if you live in an apartment or condo without any outdoor space, you can grow herbs indoors. The ideal setting for an indoor herb garden is the kitchen, where you can snip fresh herbs and use them in dishes without skipping a beat. If you don’t have a spot in your kitchen, though, you can still grow herbs in any sunny room. Find the best spot for an indoor herb garden. To grow well indoors, herbs need as much natural light as possible. Place them in a sunny spot near a window where they’ll get at least 4 hours of sun daily. Windows that face south or southwest are your best shot at sun, though east- or west-facing windows also will do.

North-facing windows are not bright enough. If you’re not sure whether a spot gets enough light, try this test. On a sunny to partly sunny day, turn off all lights and periodically check on the natural sunlight. How much sun does the spot get throughout the day? Give indoor herbs good drainage. The best way to ruin a tabletop or windowsill is to let a potted plant drain on it. Likewise, the best way to ruin most herbs is to let them sit in water so the roots will rot. Be sure to use a saucer, liner, or drain pan under the pot to catch water and protect your surface. A clay saucer lets moisture pass through, so opt for plastic, rubber, or metal instead. Clay pots help with drainage, but they can dry out quickly. If you live in a dry climate or are growing herbs indoors during winter, when furnace heat causes homes to get especially dry, try a glazed or plastic container that won’t try out as quickly as clay. Use a premium potting mix for containers to pot your indoor herbs.

And by all means, be sure your pots have drainage holes! Indoor herbs are happy with typical indoor temperatures. Many cooks grow herbs indoors during the winter when it’s too cold outside or too wet to dig in the dirt, but you can grow herbs inside any time of year.  Indoor herbs prefer the same temperatures that most people do—around 65 to 70 degrees F—so if you’re comfortable, they probably are. At night, temperatures near a window may drop to 55 or 60, but most herbs like that, too. Keep foliage from touching glass to protect from getting nipped by cold.Many kitchen gardeners yearn for basil in their indoor garden. If you have plenty of sun and warmth indoors, basil should thrive, but don’t keep it on a cool windowsill. Basil leaves will droop and fade after a short time in cool air. It prefers indoor temperatures in the 70s day and night. Remember that the air next to a window will be cooler in winter (or hotter in summer) than your average indoor temperature, so adjust your plants accordingly.