Once you know how to grow herbs, you can easily start your own indoor or outdoor herb garden!

If you’ve never grown herbs, you are in for a treat. Fresh herbs taste incredible compared to the dried herbs you can buy at the supermarket. There is just no comparison. At all. 

And once you start growing some of your own herbs, you might just add a few different herb plants to your garden next year!

How to Grow Herbs Indoors or Outdoors

Before we get into how to grow herbs, let’s take a look at why you may want to begin to grow herbs, and there are several reasons.

What are Herbs used for?

Herbs are not only used in cooking, they have other uses as well, including:

• for medicinal purposes
• ingredients for making soothing herbal teas
• adding flavour to food and cooking
• to add colour, beauty and variety to a garden

 Many cultures use herbs in various ways and recipes, as they make food taste better and provide health benefits. Herbs grown at home or in the garden are much healthier than commercially grown herb plants!

This is because of the common use of pesticides on large farms and garden nurseries. Freshly picked herbs grown organically have a lot more taste and are much healthier for you.

Where to Buy Herb Plants and Herb Seeds

Herb plants can be grown organically from seeds or cuttings. The better quality plants are available between April and June or in the fall months.

Herb plants with lots of leaves in tiny pots may look healthy but have they been growing in heated greenhouses at the garden center? They may need extra care when you first get them home – you should slowly harden them off.

This means keeping the herbs indoors and setting them outside for a few hours every day. Add a bit of outdoor time every day, so the potted herbs settle in to the outdoor temperatures. Within a week, you should be able to leave the herbs outdoors day and night, depending on night time temperatures.

Really take a good look at the herb plants at the nursery before buying. The leaves should be whole, green, without spots, holes or obvious parasites – in other words, buy healthy plants at the start. Seeds and plants can be bought from nurseries or through reputable online stores.

Nurseries also give valuable advice on whether it is better to buy seeds or plants for certain herbs. Thyme, for example, is difficult to grow from seeds and is better bought as a Thyme plant.

Why are Herb Plants more Expensive to Buy?

Herbs are almost always more expensive to buy when you compare them to buying flowers. One reason is because many of these herbs are perennial plants. Many flowers are annuals so they are usually cheaper.

Are Perennial Herb Plants a Good Thing?

Many herbs are perennial plants and yes! Perennial herbs are a good thing to plant in containers or in your garden beds. Perennial herbs will grow all spring and summer and well into the fall.

Come the beginning of winter, they die back. At this point, trim off some of the dead leaves and branches. Over winter the plant will rest, then in spring, will begin to grow again. It’s not uncommon for herb plants to live for over 10 years, returning every year to supply you with fresh herbs.

How can I Find Free Herb Plants?

Swapping seeds, cuttings and plants is an inexpensive way to grow a garden! Many gardeners exchange cuttings with neighbours, family, friends and other gardeners and plant them in spring and summer when the heat makes roots grow quickly.

Outdoor Herb Gardens

A small, sunny plot of about 20 square feet should be enough for a medium-sized family. Most herbs like a lot of sun, although some will grow in shade.

Herbs plants do not grow well in stagnant water so a well-drained, slight slope with lots of sun is a good choice. Fine gravel and garden compost can be added into holes before planting to improve drainage and the quality of the soil.

An organic nitrogen source like alfalfa meal or soy meal can also be added for heavier feeders like basil. Generally, herbs grow well when they are watered regularly.

Perennial and annual herbs can have different soil and water needs so perennial herbs could be grouped together in border areas of the garden and annual herbs in another part or grown with the vegetables in that part of the garden.

One of my favourite perennial herbs, Valerian herb, is grown in my flower bed. Since Valerian grows to about 5 feet tall, it’s the perfect flowering herb to grow amongst the flowers. And it smells just incredible! Find out more about how to grow Valerian right here.

 

What Herbs grow well together? What Herbs don’t grow well together?

Just like vegetables, sometimes herbs don’t grow well planted close to another particular type of herb. 

Good Herb combinations:

• Parsley
• Chives
• Basil
• Sage

These all work well growing next to each other.

Another Good Herb Plant Combination:

• Rosemary
• Thyme
• Tarragon

These herbs like drier conditions than the first group of herbs, so if you can plant these apart from the others it would be better. Watering will be easier, as it will be easier to keep the second group of herbs drier.

Does Mint Spread?

Yes, oh, yes it does. And that’s the reason you should consider always planting mint in a container! Mint can be a very aggressive spreader so it’s best to be grown alone, separately from other herbs. 

Because mint can be so aggressive, it can also become very difficult to remove it from your herb garden. You may not mind your mint plant spreading in the beginning, but at some point, it will climb right in with other plants and you will find it very difficult to dig it out.

That being said, if you have a border in a sunny spot that you want filled with a pretty plant but want it to be very low maintenance, then Mint might just be the herb you need for that spot. Even invasive herbs have their spot in a garden. Just consider the speed and distance the mint will grow before deciding to plant it in the ground. 

Indoor Herb Gardens – How to Grow Herbs Indoors in Pots

Herbs can also be grown on windowsills, terraces or balconies. They grow well in pots and can compete with any flowering plant for colour. Lavender’s purple flowers, chive’s purple pompoms and the red, yellow and green leaves of the sage herb are a feast for the eyes.

Pots can be hung from the rails of a balcony, the ceilings of covered terraces or from wire mesh fixed to a wall. Shelves are good for herbs that grow better in shade than direct sunlight like mint, parsley and bee or lemon balm.

For gardeners who don’t have a balcony or terrace, herbs can be grown together in a mixture of soil for flowers with some sand and compost in a terracotta pot on a windowsill.

Remember, herbs need well-drained soil so some fine gravel at the bottom of the pot should help with drainage. Some plants grow well together and others don’t.

This article, Herbs and Spices you can Grow Indoors has all the specific information you need. Plus you’ll find our list of 8 top herbs to grow indoors!

 

How to Store Herbs

Some herb plants can be abundant and provide much more than one family can use. So take what you need and then just leave the rest of your plant alone to grow.

After you take enough herbs for fresh eating, don’t forget that you can cut and preserve large harvests of herbs to use later in cooking. 

Most herbs can be dried in a dark, hot, well-aired room or in an oven at 50°C. Everything you want to know about how to dry herbs can be found at that link.

We use a lot of Chives over the winter – here are all the different ways to dry Chives to use later for cooking.

Freezing herbs preserves their aromatic qualities better than drying them. Here’s how I freeze Basil leaves – and they taste just as fresh in January as when I harvested them in the summer. Works for other herbs too!

An increase in the popularity of ethnic and organic foods combined with the fact that fresh herbs have more taste than dried herbs means that more people are growing their own herbs in indoor or outdoor herb gardens for fresh use, drying or freezing.

Once you know how to grow herbs, you can easily grow and save your own herbs and stop buying dried herbs at the store!

 

More articles you want to know about:

Want all of our Best Gardening Tips plus links to each of our vegetable gardening articles? All the info you need is right there!

Want to learn How to Preserve Food – this article has links to each of our preserving food articles, including freezing, dehydrating, water bath canning, pressure canning and more!

More information on growing your own herbs can be found right here.

Our list of the best herbs to grow indoors – plant a mini herb windowsill garden today!

A windowsill Herb garden is a wonderful thing! Here are our favourite herbs and spices you can grow indoors year-round. 

The best thing about growing herbs and spices indoors is that you don’t have to worry about how hot or cold the weather is.

You also don’t have to worry about whether or not the plants are going to get enough sunlight or water. These are all things you can control and keep an eye on while your plants are growing inside.

Plus, you’ve got your fresh herbs basically at your fingertips! So, it’s fast and easy to snip a few leaves to add to your meals. Soups, stews, salads, vegetables and meat all benefit from enhanced flavor when you add fresh herbs.

Want to read more about Growing Herbs Outdoors? Plus, read here to learn all about How to Dry Herbs to use all year!

Best Herbs to Grow Indoors

 

If you’re looking to make your own indoor garden to grow your favorite herbs and spices, here are the best plants that you can easily grow indoors no matter what time of the year it is.

Later in this article, we’ll go over how to plant herb plants and the lighting requirements but first here’s our list of the best herbs to grow indoors.

You can start your plants by seed, but the better option would be to buy a plant at the garden center. You can even order complete window sill Herb kits. Ready to get started?

Grow Oregano Indoors – An Easy Indoor Herb

 

A favorite herb for cooking Italian dishes, oregano can be grown indoors pretty easily. This herb tends to like having a lot of sun so you can easily put it in a sunny window with good light to help it grow.

Once it has grown, work the herb into your sauces or main dishes to give it some extra flavor. Keeping Oregano well trimmed will keep your plant smaller.

If it gets too large for its pot, transplant it into a container one size bigger. Oregano will grow for years.

 

Growing Basil Indoors

If you have a nice warm sunny spot, your basil plant will thrive. Basil is the middle plant in the photo – look at those healthy leaves!

You’ll want to be sure you pluck the leaves before the small white flowers appear so that you get the full flavor.

If the plant starts to bloom, the leaves will be less potent and won’t be as flavorful when you add them to a dish.

Basil is wonderful in all kinds of pasta, pesto, salads, pizzas and anything using tomatoes. You can buy a plant or start your own with basil seeds – they are easy to grow from seed.

 

Growing Mint Inside

 

Mint can be refreshing in a salad and it makes a great addition to your warm or cold tea drinks throughout the year.

It’s also popular with various food dishes and luckily, it’s simple to grow indoors with full sun and moist soil. Snip a few leaves of mint for a hot cup of tea!

Mint is another herb that will grow continuously for years – transplant it if it gets too big for its pot.

 

Growing Parsley Indoors

Parsley is full of health benefits and is a well-known delicious garnish for many dishes and is even included in a lot of different sauces.

With parsley, the more sun it has, the faster it will grow making it a great herb that you can easily control. And it’s easy to harvest; just snip a stalk!

Parsley is another herb that is easy to grow from parsley seeds – or you can buy a growing plant at your garden center.

 

You Can Grow Curry Indoors

 

You may be surprised at how fragrant a curry plant can be and that’s what makes it a great addition to any indoor herb garden.

While it may not have much aroma when it’s being cooked, the herb will give a nice aroma throughout the house. Use Curry in sauces and meat based dishes.

Grow Chives Indoors

 

Chives are popular in potato dishes. When used, they give an onion like fragrance and taste to the dish.

If you’re looking to grow your own chives, they love the sun but can easily be grown indoors where there is plenty of light coming through the window.

Chives also tend to regrow once you’ve trimmed the leaves down, so you’ll continuously get more herbs to use. Be sure to trim Chives before flower buds appear. Using a proper pair of herb scissors makes it super easy to trim Chives or any other herb.

 

Growing Rosemary Indoors – a Wonderful Fragrant Herb

 

 

Rosemary doesn’t require a lot of water, it really doesn’t like a lot of water at all,  which makes it a great option to grow indoors.

This is another herb you’ll want to keep in a indoor spot where there is plenty of natural light.

Because it can easily drown, make sure you are not giving it too much water. Rosemary tastes wonderful when it is added to roasted potatoes – find lots of ways to add Rosemary to cooking!

Other Herbs You Can Grow Indoors

There are many other herb plants that will grow indoors, so consider these:

• Bay Laurel – add a bay leaf to any soup or stew! Here’s how to dry bay leaves so you can safely store them.
• Lemon Balm – pretty foliage and lovely in baking.
• Sage – delicious in roasted meats, sausages and with roasted root vegetables.
• Thyme – goes perfectly with potatoes and meats.
• Anise – use in soups, stews and mulled wines.

How to Plant a Windowsill Herb Garden

When it comes to herbs and spices you can grow indoors, these are a few that you’ll have the best luck with.

Other herbs like dill, cilantro and fennel often need more sun than what the indoors can provide.

If you’ve never grown herbs indoors, the above are great starters to get you going. Just like any other plant, be sure to water them moderately and keep them in the window or area where there is plenty of sun coming through.

All you need to get started are a few small pots with drainage holes in the bottom, one small bag of good quality soil, some small nursery herb seedlings and a sunny windowsill.

Holes in the bottom of any planting container is very important – this provides good drainage, which helps prevent against over watering, resulting in too much moisture.

Good air circulation in the room is also important, so having an opening window or a fan will be a help.

South-facing windows will give the most direct sunlight and heat, with west-facing windows also working well. Either exposure will give enough hours of sunlight (6 – 8 hours of sunlight a day) to grow both annual herbs and perennial herbs inside the house.

And, trim the foliage! Regularly use the leaves of your herb plants. If the plant becomes root bound, then transplant the herb into a pot one size larger.

 

More on Growing and Drying Herbs

Want to learn how to dry Herbs? Here’s the easy way I dry Parsley, Lovage, Oregano and so many other herbs.

The very best way to preserve Basil is to freeze it – here’s exactly how to do it.

This beautiful large Herb is just too big to grow indoors, but it looks beautiful planted in a flower bed! Here’s everything to know about how to grow Lovage and use it in the kitchen.

 

originally published April 2020; latest update September 2022

Here’s how to grow Lovage, a delicious perennial herb that adds a celery flavor to your meals.

Have you ever heard of Lovage? What IS it? This hardy perennial is not a common plant and many people have never heard of it.

Lovage is a wonderful plant that gets quite large and is suitable to be planted in hardiness zones 3-9. Generally, it prefers any zone with a cool climate.

Lovage is an easy herb to grow to use in cooking recipes.

How to Grow Lovage

It’s a herb also known as the Maggi plant and you can pick the leaves to add to your dinners fresh. It’s related to Parsley although it grows a lot larger!

Lovage levisticum officinale is the proper name. Native to southern Europe, its earliest history comes from Greece and it’s moved throughout Europe and is now here in North America. Many European cultures use lovage as a natural stimulant for digestion, as well as water retention and a variety of skin problems.

Where does Lovage Grow?

True lovage will be found in the wild in Northern Italy and the Mediterranean region, as well as other parts of Europe, Western Asia, and the United States among other places, but other varieties like sea lovage (or Scottish lovage) is found more specifically in Northern Britain and along the Atlantic coast of the United States. There’s also a type of lovage called black lovage that grows in Britain and around the Mediterranean.

It has a celery-like flavor, but stronger than that. This culinary herb tastes great in salads with other greens; it really adds a nice spice flavor. You can use it in soups and stews as well. This makes it great to include in your vegetable garden! Planted near plants like potatoes, lovage can helps battle insects and caterpillars that may damage other crops.

Lovage also grows beautiful yellow or greenish-yellow flowers, which don’t have much purpose besides looking pretty! They’ll start to bloom in the spring and early summer.

Growing Lovage

You can order seed, and start seedlings indoors in pots or you can buy one perennial plant. They are not stocked at many garden centers, though, so grab one if you find it! You may also know someone who already has a plant that is willing to share with you.

Lovage is easy to divide by root division; just dig it up and split it in half with a shovel. Replant to make more plants or give one away to a gardening friend.

And it’s easy to grow. Plant lovage in prepared soil somewhere where it will get full sun, which it loves. If you have to sow seeds in areas with small bouts of partial shade, go ahead and direct-sow the seeds anytime after the last frost. Waiting till there is no risk of frost is always a good idea.

Then just add some well aged compost, organic fertilizer, or well-rotted manure to the planting hole before you sow lovage seeds.

For transplants for indoor seedlings, be sure to plant approximately 8 inches apart in rows 18 inches from each other.

That’s about it – just water it as needed. Lovage planting is a pretty simple process! It does like regular watering, so don’t let it get too dried out.

You can add a good layer of mulch if you like to keep weeds down.

Lovage Growing Season

Lovage growing season starts in the early spring, once soil temperatures are about 60 degrees F or so. By April and mid-May, you should easily be able to snip a few leaves to add to dinners or salads, or dry them and preserve them for use through the colder months.

Here’s the same plant later in the season. It’s grown a bit, hasn’t it? We have it growing alongside our Rhubarb plants as a companion plant and love the way the two look together.

We also have a lot of blooming Chive herbs along the front of the bed.

Lovage will grow about six feet tall – that’s a LOT of leaves you can harvest and dehydrate. And, it’s a pretty looking herb that grows to the size of a shrub each year. Since the plant grows so large, you can get a great harvest!

And a bonus is that this herb is a perennial! So plant it once, and every year it will come back and grow large again.

How to Manage Pests

Luckily, lovage is a strong and hardy plant that typically fares well in the face of bugs and disease. Aphids are the major threat to lovage, and parsley worms and leaf miners can also cause problems.

For the most part, these pests won’t do serious damage, but you still may want to handle them if the lovage seems like it’s on the brink of infestation.

How to Harvest Lovage

Lovage is typically best harvested in the morning after the dew has evaporated. In most cases, new growth will sprout from any locations where you harvest.

You will find it easiest to cut the stalks with a good sharp pair of hand pruning shears. The stems are hollow but large.

And it’s best to cut the stalks, instead of just bending them over. This tends to rip the stalk.

Cut the individual stalks down close to the base of the plant. Regular trimming will really help as the plant grows so fast, it can get out of hand quite easily.

Here’s a full basket of freshly cut stalks. I’ll bring it up to the house and start snipping leaves stems (the smaller ones). I use a good pair of kitchen scissors for this, but you can use the specialized herb scissors, whichever you like. We will use some leaves fresh and some to preserve for later.

For the seeds, you’ll want to harvest them when the seed heads turn brown. Then transfer to a brown paper bag to dry. Once dry, roll them in your hands to remove brown casings.

Saved lovage seeds can suffer from low germination rates in some cases and can also take 20 or so days to emerge. Any fresh seeds that are over a year old will likely not yield good results.

How to Store Lovage

To preserve this or any herb, you can easily dry it. Here’s an article I wrote on How to Dry Herbs.

Herbs are always better when they are used right away, but that’s not always possible, depending on the season.

It’s so easy to store a jar or two for using all season! Whenever a dish you’re cooking could use a celery flavor, add a pinch or three of dried lovage to whatever is cooking on the stove.

You can also dry the leaves whole and upside down, then follow the same instructions for storage. Be sure the leaves are fully dry before storing. Then use them whenever you like.

Is Lovage a perennial?

Lovage is a perennial and the beauty of any perennial is that it comes back to life the following year. Perennial herbs such as Lovage, Oregano, Chives and other herbs only need to be planted once. Watch them return every year for another harvest.

 

Now you know how to grow Lovage, so plant some Lovage in your herb garden!

More Articles You’ll Love

• Looking for a homemade cheap weed killer? Here you go…
• Building a Greenhouse can be pretty cheap to do, just be creative! Read about how we built ours for less than $200.
• Want to plant Rhubarb this year? Here’s everything you need to know about growing Rhubarb.

 

originally published 2019; latest update March 2025