Growing herbs indoors means fresh leaves all year, whatever the weather outside. A sunny windowsill with a pot of basil, a pot of chives and a pot of parsley puts the herbs you use most within arm's reach of the stove, and it lets you grow tender herbs such as basil through winter, when they would be killed outdoors by the first frost.
Indoor herbs are not quite the same as outdoor herbs. Light is the limiting factor — a windowsill in winter gives far less light than a garden bed in summer — and indoor air is dry, still, and warm, which suits some herbs and stresses others. The herbs that do best indoors are the soft, leafy ones that grow fast and are picked often; the woody Mediterranean herbs such as rosemary and lavender can grow indoors, but they usually do better outside and often struggle in warm, dry rooms. This guide covers light, pots, watering and the herbs that genuinely thrive on a windowsill. If your windows face an unusual direction or your home is very dry, check your local extension service for advice on indoor growing in your climate.
Light: the make-or-break factor
Herbs need light, and indoors they get far less of it than outdoors. A south-facing windowsill in the northern hemisphere gives the most light, and it is the best place for herbs; an east- or west-facing sill gives enough light for chives, parsley and mint, but basil will be leggy there in winter. A north-facing sill is too dark for almost every herb, and plants there will grow pale, stretched and weak. If your herbs are leaning hard towards the window, growing tall and thin with wide gaps between the leaves, they are telling you they need more light.
Turn the pots a quarter turn every few days so the plants grow evenly instead of leaning. In winter, when daylight is short, a grow light makes a real difference — a simple LED grow light on for 12 to 14 hours a day can keep basil and parsley productive through the darkest months. Our grow light calculator can help you work out how much light your setup gives. Keep the light close to the plants — a few centimetres above the leaves for seedlings, a little higher for established plants — and raise it as the plants grow.
Best herbs for indoors
The best indoor herbs are the soft, fast-growing ones that you pick often. Basil is the star: it loves warmth, it grows fast, and regular pinching keeps it bushy on a sunny sill. Chives are hardy, compact and productive, and a pot can be cut and regrown several times. Parsley grows steadily indoors and tolerates a little less light than basil. Mint grows well indoors in its own pot, where it cannot spread, though it wants steady moisture. Cilantro grows indoors but bolts quickly in a warm room, so sow a little every few weeks. And dill can be grown indoors if it is sown direct into its final pot, because it dislikes transplanting.
Woody herbs are harder indoors. Rosemary and thyme want strong light and cool air, and in a warm, dry living room they often drop leaves and attract spider mites. They can be kept indoors over winter in a cool, bright room — a cold conservatory or an unheated spare room with a sunny window — but they are happier outside for most of the year. Lavender is the poorest indoor herb of all, and it is best grown outside. Start with basil, chives, parsley and mint indoors, and keep the Mediterranean herbs outside where they belong.
Pots, soil and drainage indoors
Use pots with drainage holes and a saucer underneath, and always empty the saucer after watering — herbs standing in water will rot, indoors as surely as outdoors. Small to medium pots, 15 to 25 centimetres across, suit most indoor herbs, and a pot that is too large holds wet compost around a small plant for too long. Terracotta pots dry out faster and suit rosemary and thyme; plastic pots hold moisture longer and suit basil and mint.
Use a free-draining multi-purpose compost, with a handful of perlite or grit mixed in for Mediterranean herbs. Do not bring garden soil indoors — it compacts in pots, it drains badly, and it can bring pests and weed seeds into the house. Buy fresh compost, and repot or top-dress indoor herbs in spring, because the compost in a small pot is exhausted within a season. Our potting mix calculator can help you work out quantities, and our guide to soil pH testing explains how to check whether your compost is still in the right range.
Watering and feeding indoor herbs
Indoor herbs need less water than outdoor herbs in summer, because they are out of the wind and sun, but they still need regular checking. Water when the top few centimetres of compost feel dry, water deeply until it runs into the saucer, and then empty the saucer. Water in the morning, at the base of the plant, and avoid splashing the leaves, which encourages disease in still indoor air. Basil and mint want steadier moisture than rosemary and thyme, so do not water all your pots on the same schedule — check each one. Our watering calculator can help you estimate needs, and the watering schedule generator can help you keep track.
Feed lightly. A liquid feed at half strength once a month in spring and summer is enough for basil and parsley, and Mediterranean herbs indoors need even less. Over-fed indoor herbs grow soft, leggy and flavourless, and they attract aphids and fungus gnats. Do not feed in winter, when growth is slow and the plants cannot use the nutrients. If the compost smells sour or the surface grows mould, you are overwatering — let the pot dry out, remove the mouldy surface, and water less often.
Humidity, airflow and indoor pests
Central heating makes indoor air very dry, and that stresses herbs. Basil and mint cope reasonably well, but rosemary and thyme drop leaves in dry air, and spider mites thrive in hot, dry, still conditions. Raise humidity by grouping pots together, standing them on a tray of pebbles with water in it, or misting occasionally — but do not mist in the evening, because wet leaves overnight encourage disease. Open a window on mild days for airflow, and do not crowd pots together so tightly that air cannot move between them.
Check indoor herbs weekly for pests. Aphids cluster on soft new growth, spider mites cause fine stippling and webbing on the undersides of leaves — see our guide to spider mites on plants — and fungus gnats hover around damp compost. Indoors, start with the gentlest controls: pick pests off by hand, wash the leaves with water, and let the compost dry out between waterings to discourage fungus gnats. Avoid spraying indoors unless the product is labelled for indoor use, and keep treated plants away from the kitchen until the label says they are safe. If a problem does not clear up, check your local extension service for advice on indoor pest control.
Harvesting indoor herbs
Harvest indoor herbs little and often, just as you would outdoors. Pick basil in the morning, pinching just above a pair of leaves so the plant branches, and never take more than a third of the plant at once. Cut chives with scissors, leaving a few centimetres of growth so they regrow, and they will give you several cuts from one pot. Pick parsley from the outside in, taking the oldest leaves first. Indoor herbs grow more slowly than outdoor herbs in summer, so be gentler with them — a windowsill basil plant cannot replace itself as fast as a garden plant in full sun, and over-picking will weaken it.
Sow a fresh pot of basil or cilantro every few weeks indoors, so there is always a young plant coming along behind the one you are picking. When a pot is exhausted — woody, sparse, or no longer producing useful leaves — compost it and start again. Indoor herbs are short-term crops as much as long-term plants, and replacing them regularly keeps the windowsill productive. Use the herb drying calculator if you have a glut to preserve.
Common mistakes
The most common indoor mistake is too little light — a herb on a dark shelf or a north-facing sill will grow pale and leggy no matter how well you water it. The second is overwatering in winter, when plants in cold compost need very little water and the roots rot. The third is growing rosemary and lavender in a hot, dry living room, where they drop leaves and attract spider mites. The fourth is never turning the pots, so the plants lean and grow one-sided. And the fifth is letting fungus gnats build up in constantly damp compost — let the surface dry out between waterings, and the gnats will usually disappear.
| Herb | Light indoors | Water | Indoor verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basil | Sunniest sill or grow light | Steady moisture | Excellent; sow fresh pots every few weeks |
| Chives | East, west or south sill | Moderate | Excellent; cut and regrow several times |
| Parsley | East, west or south sill | Steady moisture | Good; pick outer leaves first |
| Mint | East, west or south sill | Moist, own pot | Good; cannot spread indoors in a pot |
| Rosemary | Sunniest, coolest room | Drier soil | Fair; better outside most of the year |
| Lavender | Sunniest sill | Drier soil | Poor; best grown outside |
Frequently asked questions
Which herbs grow best indoors?
Basil, chives, parsley, mint and cilantro grow best indoors — they are soft, fast-growing and productive on a sunny sill. Rosemary and thyme can be kept indoors over winter in a cool, bright room, but they usually do better outside, and lavender is a poor indoor herb.
How much light do indoor herbs need?
Herbs need a sunny windowsill — south-facing is best, east- or west-facing is enough for chives, parsley and mint. A north-facing sill is too dark for almost every herb. In winter, a grow light on for 12 to 14 hours a day keeps basil and parsley productive.
How often should I water indoor herbs?
Water when the top few centimetres of compost feel dry, water deeply until it runs into the saucer, and then empty the saucer. Basil and mint want steadier moisture than rosemary and thyme, so check each pot rather than watering them all on the same schedule.
Why is my indoor basil leggy?
Leggy basil is almost always short of light — it is stretching towards the window. Move it to the sunniest sill you have, turn the pot every few days, pinch the tips to encourage branching, and consider a grow light in winter.
Do indoor herbs get pests?
Yes — aphids on soft new growth, spider mites in hot, dry, still air, and fungus gnats around damp compost are the most common. Pick pests off by hand, wash leaves with water, let compost dry between waterings, and improve airflow.