10 Herbs to Grow Indoors All Year

Basil (Ocimum basilicum)

Whether it is to make pesto or a tomato-based sauce, many gardeners who love cooking Italian food find sweet basil a must to grow. As a bonus, this annual can have ornamental features, too. Some types sport a deep purple foliage color and/or leaves that are ruffly. As soon as your basil reaches 6 inches tall, start pinching it often to keep it from blooming and fulfilling its life mission.

Grow basil in a large, deep pot. A large pot is especially important if you will be growing multiple basil plants in the pot: Basil is susceptible to fungal diseases, which can be controlled by providing good air circulation through sufficient spacing (12 inches). For the same reason, avoid overhead watering. A deep pot will allow you to strike the required balance between good drainage and moisture retention.

• Mature height: 18-24 inches tall and wide
• Sun exposure: south-facing window in winter
• Soil needs: Basil needs good drainage, but not so sharp that water drains through immediately; it likes evenly moist soil. Use high-quality potting soil. Feed it with an all-purpose fertilizer.
  

Catnip (Nepeta cataria)

When selecting plants to include in an herb garden in the home, do not forget the needs of the family cat. Catnip, a perennial which grows like a weed outdoors, is also easy to grow indoors (much easier than basil, for example).

Once catnip puts on some height, pinch it early and often to prevent flowering, and give the pinchings to your grateful feline friend.

• Mature height: 2 to 3 feet tall and wide
• Sun exposure: west-facing or south-facing window in winter
• Soil needs: good drainage; minimal fertilization needed; low to average water needs
  

Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)

The chive plant, another easy-to-grow perennial, has a light onion flavor. Indeed, It is related to the common onion. Its grass-like leaves are popular in soups and salads. It also has one of the more attractive flowers among the culinary herbs.

Chives will multiply over time. When your chives form a good-sized mass, consider dividing them. If you dig underneath them, you'll find bulblets and a dense mass of roots. You can easily break off a clump (consisting of three or four plants) and transplant it to another pot.

• Mature height: 10 to 15 inches tall and wide
• Sun exposure: can survive in a west-facing window in winter
• Soil needs: good drainage; feed with an all-purpose fertilizer; average water needs
  

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)

Added to soups or salads, lemon balm gives them a citrusy flavor. Or use it in potpourri to scent your home naturally. Susceptible to fungal diseases, care for this perennial as you would for basil.

• Mature height: 1 to 2 feet tall, 1 to 3 feet wide
• Sun exposure: south-facing window in winter
• Soil needs: good drainage; minimal fertilization needed; average water needs
  

Oregano (Origanum vulgare hirtum)

A classic seasoning for Italian dishes, sandwiches, and pizza, this drought-resistant perennial is easy to grow indoors, but err on the side of giving it more, rather than less sunlight than you think it may need in winter.

Not as fussy about humidity as rosemary, oregano can still profit from having a little extra humidity. An easy answer is to place its pot on a tray filled with moistened pebbles.

• Mature height: 2 feet tall, 18 inches wide
• Sun exposure: south-facing window in winter
• Soil needs: good drainage; use an all-purpose fertilizer; low to average water needs
  

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum neopolitanum)

Parsley, a biennial, falls into two categories. The curly type, P. crispum, has more ornamental value. But the flat-leaf type, P. crispum neopolitanum, has more culinary value, lending a stronger flavor to your Italian dishes.

• Mature height: 9 to 12 inches tall and wide
• Sun exposure: can survive in a west-facing window in winter
• Soil needs: Parsley needs good drainage, but not so sharp that water drains through immediately; it likes evenly moist soil. Use a high-quality potting soil. Minimal fertilization required.

Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus)

This drought-tolerant perennial becomes relatively large and woody over time, so give it a big pot. Its harvested leaves are commonly used in dips and drinks.

Like basil, rosemary is just a bit fussier to grow indoors than most of the other selections here. This is mainly because it likes high humidity, a condition that many Northern homes lack in winter. To address this challenge, build a tent around your rosemary to trap moisture.

Simply install (at a height greater than that of the plant) stakes in the pot, and drape clear plastic over the stakes. Lift up the plastic to gain access when watering, then replace the plastic. As the water evaporates, the tent will trap it and increase humidity.

• Mature height: 2 to 6 feet tall, 2 to 4 feet wide
• Sun exposure: south-facing window in winter
• Soil needs: sharp drainage; minimal need for fertilizer; low to average water needs
  

Sage (Salvia officinalis)

Known for its use in poultry stuffing, in particular, this perennial is related to the Salvia flowers with which you are familiar from shopping at garden centers, such as Salvia sylvestris 'May Night.' There is also an ornamental sage (Salvia officinalis 'Tricolor') that sports three colors on its foliage. Sage has only moderate moisture needs, so be sure not to overwater it.

• Mature height: 2 to 2.5 feet tall, 2 to 3 feet wide
• Sun exposure: south-facing window in winter
• Soil needs: sharp drainage; minimal need to fertilize
  

Spearmint (Mentha spicata)

Herbs in the mint family are especially easy to grow, even indoors. Known for its use in flavoring drinks, teas, and jelly, this perennial likes its soil to be kept evenly moist.

An extra benefit of growing this herb indoors, rather than outdoors in the garden, is that it is invasive. Being contained in a pot on your windowsill, it has nowhere to go.

• Mature height: 18 to 36 inches tall, with a narrower spread
• Sun exposure: west-facing window in winter
• Soil needs: good drainage; minimal fertilization needed
  

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)

Thyme is great for flavoring a variety of types of meat. In addition to the kinds of thyme used mainly for culinary purposes, there are also versions of this perennial used in landscaping as a ground cover. Under the right conditions, red mother of thyme (Thymus serpyllum 'Coccineum'), so-named for its flower color, can be quite showy.

Thyme is the opposite of rosemary in one respect: It likes low humidity. So save the windowsill in the kitchen (a room that tends to be more humid than most) for your rosemary and find a sunny windowsill in a drier room for your thyme. Thyme is drought-tolerant and can actually be harmed if it gets too much water.

• Mature height: 6 to 12 inches tall and wide
• Sun exposure: south-facing window in winter
• Soil needs: sharp drainage; minimal fertilization needs