Nailing Herbs You Can Grow Indoors

With more of us thinking about where our food comes from and how it’s grown, there’s never been a better time to take matters into your own hands, literally. Forget allotment waiting lists or sprawling kitchen gardens; you can grow herbs indoors with minimal fuss and maximum satisfaction, especially if you place them in full sun .

A few cheerful pots of herb plants on your windowsill will fill your kitchen with fresh herbs, delicious scents, and a smug little glow of self-sufficiency. Whether you’re cooking up fragrant stir fries, tossing together salads, or finishing off a Sunday roast, having your own indoor herb garden means flavour is always within arm’s reach.

Why Grow Herbs Indoors?

Growing herbs inside isn’t just about convenience, it’s about connection. There’s something grounding about tending to a living plant, snipping off a few sprigs of basil, mint, or parsley and adding them straight to your meal. And let’s be honest, store-bought herbs never taste as good as freshly picked ones.

An indoor herb garden also helps you cut down on food waste and plastic packaging. No more sad, wilted supermarket herbs turning to mush in the fridge. Instead, you’ll have living plants that keep giving week after week. Plus, herbs are incredibly forgiving, making them ideal for beginners or those short on outdoor space.

Growing herbs indoors means you can grow indoors year round, with year-round harvests, no matter the season or the unpredictable UK weather. Whether your kitchen window faces a frosty sunrise or a drizzly grey afternoon, you can still grow lush, flavour-packed greenery inside.

Light, Water, and Love – The Herb Grower’s Holy Trinity

Plants don’t ask for much, just light, water, and a little attention. The trick to thriving herbs indoors is getting that balance right.

In the UK, short winter days can leave your herbs struggling for sunlight. South-facing windows are ideal, as they get the most daylight hours. If you’re short on natural light, don’t worry, you can use a grow light to keep your plants happy and photosynthesising through the darker months.

When it comes to watering, less is often more. Keep the compost moist but not soggy, overwatering is one of the most common problems for indoor herbs. Use pots with drainage holes and empty any saucers so your herbs don’t end up sitting in a puddle.

And if your herbs start to lean towards the light, rotate the pots every few days to keep them growing evenly. A few small adjustments make a world of difference to plant health and growth.

Turning Supermarket Herbs into Thriving Plants

If you’ve ever bought those bright green pots of supermarket herbs, you’ll know the story. They look glorious for about a week, and then, poof! They wilt, fade, and die dramatically. But don’t be discouraged. It’s not you!

Supermarket herbs are grown for quick sale, packed tightly together in tiny pots, and raised under artificial grow lights for speed rather than strength. That means the plants are weak and overcrowded, with little chance to thrive long-term.

Here’s how to rescue them:

• Re-pot your herbs. Gently tease the roots apart and divide the clump into smaller plants. Place each one in its own pot with peat-free compost, this gives the roots space to stretch and access nutrients.
  
• Water wisely. Keep the compost slightly moist, but avoid soaking it. Herbs like consistency more than drenching.
  
• Feed gently. A diluted liquid plant feed once or twice a month helps keep herbs lush and green.

Once your rescued herbs have settled, it’s time to make more! Propagating from cuttings is easy, free, and very satisfying.

Start with the easiest herbs like basil or mint, two herbs that root quickly. Snip a few long stems just above a leaf node, strip off the lower leaves, and pop the cuttings in a glass of water. Place them somewhere bright but out of direct sun. Within a week or so, you’ll see delicate white roots forming. When they’re about 3 cm long, plant them into compost and watch your new baby herbs grow.

Maximise Your Indoor Growing Space

As your herb collection expands (and it will), your windowsills might start feeling the squeeze. Luckily, there are clever ways to maximise your growing space without losing style points.

A simple over-door hanging rack or wall-mounted shelf can be transformed into a vertical herb display. Hang it in front of a sunny window or glass door to give your plants plenty of light. It’s practical, looks gorgeous, and fills your kitchen with lush greenery.

You can even repurpose old jars, mugs, or tin cans into quirky plant pots, just make sure they have drainage holes. Herb growing doesn’t have to be fancy; it just needs a bit of creativity.

Pro tip: put a tea towel or tray underneath your display to catch drips when watering. Your herbs will love their new view, and you’ll love the aesthetic.

Microgreens – Tiny Plants, Huge Flavour

If you’ve caught the gardening bug, it’s time to level up with microgreens. These culinary herbs are tiny, nutrient-packed plants that grow fast and add a punch of flavour to any dish. You can grow basil, coriander, rocket, or garlic chives as microgreens, and they’re perfect for garnishing everything from stir fries to salads.

Here’s how to grow them:

• Fill a shallow tray or pot with peat-free compost.
  
• Sprinkle your herb seeds evenly across the surface.
  
• Gently mist with water to keep them moist.
  
• Place them in a bright spot, no need for deep soil or big pots.

In just 7–10 days, you’ll have fresh, vibrant micro herbs ready to snip and sprinkle. When you’ve harvested the lot, just sow another batch. Most seed packets contain thousands of seeds, so one packet can keep you in greens for months.

The Joy (and Taste) of Growing Your Own

There’s something wonderfully grounding about growing your own herbs indoors. You’re not just producing food, you’re creating flavour, freshness, and a connection to your meals. Watching a tiny seed become a lush basil plant, or rescuing a supermarket mint and watching it thrive, gives a small but satisfying sense of achievement.

Plus, having homegrown herbs means your cooking will always taste better. Whether you’re stirring parsley into soup, blending garlic and basil into homemade pesto, or garnishing your favourite Asian-inspired dishes, you’ll be using ingredients bursting with life and nutrients.

And let’s not forget, indoor gardening is great for wellbeing. Studies show that tending to plants reduces stress and improves focus. So every time you water your herbs, you’re doing your mind (and dinner) a favour.

Growing indoor plants like herbs indoors is one of the simplest and most satisfying ways to bring greenery, flavour, and joy into your home. From basil and mint cuttings to trays of microgreens, these plants are low-maintenance, high-reward, and endlessly useful in the kitchen.

So grab a few herb seeds, some peat-free compost, and a sunny spot. Before long, you’ll have a mini indoor garden on your sunny windowsill bursting with fresh, fragrant herbs ready to cook, garnish, and savour.

Once you start, you’ll never look at those plastic supermarket pots the same way again.