Grow Herbs Indoors: A Simple Guide for Beginners

Indoor herb gardening can be a great way to have fresh, flavorful ingredients at any time of the year. Given the right setup, you can grow herbs indoors is very easy, even when space is at a premium. In this guide, we look at practical ways to get started with an indoor herb garden, from choosing the right containers to setting up a hydroponic system.

Why Grow Herbs Indoors?

There are just so many reasons to grow herbs indoors! Having them at your fingertips means fresh flavor added, with no need to run outside or to the store. It also puts you in control of the growing conditions that allow you to enjoy them fresh, regardless of the season.

Best Herbs to Grow Indoors for Beginners: Top Choices to Grow Herbs Successfully

Some of them are the real indoor types and just can’t get enough of the light and the warmth inside the average home. The following are some really easy herbs to grow indoors for the beginning cook or herbalist:

• Basil: It loves warmth and sun, so a bright window is ideal.
• Mint: Grows well in poor light, but keep it in a container as it spreads so quickly.
• Parsley: It does best in medium light and tolerates partial shade.
• Thyme: A more robust herb that likes the light but does not mind dry spells.
• Chives: These are very easy to grow and quite suitable for the amateur.

Choose things you tend to use a lot in your cooking, and can support with your available light.

How Much Light Does It Take to Grow Herbs

Light is one of the most important factors in terms of growing herbs indoors. Most herbs need at least 6 hours of light a day, which would mean a south-facing window will be ideal. In case your indoor space does not get enough natural light, supplement the plants with grow lights. LED grow lights will work effectively on indoor herbs, giving the plants full spectrum without burning the plants due to excessive heat.

Soil Indoor Herb Growing

Growing herbs indoors using the soil is quite straightforward; hence, it’s considered an easy topic to get started with since you hardly need any special equipment to get started.

Steps to Follow for Growing Herbs in Soil

1. Selecting the Right Container: Get pots with either holes or indentations in the bottom to avoid having standing water collect at the bottom because that could lead to root decay. Clay pots will do just fine. These allow the soil to dry between waterings.
2. Potting Mix of High Quality: Indoor herbs do quite well in a light and well-draining potting mix. Sometimes, regular garden soil is too heavy for the potted plant.
3. Water: Once the top inch of the soil has dried, it is time to water. Do not overwater; herbs prefer moist but not soggy soil.

Double-Quick Tip: Rotate the pots every few days to ensure equal light coverage; this will prevent your herbs from leaning toward the window.

Setting Up a Simple Hydroponic System to Grow Herbs Indoors

Want a more hands-free, efficient way to grow indoor herbs? Try hydroponics. Hydroponic systems grow plants in a nutrient-rich water solution instead of soil. This provides faster growth with less mess. Here’s how to set up a basic hydroponic system for herbs using a tub, water pump, and air bubblers.

Basic Hydroponic Setup for Growing Herbs

1. Container: A tub or plastic container that is large enough to accommodate your herbs. It is ideal if the container has a lid since it can provide support for your plants.
2. Water Pump and Bubblers: A small water pump circulates the nutrient solution, while air bubblers-the same kind used in fish tanks-oxygenate the water that your roots need to be healthy.
3. Nutrient Solution: Provide it with a balanced nutrient solution of MasterBlend fertilizer, calcium nitrate, Epsom salt, and a pinch of sea salt minerals. This will provide the herbs with all their nutrient requirements.
4. Net Pots and Growing Medium: Place your herbs in net pots installed with a growing medium, such as clay pebbles, for the maintenance of healthy roots and to provide good water flow.

Setting Up Your Hydroponic Herb Garden

1. Fill the container with water, adding the nutrient solution to it according to the instructions on the package.
2. Place the water pump and air bubblers into the tub, and then turn them on in order to circulate the water.
3. Place the net pots into the lid of the container, so that the roots are set into the water solution.
4. Place the setup near a light source, or if needed, use grow lights.

Hydroponic crops go well with herbs such as basil, mint, and parsley because they grow well in soilless culture and, at the same time, have controlled nutrient feeding.

Care of Indoor Herbs: How to Keep Them Healthy

No matter what type of growing you are using, whether it be a hydroponic setup or growing in soil, care will essentially be needed for the herbs to keep flourishing. Some ways to help maintain your indoor herb garden include:

• Pruning: Prune herbs regularly to promote bushy growth. Snip the stems just above the node of a leaf so that your plants continue producing fresh leaves.
• Fertilizing: Most herbs in the soil need light fertilization once a month, while hydroponic systems will do well with regular changes of nutrient solution.
• Pest control: Rarely will indoor herbs have any infestations, but when you encounter these, non-toxic, mild soapy water will clean bugs off the plant.

Pro tip: For maximum leaf production, prevent herbs from flowering. Pinch off flower buds when they appear; this keeps the plants’ energy focused on leaf development.

Harvesting and Storing Fresh Grown Herbs

After your herbs have reached a decent size, you can begin reaping. Here’s how to pick and store them for the best results:

• How to Harvest: Leaves have fresher flavor when picked in the morning. Snip stems with clean scissors or garden shears but never remove more than a third of the plant at one time.
• How to Dry Herbs: For long-term storage, air dry herbs by bundling them and hanging upside down in a cool, dry place until dried. Then store them in airtight containers.
• Freezing Herbs: Take herbs like basil and parsley and chop them up into pieces. Freeze them in an ice cube tray with a bit of water or olive oil to retain flavor.

Best Herbs for Indoor and Hydroponic Growing

Here is a short list if you are a beginner of the best herbs which do well both in soil and hydroponic setups:

• Basil: Great for hydroponics, it grows very fast, and it loves light.
• Mint: It really grows indoors very fast, perfect in both conditions of soil and hydroponics.
• Parsley: Grows with both methods well, tolerates low light.
• Thyme: Hardy herb that works great in soil and can adapt to hydroponics.
• Chives: Easy to grow indoors; adds mild onion flavor to dishes.

Feel free to experiment with different herb varieties to determine what works best for your setup!

FAQs

What is the easiest herb to grow indoors?
Some of the five herbs that do great indoors and are good starter herbs are basil, mint, parsley, thyme, and chives. These plants are very good for indoor growing and are commonly used in cooking.

Can I grow herbs indoors if I don’t have a sunny window?
Yes, you can use LED grow lights if natural sunlight is limited inside your place to provide the required light for the herbs inside.

How often should I change the water in a hydroponic system?
Change the solution in the hydroponic setup once a week or once every two weeks to keep it fresh and to avoid the buildup of old solution nutrients.

What is the easiest way to start an herb garden hydroponically?
The easiest way to start an herb garden hydroponically is the use of a small tub, water pump, air bubblers, and nutrient solution such as MasterBlend, calcium nitrate, and Epsom salt.

Do indoor herbs require fertilization?
The soil herbs require light fertilizers once every month. Hydroponic herbs have no need for fertilizers, but require nutrient solutions. You will need to change this after some time.

Growing herbs indoors can be as low- or as high-tech as you like, from traditional potted plants to a hydroponic system with nutrient solution. Whether you’re growing in soil or trying out a tub with a pump and bubblers, having fresh herbs on hand adds flavor and convenience to your daily cooking. Enjoy the process, and happy gardening!