8 Best Herbs to Grow in Your Windowsill

If you love to while away the hours in the garden on a warm summer day, you may feel a sense of loss when the temperatures drop and the days grow shorter. But you don’t have to set aside your green thumb for the duration of winter. There are plenty of herbs you can cultivate from the warmth and comfort of your windowsill. As long as you have a deep enough perch where you can place your planters and a window that welcomes in several hours of sunlight each day, you can easily grow these eight herbs throughout the entire winter season.

1. Oregano

Some of the best gardening advice is to grow what you actually want to eat. Anyone who has tasted the complexity of oregano knows that it is an absolute must when it comes to seasoning things like poultry and pot roast. These hardy little plants make a beautiful addition to any kitchen and need just a small amount of attention to grow and produce a bounty of delicious leaves for any aspiring home cook. The more you harvest the leaves, the more the plant will regrow, so don’t be afraid to clip leaves often.

See more: Herbs for Health: The Benefits Growing in Your Garden

2. Mint

We could all use a little more mint in our lives. Whether you want to grow and dry your own leaves for homemade teas, drop the pungent leaves into lemonade for an extra minty kick or store up these little treasures for a round of mojitos, you almost can’t go wrong with growing this plant indoors. The best part of cultivating a mint plant inside is that it won’t grow out of bounds like it does when you plant it in the ground.

See more: Indoor Gardening Guide

3. Rosemary

Rosemary is a crucial ingredient in seasoning chicken and other savory dishes, and the fresh scent easily harkens gardeners back to warmer weather. Because a small rosemary plant won’t grow too tall or too wide, it’s a wonderful addition to any windowsill herb garden. Some people even cultivate this beautiful plant purely for its aesthetic. If your plant seems to be growing slower than the rest, don’t worry. With a little patience and attention, rosemary will progressively become more productive.

See more: 12 Vegetables You Can Regrow From Scraps

4. Basil

While basil can be a little on the finicky side, it’s well worth the effort to nurture these plants throughout the cooler months. Basil can be used in practically any dish. You can easily add it to savory dishes, experiment with using it in drinks and desserts, or stock up on the leaves and create your own homemade pesto. This herb thrives in rich and moist soil, but make sure you use a container with ample drainage holes to avoid the roots becoming too damp.

See more: 6 Uncommon Herbs to Add More Flavor to Your Life

5. Parsley

Parsley thrives indoors when placed in a sunny spot. You are most likely to succeed with this one if you have a south-facing window that receives at least six to eight hours of sunshine. Of course, like all indoor plants, you could supplement the amount of light with a fluorescent bulb if need be. When it comes time to harvest the leaves, start by clipping around the edges to encourage the plant to regrow at the center. If you keep the soil evenly moist, you can enjoy fresh parsley all winter long.

6. Thyme

Thyme is one of the easiest herbs to grow on your windowsill. Resilient and adaptable, this little herb thrives in zones five through nine, and it comes in a range of varieties. You may also be thrilled to learn that thyme is happiest when left alone. If you baby it too much, you may stunt its growth or cause it to wilt. Place your pot of thyme in a sunny spot and be careful not to overwater it. Thyme prefers hot and dry environments more than cool and damp ones.

See more: 10 Tantalizing Ways to Cook With Thyme

7. Chives

Chives aren’t quite as picky as some of the other herbs out there. They don’t necessarily need an entire day of sunlight, but they will grow best when they have access to sunshine for a minimum of four to six hours a day. You only need to water when the soil feels dry to the touch. If you notice they get off to a slow start or feel like they aren’t growing to their full potential, try moving them to a sunnier location or supplementing their light with fluorescents. Be sure when you trim the plant to leave at least two inches for regrowth as well.

See more: 11 Things You Can Grow in Your Winter Garden

8. Sage

If you fancy a little instant gratification, you might want to give sage a try. While this classic herb won’t grow overnight, it is known to be one of the faster-growing choices. Unless you have a whole lot of window space to dedicate to this particular plant, choose a dwarf variety and regularly clip the leaves to keep it from growing out of control. Perhaps one of the best perks to growing sage indoors during the winter is your ability to access fresh sage for Thanksgiving and Christmas meals.