A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 newbie gardener wants an indoor herb garden

I know nothing about herbs but for some reason I really really want to grow some. I have a few questions. First do I suspend them in the air or just put them in a plain old pot? What herb(s) should I grow? What are the easiest to grow in zone 6? And which herbs are the hardest to kill? Any help will be appriciated.

Grow them in pots, they will need light either from a window that gets direct sun or under lights. Basil, Sage, Oregano all will grow nicely in pots and are very hardy. There are many others also and I am sure someone else will suggest those. I recommend you do not use potting soil that has added plant food for indoor herbs, the reason I say this is that they will grow to fast and if they are not receiving enough light then they will become leggy (thin stem & small leaves or spindly) It is better to feed them occasionally when you water, If you plan to use these herbs.. remember anything that goes into the pot is absorbed by the plant therefore, If you eat it you are absorbing it also. Be sure to ask all the questions you want, as that is how we all learn and never give up!!!! Oh one more thing be careful to NOT over water.

thanks for all your help

another question. Should I buy seeds or if I can should I buy already growing plants?

Put a request for herb seeds down in the seed exchange explaining that you are new to this and would like to try an indoor herb garden. I think you will be suprised by the results.

I would add chives, mint, & dill to those already mentioned. And there are still many more that you can grow. I have some cinnamon basil that I dearly love and have even learned to dry so I harvest often and am working on filling a large jar full of it for next winter.

For any of the Mints, you need to get a cutting or a starter plant. I like chocolate mint but there are many many options. The others you can grow from seed without much difficulty.

I can't have to many cause I don't have much room, my one window sill in my room is already taken up by seeds im trying to grow so I have to use the window sill in the kitchen and my mom doesn't want me to clutter it up. So I'll have to narrow down that list a little bit. I know I want to grow at least chives and garlic, and I have a neighbor who has garlic in her back yard and I might be able to get some garlic for free.

Oh and I wouldn't have anything to offer for the seeds on the seed exchange.

You could try the seeds..Then if that doesn't produce what you want then you could go ahead and just get plants. I would try from seed first, But if you get plants of course it would be easier to care for them, and have bigger plants faster. Let us know what you do and we love pictures. What kind of seeds are trying start in the window???

thanks guys

@rubberbandman
Comfrey is right about not overwatering. Herbs are generally not indoor plants so it is quite important to make sure they get AT LEAST 4 to 5 hours of sunlight or else they will grow weak and spindly. Let the plants themselves tell you when they need watering by reaching a slight wilt.

I want to start a little herb garden. We don't have a dirt yard right now...so I'll start with herbs in some terra cotta pots I found. This was very helpful to me as well, thanks.

your very welcome to the information and to the website. I hope to hear more from you as your garden grows. I started with a Basil plant and you wouldn't believe everything I have now.

Ditto, let us know how it's goes for you...
We have several herb gardener's here and love to grow herbs and share info, so let us know how yours goes... *or grows*

I started googling information on a little unassuming plant that came as a bonus with a bunch of others I'd received in a shipment. It's
Ocimum bacilicum 'Basil Purple Ruffles'. I'm reading about it's reseeding capabilities and I note that it has just started a couple of it's petite flower heads a few days ago. I'd like to leave it outdoors as long as possible and then bring it indoors and try to keep it alive until next spring to put into a container (I don't want it spreading until I have a good idea how well I can "control" it, LOL).

Question I'd like to ask: What size are the seeds on the basil? In case the plant doesn't make it, I would like to have something to try to plant in spring. Thanks in advance.

The seeds are very tiny...and unless you can provide very good conditions for the plant indoors, it will not survive...It will need alot of light, if you read the topic Overwintering Herbs/Growing Herbs in Pots It should help you with growing it indoors, how big is the plant you have and is it growing in a pot already???

Erm, well it was until the past two days when it got warm out and a dry wind came up. I found it toppled over in its plastic nursery pot where I'd thrown it "temporarily" 2 months ago, now dry and not looking too good. I repotted it in a clay pot (hadn't read your post yet) and watered it in hopes of it reviving (it's done that before). We'll see what happens to it now.

The one room I happen to have empty this year is probably the one with the most sunlight so the shade is coming off the window and that's where all the plants I'm bringing in are spending the winter.... can't hurt to give it my best shot.

Thanks for the info on the seeds, comfrey.

Good Luck roflol! Keep us updated on how your plants are doing .

Jeepers, this plant is forgiving! It is looking just about the same as it did before I let it dry out, the bloom is still intact and the leaves have perked right back up. The only thing that irks me is the stem is probably 8 inches long before there's any leaf. Still, it's standing up on its own; just looks a bit dorky... ;-).

I'll hope to catch some seeds off of it for spring and grow them in the planters out front. As soon as I do get seeds, I plant to pinch it back slowly and try to get it to bush out a bit. This is truly an experiment for me. Hope the plant is a good sport about it.