You Don't Need Loads of Room to Grow Herbs – Plant these 5 on Your Windowsill Now for Aromatic Harvests All Spring and Summer
These herbs are ideal for indoor growing
Herbs are some of the most rewarding plants to grow, delivering aromatic and delicious leaves to cook with. The best part is you don't need a sweeping kitchen garden to grow them, as many are suited to growing right on your windowsill. April in particular is a great time to plant herbs, getting them started for spring and summer harvests.
From basil to rosemary and even chives, there are several herbs to plant in April to kickstart your herb garden. With warmer temperatures and more hours of daylight arriving this month, it won't take long for these fragrant beauties to sprout and fill your home with their enticing scents and flavors.
How to Grow Herbs on Your Windowsill
There are so many ways to start an indoor herb garden all year round.
The controlled conditions of the indoor environment even make it possible to grow herbs in fall and winter (with the help of indoor growing systems, like this bamboo grow light from Amazon).
In spring, you can make the most of warmer room temperatures and longer daylight to grow herbs indoors with much more ease.
As long as you have a bright windowsill, you can use anything from nursery pots (like this pack on Amazon) to mason jars (from Walmart) to grow herbs indoors successfully.
Below are five easy herbs to plant in April to get you started:
1. Basil
You can grow basil indoors at any time, but April is a particularly ideal month to start seeds.
This is true if you want to add basil to your outdoor garden, too.
Starting basil seeds indoors now provides enough warmth and protection from lingering cold spring temperatures so that it becomes established enough to add to the yard once the risk of frost has passed.
'If provided with proper conditions, basil will bring in a rich harvest within a few weeks,' says Plantum plant expert Marina Prokaten.
You should sow basil seeds (like these from Burpee) thinly on the surface of well-draining herb potting mix (like this from Amazon).
'Plenty of sun is the prerequisite for basil’s lush growth. Ensure that your plant has 6-8 hours of full sun daily and it will get larger and stronger,' Marina says.
'Initially, basil needs a lot of water, so water it every five days in spring, every 2-3 days in summer,' she adds.
If you want to grow basil in water, you can grow basil from cuttings in a glass vessel or experiment with the Kratky method using these Kratky hydroponic pots from Amazon.
Marina Prokaten is a resident plant expert for the Plantum app, which helps users identify plant species, diagnose their conditions, and get specific care advice. She has three years of experience consulting on botany-related topics for Plantum.
2. Rosemary
Rosemary is a slower growing herb, so it's a good idea to start seeds indoors in April to get a head start.
The good thing about growing rosemary is that it's a hardy herb with varieties like 'Arp' (seeds from Burpee) surviving winters down to USDA zone 6. So, once it becomes established, it's a reliable addition to your outdoor herb garden.
Indoors, you can keep rosemary productive year-round by using a seedling heat mat (like this from Walmart) and a grow light to maintain optimal conditions during winter.
When growing rosemary indoors, bear in mind it will take 3-4 weeks for seeds to germinate, so patience is key.
Provide rosemary with a direct sun position (a south-facing windowsill is best) and make sure to harvest rosemary correctly to encourage more growth, i.e., don't cut into the woody base as this may stunt growth.
3. Parsley
Parsley is another of the best herbs to plant in April, typically germinating in 2-4 weeks when grown indoors.
It's fairly simple to grow parsley from seed (like with these parsley seeds at Burpee). If you soak the seeds in warm water for 24 hours before planting, the seed shell will soften, and it can accelerate germination.
'Parsley grows best when it gets water on a regular basis,' Marina notes. 'And avoid full sun in the afternoon, which may turn its leaves yellow from leaf scorch.'
Once established, you can prune parsley to encourage bushier growth. Harvesting parsley regularly will encourage more vigorous growth.
These herb harvesting scissors from Amazon make clean cuts that maintain plant health.
4. Peppermint
One of the best mint varieties to grow in April is peppermint. Starting seeds now will allow them to establish in time for summer.
While you can grow peppermint from seed (like these peppermint seeds from Burpee), it is often faster to grow cuttings of peppermint, for example, from this peppermint starter plant from Walmart.
When growing from seed, simply push them into the surface of the soil gently, as they need light to germinate.
'Ideally, you need to maintain average or high humidity of 40–80% around peppermint,' says Marina.
'Use a humidifier or a pebble trays (like this from Amazon) to increase humidity indoors,' she advises.
Once established, don't forget to keep moisture levels up for this herb.
'This herb can’t stand dry soil and will probably wilt if you forget to water it. To make your peppermint happy, keep the soil consistently moist,' Marina says.
You can use a soil moisture meter (from Amazon) to identify when it's time to water your peppermint.
5. Chives
You can grow chives by planting seeds in April, and they'll be ready to harvest in 60-90 days.
'Despite being drought-tolerant, chives thrive if watered regularly, especially during hot periods. To get the best harvest, keep the soil slightly moist and don’t let it dry out completely,' says Marina.
Outdoors, these herbs do well across USDA zones 3-9 in a full sun position. Indoors, a direct sun window sill is recommended to encourage more vigorous growth.
'Chives require moist and nutrient-rich soil to thrive. Good drainage is also a must – it helps prevent fungal diseases,' Marina adds.
When harvesting chives, it's best to cut a small clump of leaves at a time, cutting just an inch or so above the soil line.
What to Shop
This indoor herb garden has a capacity for three herbs at a time. Each of the pots has drainage holes, and it comes with a tray to catch excess moisture.
This pack of herb seeds has 25 non-GMO heirloom varieties to plant and expand your herb garden.
These Fiskars herb scissors are designed to make precise cuts when harvesting herbs, maintaining plant health.
Once you have your indoor herbs established, you may be considering moving them outdoors for the spring and summer. But, don't be too hasty, early-mid spring can be too early to move herbs outdoors.
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