It’s time to stop spending money on expensive dried herbs and start growing fresh-picked flavor right in your apartment. These seven herbs are ridiculously easy to grow indoors, needing nothing more than a little water, soil and sunlight. They are cooking staples that you can pick fresh for every meal, or harvest and dry to refill the spice rack.
Dill
This delicate flavor adds hints of tangy, grassy sweetness to salads, veggies, fish, pickles, and even cocktails. It grows quickly from seed, but wait until late spring or summer as it prefers warmer temperatures and lots of sunlight.
Bay
Bay is a must-have herb for soups, stews and roasts. It actually grows better in containers than out in the garden, but make sure it doesn’t get too crowded because bay leaves need a little breathing room to stay healthy.
Rosemary
Rosemary can turn any dish into a gourmet masterpiece. It’s a hardy plant too, and once established it will grow for years. However, it’s not very easy to grow from seed. Buy rosemary transplants from your local gardening store, or take a cutting and plant it in a moist soilless mix until it roots. Then put it in some potting mix and keep it in a south-facing window to make sure it gets at least 6 hours of sun per day.
Chives
Buy chives from the store (they take forever to start from seeds), and plant in your brightest window. Once established, you’ll find that these tasty herbs come back season after season. They are amazing on baked potatoes – or any dish that calls for a little fresh onion flavor.
Parsley
Parsley is another herb that is super easy to start from seed. But it does prefer full sun (that’s 6-8 hours per day), so stick it in your sunniest window and watch it slowly come to life.
Cilantro
Cilantro is one of our favorites here at HQ in San Francisco – and an absolute must for making tacos. Just like parsley, it is easy to start from seed and will need lots and lots of sun.
Basil
Pesto anyone? How about some basil and goat cheese stuffed chicken? Or margherita pizza? Basil makes everything better, and its powerful smell is like a natural air freshener. You can grow basil from seeds or transplants, but be sure to wait until the days are longer and the temperatures are warmer because this is another herb that requires plenty of sun.
Oregano
Oregano is a bit tough to start from seed, but store-bought transplants and cuttings will take off as soon as you plant them. They need plenty of light too, so stick it with the other sun-loving herbs.
Did we mention they need sun?
Most herbs prefer at least 6 hours of sun per day, but will tolerate shadier conditions. If you’re worried that your plants aren’t thriving, try moving them to follow the sun from east to west. You can also use a long fluorescent light or grow light to extend the day.
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