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Windowsill herb garden: growing kitchen herbs indoors

A row of herb pots on a sunny windowsill gives you fresh basil, mint and parsley within arm's reach of the stove. Indoors, light is almost always the limiting factor, so this guide starts with the window and then covers herbs, pots, watering, harvesting and the problems you are most likely to meet.

Windowsill herb garden: growing kitchen herbs indoors
Photo: David J. Stang, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Difficulty
Easy–moderate
Light
At least 6 hours of sun (estimated)
Setup time
About 1 hour
First harvest
3–6 weeks from young plants (estimated)

Which window?

Most culinary herbs come from sunny, open places, and an indoor window gives them far less light than a garden. Pick the brightest window you have.

  • South-facing (in the Northern Hemisphere): the best choice; direct sun for most of the day.
  • West-facing: a good second choice; strong afternoon sun, warmer.
  • East-facing: morning sun only; fine for parsley, mint and chives, weak for rosemary and thyme.
  • North-facing: too dim for most herbs without a grow light.

Aim for at least 6 hours of direct or very bright light a day (estimated). Keep pots close to the glass, but in winter move them a few inches back on frosty nights; leaves touching cold glass get damaged. Avoid spots right above radiators, which dry the soil and the air.

A bright windowsill: pots close to the glass get the most light.
A bright windowsill: pots close to the glass get the most light. Photo: Lucas Alexander, CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

Which herbs suit a windowsill?

The table gives a rough guide to light, water and difficulty for each herb indoors (estimated). Mediterranean herbs need more sun and less water; leafy herbs tolerate a little less light but want steady moisture.

BasilLight: full sun, 6–8 h · Water: keep evenly moist · Difficulty: easy in summer, hard in winter
MintLight: medium to bright · Water: moist · Difficulty: very easy; spreads, needs its own pot
ParsleyLight: medium to bright · Water: evenly moist · Difficulty: easy; slow from seed
ThymeLight: full sun · Water: let soil dry between waterings · Difficulty: moderate
ChivesLight: medium to bright · Water: moist · Difficulty: very easy
RosemaryLight: full sun, as much as possible · Water: dry between waterings · Difficulty: moderate–hard indoors
SageLight: full sun · Water: dry between waterings · Difficulty: moderate
Coriander (cilantro)Light: bright, cool spot · Water: moist · Difficulty: hard; bolts quickly, sow repeatedly
DillLight: full sun · Water: moist · Difficulty: moderate; grows tall, best as young leaves

Seeds or young plants?

From seed

  • Cheapest; one packet fills many pots.
  • Basil, coriander, dill and chives germinate easily.
  • Parsley is slow (2–4 weeks to sprout, estimated); soaking seeds overnight helps.
  • First harvest takes 6–10 weeks (estimated).

From young plants

  • Harvest within a few weeks.
  • Best for rosemary, thyme and sage, which are slow and uneven from seed.
  • Mint is best bought or grown from a cutting; seed-grown mint varies.
  • Check for pests before bringing plants home.

Pots and soil

  • Drainage holes are essential. A decorative outer pot is fine as long as you empty any water that collects in it.
  • Size: 5–6 in pots for single herbs; small pots dry out within a day on a sunny sill (estimated).
  • Soil: use fresh, good-quality potting mix, not garden soil. For rosemary, thyme and sage, mix in about one-quarter perlite or grit for faster drainage.
  • Group by thirst: Mediterranean herbs together, leafy herbs together, so you don't have to water one pot differently from its neighbour.
  • Mint gets its own pot. Its runners overrun anything planted with it.
  • Terracotta dries faster (good for dry-lovers); plastic holds moisture longer (good for basil and parsley).
Mint spreads by runners, so grow it alone in its own pot.
Mint spreads by runners, so grow it alone in its own pot. Photo: C T Johansson, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Step-by-step setup

  1. Choose the sunniest window and measure the sill so the pots and saucers fit.
  2. Pick 3–5 herbs you actually cook with; starting small makes care easier.
  3. Put a little potting mix in each pot (add grit for Mediterranean herbs).
  4. Ease the plant out of its nursery pot and loosen circling roots gently.
  5. Plant at the same depth it was growing, fill around it and firm lightly.
  6. Water thoroughly until water runs from the hole, then empty the saucer.
  7. Place the pots close to the glass, with sun-lovers in the brightest spot.
  8. Turn pots a quarter turn every few days so they grow evenly instead of leaning.
  9. Wait about two weeks before the first light harvest so roots can settle.

Watering: dry herbs vs moist herbs

The most common indoor mistake is watering every herb the same way. Check with a finger: push it about 1 in into the soil before watering.

Parsley wants evenly moist soil and wilts if it dries out completely.
Parsley wants evenly moist soil and wilts if it dries out completely. Photo: H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Thyme comes from dry, stony hillsides; overwatering is its biggest enemy.
Thyme comes from dry, stony hillsides; overwatering is its biggest enemy. Photo: Henry Brisse, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Like it on the dry side

  • Rosemary
  • Thyme
  • Sage
  • Oregano
  • Water when the top inch is dry; never leave them standing in water.

Like steady moisture

  • Basil
  • Parsley
  • Mint
  • Chives
  • Water when the surface just starts to dry; don't let them wilt.
Parsley wants evenly moist soil and wilts if it dries out completely.
Parsley wants evenly moist soil and wilts if it dries out completely. Photo: H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Harvesting the right way

Regular, correct harvesting keeps herbs bushy and productive.

  • Cut from the tips, just above a pair of leaves. Two new shoots grow from that point. Don't strip individual big leaves from the bottom.
  • Never take more than about a third of the plant at once (estimated).
  • Basil: pinch out flower buds as soon as they appear. Once it flowers, leaf growth slows and the taste changes.
  • Chives and parsley: cut the outer stems near the base; new growth comes from the centre.
  • Rosemary, thyme, sage: snip soft green tips; don't cut back into old woody stems.
  • Coriander and dill run to seed fast in warmth; harvest young and sow a new pot every 3–4 weeks.
Chives: cut stems near the base; the clump regrows from the centre.
Chives: cut stems near the base; the clump regrows from the centre. Photo: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Winter light: adding an LED

In winter even a south window may give only a few hours of weak sun. Herbs slow down, stretch and lose flavour. A small LED grow light solves most of this.

  • Use a full-spectrum (white) LED; it looks natural in a kitchen.
  • Hang it about 6–12 in above the plants (check the maker's advice).
  • Run it 12–14 hours a day; a cheap plug-in timer makes this automatic (estimated).
  • Water less in winter; growth is slower and soil stays wet longer.
  • Basil dislikes cold: keep it above about 59 °F and away from cold glass at night (estimated).

Common problems and fixes

Long, thin, pale stems (leggy growth)Not enough light. Move to a brighter window or add an LED, and pinch back the tips so the plant branches.
Aphids on new shootsRinse the plant under a lukewarm shower or wipe with a damp cloth; repeat every few days. Check undersides of leaves.
Basil leaves turning blackUsually cold damage (cold glass, draughts) or water on the leaves in cool conditions. Keep it warm and water the soil, not the leaves.
Yellowing lower leavesOften too much water and poor drainage. Let the soil dry a little and make sure the pot drains.
Rosemary drying out despite wateringRoot rot from wet soil or too little light. Use gritty mix, water less, give it the sunniest spot.
Coriander suddenly floweringHeat and stress make it bolt. Harvest what you can and sow a new pot.

Rescuing a supermarket basil pot

Supermarket basil pots hold dozens of seedlings crammed together. They compete for space, so the pot usually collapses within a couple of weeks. Dividing it fixes this.

  • Water the pot, then slide the whole root ball out.
  • Gently pull or cut the root ball into 3–5 sections.
  • Pot each section in its own 5–6 in pot of fresh potting mix.
  • Water well and keep out of strong sun for 2–3 days while it recovers.
  • Then move to the sunniest window and pinch the tips to encourage branching.

You can also root the leftover stems in a glass of water; roots appear in 1–2 weeks (estimated).

Frequently asked questions

Can I grow herbs indoors with no sunny window?

Yes, with an LED grow light running 12–14 hours a day (estimated). Mint, parsley and chives cope best with less light; rosemary and basil struggle without strong light.

Do indoor herbs need fertiliser?

A little. Feed with a diluted liquid fertiliser about once a month in spring and summer (estimated). Too much fertiliser makes soft, less flavourful growth.

Why does my basil keep dying?

The usual causes are too little light, cold glass at night, or a crowded supermarket pot. Divide it, give it the warmest sunny spot and keep the soil evenly moist.

Can I plant several herbs in one long trough?

Yes, if they share the same needs: rosemary, thyme and sage together, or parsley and chives together. Keep mint and basil in separate pots.

How long do windowsill herbs last?

Basil, coriander and dill are annuals and fade after months. Parsley lasts about two seasons. Mint, chives, thyme, sage and rosemary can last years with repotting.

Herbs featured in this guide

BasilMintParsleyThymeChivesRosemarySageCoriander

Sources

Last updated: 2 November 2026