Did you know the best herbs to grow indoors are also the most expensive items you can buy in the produce section of a grocery store?
It’s true!
When cooking, fresh herbs add spice and taste to our dishes. They elevate food to a level that can’t be compared to substitutes. But as much as you’re paying for flavor?
Save money and grow herbs indoors at home!
When you’re low on funds, improvising meals with fresh herbs can make a difference. And we’ve all been there.
Grow herbs outdoors or bring them in for winter but you can harvest year round!
Bonus: You can cut and harvest these herbs in a way where you will have a guaranteed free supply for life!
Here the best herbs to grow indoors and have on hand when you’re broke!
1. Basil
Basil smells heavenly and is an excellent addition to many Italian dishes like spaghetti or pizza.
The secret is to add leaves or a small stalk at the end of cooking for a fresh and organic taste!
I recommend starting basil from seed, rather than buying from a supermarket. Keep it in a sunny spot and water the soil enough to keep it moist in a well-draining pot.
As it grows, pinch off the top leaves to get a bushier, fuller plant. You will grow enough to want to share with your neighbors!
To propagate: Cut off a basil stem right below the leaf and place it in water. After a few weeks, the stem will grow roots.
Plant the cutting in soil and you have a fresh new basil plant!
2. Cilantro
Cilantro has a fresh kick and goes great with soups, tacos, and a variety of dishes.
It can be a finicky herb to grow depending on where you live, but is worth the trouble.
The key is to find a strategic location where they can receive full morning sun but complete shade in the afternoon.
You can create these conditions by crowding many seeds at once in a pot or planting companion plants for shade.
Some leaves may still bolt but you’ll have a greater and fuller selection of better-tasting leaves.
To propagate: Cilantro is pretty good at reseeding on its own. But to try propagation, cut a bunch of stems right below the leaf node and place them in water. When the stems root, plant in the soil!
3. Garlic
Garlic is a common base for pretty much any meat you cook, which comes in handy on a budget! It’s strong, and aromatic, and adds an extra punch of flavor to everything.
Garlic is also a natural repellant for bugs and the perfect companion plant for vegetables.
For an endless supply all year, always plant a new clove in its place after harvesting!
To grow, choose a suitable container, a sunny spot, and a potting mix or soil high in organic matter.
To propagate: Take a single clove from a garlic bulb and plant in soil with the pointy end facing up. Harvest when the tops are completely brown. Hang in a cool dark area for storage.
4. Thyme
Thyme is another great herb that can be used fresh or dried and pairs well with any meat, but it’s especially complimentary with citrus-based dishes.
So think seafood and fish!
This herb likes full bright sun, light dry soil, and warm soil and water, use sparingly.
It takes longer to germinate, but no worries, thyme is on your side! 🙂
If growing indoors, put them in front of a south or west-facing window for consistent warmth and a higher rate of success.
To propagate: Cut the stem just below the leaf node and place the cutting in water for new roots!
5. Rosemary
Rosemary is popular in a lot of Mediterranean recipes but pairs great with a variety of dishes! Like thyme, rosemary likes warm weather with little water.
Keep the soil moist until germination and then seriously, just let it do its thing.
Beginner gardeners love to overwater as an act of love but these herbs really don’t need much.
I would go as far as to say these plants thrive on neglect!
To propagate: Cut off a stem and place it in water to root. Place in a sunny spot and only water, as needed!
6. Oregano
Oregano also does well in hotter weather. It’s invasive and grows similar to a weed so it’s best to start it off in a bigger pot to spread out into.
It can thrive during droughts, just give it a pot pot with well-drained soil and be careful not to overwater.
Oregano is also a natural repellant for mosquitos.
The plant will let you know when it needs water by wilting and being extra dramatic.
To propagate: Cut the stem and place it in water. Wait two or three weeks for cutting to root before planting.
7. Chives
Chives are easy to grow and a great substitute for onions if their taste is too strong for you.
They pair best with any recipe calling for potatoes, garlic, and onions.
Plant late summer and bring in and harvest all winter. Great substitute for onions but milder and more nutritional!
To propagate: Cut the end of the bulb off and plant in soil for new shoots!
8. Lemon Balm
Lemon balm is another tasty, yet invasive growing herb that behaves like a weed so it’s perfect for a container!
It comes from the mint family and is a great attractor of pollinators to your garden.
This is also a huge medicinal herb. When used as a tea, there have been claims of calming and soothing effects.
Be sure to check with a doctor for medical advice but to try as a tea cannot hurt!
To propagate: Take a longer stem and root in water. Lemon balm can take a while to grow roots but once they appear, plant in soil. Happy growing!
9. Borage
Borage is a unique herb with lots of medicinal benefits, including helping to lower inflammation.
Borage is a must-have for attracting hard-working pollinators to your garden.
To grow, put it in neutral soil. It thrives in in-ground gardens or containers, it’s adaptable and will add a dose of happiness to anyone’s day! Not to mention, the flowers are edible!
To propagate: This herb is another bountiful self-seeder and will likely come back year after year. Feel free to propagate by placing a stem cutting in water and letting it root!
10. Mint
You can’t go wrong with a fresh dose of mint in the middle of summer.
Whether you’re adding it to lemonade, water, or a cold alcoholic beverage, mint adds a freshness that can’t be beaten.
Be extra careful with this herb, it’s probably the most invasive of them all so be sure it gets a single pot of its own!
To propagate: Cut a stem and place the cutting in water to see rooting after a few weeks.
This plant is a voracious self-seeder so you’ll likely have an endless supply year after year!
This post has shown you 10 herbs to grow indoors when you’re broke
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