There are Many Benefits of Growing your own Kitchen Herbs Indoors from Seed

Tastier Food using Fresh Herbs

• Fresh herbs on hand 24/7 for all your cooking, baking, salad or cocktail delights
• Increased diversity of live herbs – cheap and easy to go beyond basil and thyme and grow live mint for your mojitos or lavender for lemon & lavender muffins or whatever you like or want to try
• Fresh herbs bring unmistakable burst of flavor unlike that of dried herbs
• Before you know it, you will be growing your own micro greens and sprouts with a rich, healthy indoor kitchen garden

Herbs Grown Indoors are Sustainable & Organic

• Organic from start to finish – you control its environment 100%
• Self replenishing herbs, growing more fresh leaves between use
• Avoid wasting food and environmental impact of that. Use just what you need and keep the living plant until you use it. Great for cooking for one, for two, small families and large groups alike.
• Reuse egg cartons or existing pots to give them a second life and put them to good use

Budget Friendly and Almost Free Fresh Herbs at Home

• Budget friendly – entire kitchen herb garden cheaper than buying one bunch of cut herbs at the grocery store
• Fresh herbs can also be dried for increasing your spice rack for free

And, it is surprisingly easy!

• Germinate seeds easily using Bio Dome Method – set it and forget it for foolproof, super easy seed starting
• Or plant directly into soil for no muss, no fuss, no cost, from start to finish
• All the details are here for successful growing herbs indoors from seed to table

If you haven’t grown plants successfully from seed before or want a foolproof method, this is the place for you. The video and tips here will bring you that sustainable kitchen herb garden super easy and almost no cost.

Choosing the Best Herbs to Grow Indoors

The good news is that many herbs grow well indoors. Nearly every herb you will consider will have a variety that loves to grow indoors given the right light and watering.

Some of the most popular herbs such as basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary love growing indoors. Many even have multiple varieties that love the indoors.

Try other culinary herbs you may love such as mint, sage, summer savory, parsley, cilantro / coriander, dill and even lavender are also excellent choices.

Two key considerations are:

1. Plant size
2. Seed supplier

Plant Size for Indoor Herbs

Popular herbs such as rosemary and lavender come in many varieties. Some of these varieties are bushes, hedges or wandering plants. These will enjoy an outdoor environment much better than being constrained in a small indoor pot. Look for herb garden varieties of all herbs, and especially rosemary and lavender.

Seed Supplier is Important for Growing Healthy Herbs Indoors

Growing indoor herbs is extremely cost effective. Seeds are usually the only expense. This is not the place to skimp. Buy from a reputable seller that is ideally from your country or region.

Many good suppliers will have herb seed variety packages available. These you can be sure are made for indoor use and happy to be in pots. These bundles can also be cost effective for buying herbs you want and encourage you to try something new.

Buying individual seed packets is a great way to ensure you get exactly what you want. I often buy a bundle and supplement with individual seed packets of specific herbs I want to grow.

When buying any seeds, check the growing instructions and make sure you can germinate and keep them in their preferred location or way of growing. For herbs, usually this will include germination that will work well in Bio Dome and perhaps direct sowing in pots. And nearly all will be happy to live their life in a small pot.

Be careful when buying seeds online. Choose a seed supplier you trust. I especially have had good results from Park Seed and from Burpee. There are other good seed suppliers, but this is the place to make sure to choose wisely. You will be thanking yourself at all other steps that you chose seeds well.

How to Grow Herbs Easy and Foolproof

Starting Seeds Indoors

When starting seeds indoors, it is ideal to start seeds in small, controlled areas. This allows you to keep the water and environment around them ideal for getting a good start.

My favorite method is using a Bio Dome with Sponge inserts. This provides a greenhouse environment with automatic watering at the ideal level. Easy to place seeds and then just leave it to grow. Love it!

Another great method is starting seeds in soil in small seedling pots or repurposed egg cartons. Easy to get started. Egg cartons also have a small built in “greenhouse” if you pop the top over them. You will need to daily water and keep good drainage. But this extra care at the start will give you a healthy yield.

Bio Dome / Sponge Germination Method

The easiest way to germinate seeds is in a Bio Dome system. Simple to use and even simpler to grow seedlings. Once you put the fertilized water in and seeds in, you basically can forget it for a couple weeks. Add water once or twice before they are ready to be transplanted.

Transplanting is also a dream. Simply pull out the sponge and plant it in the soil, indoors or outdoors. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

I have used this for not only indoor herbs, but also for my vegetable garden, flower plants and is super for growing a large quantity of ground over.

While I highly recommend this and it is foolproof, there is a cost for the system and the sponges. If you are planning to do a lot of seed starting, it is definitely worth the investment. Alternatively, go the free route and repurpose egg cartons and with a bit of care, you will have healthy herbs before you know it.

Starting Seeds in Soil and Seedling Pots or Egg Cartons for Free

Cardboard egg cartons are ideal for germinating seeds. They are ready as they are. Just fill with good fertilized soil and you are ready to grow seeds indoors.

Plastic or styrofoam egg cartons also work well. Just make sure to pierce a hole or two in the bottom of the egg cup to provide adequate drainage. The clear plastic cartons have the advantage of a transparent lid. This lid can be used as a greenhouse in the first weeks to accelerate growth and retain moisture.

One additional hack from egg cartons is to use their top lid as a drip tray (all except cardboard ones) which are often the perfect size and for mature herb pots. Very good reuse – just cut off the top and remove any paper.

To plant in the egg cups. Simply place a few seeds in each egg cup. Cover with soil per the seed package directions. This is normally 4 times the depth of the seed size. Since most herb seeds are very tiny, a small sprinkling of soil on top of the seeds is all you need.

Do a good soak of the water immediately upon planting. Then check the moisture every day. You may need to add a little water each day or two, depending on your conditions.

Use a small cover (such as the clear plastic egg carton top) at first to retain moisture and increase warmth. If you see condensation, then provide ventilation. Once plants have two sets of leaves, they are ready for transplanting.

Transplant Herb Seedlings into their Forever Pot Indoors or Outdoor Garden

Some Herbs are Best Indoors

Many people grow their herbs completely indoors. The plant varieties are suited well for this. In fact, many will do better indoors away from animals or harsh weather.

While I grow many herbs outdoors, where I can get huge bounties of mint and rosemary, sweet basil lasts perhaps two or days at most before an animal eats it. Fair enough. Sweet basil is delicious! So better grown indoors if I want to enjoy it.

Also, with the change of seasons, most herbs die back. Some may regenerate, such as perennial mint, but most act as annuals in my climate. For herbs outside of full Summer, indoor herb garden is the best solution.

So feel free to plant some herbs outdoors, if you have a good spot for them in containers or in the ground. And make sure to transplant a good portion into indoor pots for a sustainable, regenerating herb that will last all year and perhaps many years to come.

Easily Transplant Herbs into Indoor Pots or Outdoor Garden

Transplanting is super easy, too! Just follow the the practices that make your plant comfortable, and you are all set. Easy as 1, 2, 3:

1. Choose a big enough pot and healthy soil with good drainage
2. Carefully plant the existing sponge or all the seedling pot soil into the new pot. Keep the soil level about 1 cm below the top of the pot
3. Deep water the soil to ensure any air pockets are filled and to encourage roots to explore the new soil

That is it. Watch the video tutorial to see it done live.

Keeping Kitchen Herbs Healthy, Sustainable and Replenishing

Plant Care for Long, Healthy Life of Your Herbs

Keeping your indoor herbs healthy requires a few things to be right, and then it is simple.

• Location where they will get ample sun (or grow light)
• Regular watering – let the soil get slightly dry and then deep soak – in a well drained pot
• Conscious use of the herbs to help it regenerate

Location and Organizing Your Herbs

Place your herbs in a place where they will get ample sun but won’t “bake” under extreme sun. A window sill with morning sun is ideal. Find or create your best place.

I bought a small wire shelving unit. The wire is perfect for allowing sun to get to all shelves. I bought it to fit precisely at kitchen counter depth and height. This keeps the herbs in the kitchen where I will use them. They are also close to the kitchen sink where I water them.

So consider your space and find a place that is convenient to use your herbs and well positioned to make care easy. If you don’t have a sunny spot, using a grow light can work well and even provide extra lighting in your home.

Use the Herb so it Replenishes and Grows More Delicious Leaves

You’ve taken care to grow the plant. Don’t kill it in one use! Herb plants will keep growing new stems and leaves, so they will replenish and be there for your over the long term.

Let the plant get to a mature size before using. In the picture below, the large sweet basil is ready to use. The thyme next to it is just entering the size to use. The seedling next to those is not ready – don’t be tempted to use too soon.

Many herbs have multiple stems, such as the thyme pictured below. It is best to pinch off one entire stem and use that, then to pull leaves off multiple stems. It will grow new stems.

Be a bit gentle and pinch off the stem, severing the stem completely. Don’t pull at the plant, as this may damage its roots.

A little patience and gentle handling is all you need to have herbs that will last your for months or even years.

Fresh Herbs can be Dried to Fill Out Your Spice Rack

Dry herbs have different flavors and can be convenient to use any time. Also, if you are “retiring” a plant, you may want to use all the wonderful leaves and stems left. Drying is a great way to further extend the life of your herbs.

Most herbs will dry easily. Simply pinch them off at the base near the soil. Make sure they are touch dry, so dab with a towel if necessary. Then simply hang them upside down in a dark dry place. Or if you have a dehydrator, that will do it even quicker.

You can store the dry herb tied and hanging or crush it down and put into spice jars. It will normally last for years, if fully dried. Ready to use any time.

Tutorial Video Growing Kitchen Herbs from Seed to Ready to Use in Cooking

The video tutorial shows you how to choose the best seeds, germinate them with ease, transplant them and grow them ready to use in cooking, baking, cocktails and fresh off the plant. Delicious!!! Let’s get started!

What’s Next?

With the experience you get making an herb garden, perhaps take a step further and grow more fresh food or beautiful plants. Bookmark the Ready and Thriving Garden page for inspiration and detailed instructions on how to successfully grow sustainable food and design garden landscape for year round impact.

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