7 Best Herbs and Spices to Grow Indoors

Herbs and spices are needed to make each dish more flavorful and tasty. However, it will be healthier if you will choose to use fresh herbs instead, to balance the taste and to keep the dish healthful. Using fresh herbs and spices also reduces the use of salt and sugar on dishes. You can easily turn any ordinary dishes into something exotic and exciting meal. Moreover, the prices of herbs and spices in the market may not meet your budget. If you want a variety of these readily available anytime you need one, why not consider growing them at home. Here are the 7 best types of herbs and spices you can easily grow indoors by the expert florist:

1. Parsley

Parsley is one of the easy-to-grow herbs for indoor gardening. The best way to plant the seed of Parsley is to soak it first in warm water and wait for the seed coating to crack before planting it in a small planter. Initially, it will take one to two weeks for the seed to germinate, but once it does, the plant will not need much sunlight and nurturing. On the other hand, this plant is one of those that grow slowly, which means that you cannot expect to harvest a lot on first trimming.

2. Thyme

Thyme is an ideal indoor plant but it requires at least six hours to a maximum of eight hours of sunlight every day for it to grow and become nourished. During winter or rainy days, you can use supplemental light to keep it well. On the other hand, this plant is adaptable to pots and you can easily repot some of the grown stems and roots. Thymes provide culinary, medicinal, and ornamental benefits. Some people even use its plant, leaf, flower, and root to extract oil from to be used for bath soaps, perfumes, lotions, and candles.

3. Lemongrass

Lemongrass is a type of herb that can be grown directly from the trimmed stalks, provided that the base is intact. This plant does not require soil for it to grow. You can grow the stalks by simply placing them in a cup or jar with a few milliliters of water. The stalk placed in water will easily have roots coming out, thus dozens of new and fresh shoots come out. Moreover, this plant can also be planted in soil and grow into one big plant.

4. Mint

Mint is a type of herb that can grow indoors but will need an ample amount of sunlight or artificial light each day. Both the peppermint and spearmint, which grow like weeds, are planted from its seed. You can never plant its leaf, stem, or root. If you want your dishes to be tasteful and spicy or something that has the minty taste, it is best if you will grow peppermint instead. You will need twice the amount if you are using spearmint to get the same peppermint-taste. Also, peppermint can thrive in different types of soil under shady area but should be in the open area to get the light and air it needs.

5. Oregano

Oregano is a favorite herb and spice because of the flavor it gives. In fact, it has been used for culinary and medicinal purposes for centuries throughout the world, especially in Asian countries. It can add a unique flavor to many dishes and it provides a number of health benefits to the body. Oreganos can be used fresh and dried and it can be paired with other vegetables like tomatoes and onions, or with other foods like cheese, meats, fish, and bread. It is also popularly seen in most of the Greek and Italian cooking.

6. Chives

Chives are the easiest herb and spice plant to grow indoors. You can easily grow one from an already-established and nourished plant or from a rooted stalk. The plant will grow even in a small pot half-filled with potting soil. Chives are popular for its nutritional facts, health benefits, flavor enhancement, and fragrance. This herb and spice may help improve health and sleep, enhance learning and memory, and maintain muscle movement. Growing chives indoors will not only provide readily-available flavorful herbs and spices for the daily dishes but also a healthy alternative to salt and flavorings.

7. Basil

Basil is one of the herbs and spices that taste great and can be used in a wide variety of cooking. But this is also the plant that is not easy to grow indoors. It can be planted in pots and kept indoors during the winter days but should be placed outdoors to get more sunlight, water, and air. It requires full sunlight, well-drained rich soil, and some plant food from time to time. It is best to grow them in pots so you can easily put them inside before the fall and winter seasons. The best types of Basil to grow indoors are Spicy globe and the African Blue basil.

Growing herbs and spices indoors is an exciting way to have them available anytime you need the best flavorings to add to your daily dishes. However, the most common mistake to avoid in growing them at home is to keep all of them in one planter or container. If you want your herbs to taste rich and flavorful, it is best to plant them separately in planters with well-drained holes and high-quality organic potting soil. When growing them in small pots, adding plant food every now and then will help them become well-nourished and fed.