Winter herb harvests from the windowsill

September 30, 2005

by Laura Phillips

December 1, 2000

Fresh herbs had charm and flavor to winter meals. A sprig of fresh mint in tea or just-cut chives on a baked potato can be real treat when there's snow on the ground.

Starting with seeds

Fill a small clay pot or other well-drained growing container with packaged potting soil. Water the soil thoroughly and allow it to drain. Then sprinkle the seeds thinly over the surface. It isn't necessary to cover them. If you do, sprinkle a light dusting of soil over the surface, less than one-eighth inch deep. Gently mist the surface.

Cover the entire pot with plastic wrap to maintain humidity. If the pot is small enough, you can enclose it in a clear plastic bag. Place it in a warm location, between 65 and 80 degrees, and be sure it receives plenty of light. If the soil surface dries out, mist it lightly, and cover it back up.

When sprouts appear, supply additional light by placing the pot in a south-facing windowsill or by placing it under a fluorescent light. Loosen the plastic to allow ventilation and water weekly with half-strength fertilizer. Liquid seaweed or fish emulsion are excellent, but somewhat smelly. A daily misting will keep the soil moist, but not soggy.

When plants develop their third set of leaves, you can transplant them. Again, use a sterilized potting mix and clean pots. Most herbs can be planted in clumps of three to five seedlings. Plant the seedlings slightly deeper than they grew in the original pot, with the first set of leaves (seed leaves) just below the soil surface.

Place the pots in a south-facing window. If you supplement natural daylight with several hours of artificial light, the plants will reward you with more bushy growth. Remember to turn the pots regularly to prevent lop-sided growth. Maintain the temperature above 50 degrees. Remember that it is colder near the window than in the center of the room. Be sure the foliage doesn't touch cold windowpanes. Fertilize monthly.

If insects become a problem, wash the plants with a strong spray of water or rinse the plant with a mild solution of non-detergent soap and water. Never spray herbs you plan to eat with a chemical pesticide.

Best Herbs for Indoors

Basil, an essential component for pesto and many tomato sauces, is easy to grow. It sprouts within three to four days and requires no special care. Basil comes in many varieties, but the most popular types are sweet basil, spicy globe, and purple ruffles, which is as ornamental as it is tasty. Spicy Globe, Minimum, and Green Bouquet are dwarf varieties well-suited for pot culture.

Chives, sage, parsley, marjoram, thyme, and winter savory also can be grown from seed indoors. Follow the planting steps listed with all except parsley.

Parsley takes much longer to sprout than most herbs. You can speed up the process two ways. Soak the seeds overnight in room-temperature water before planting. The second method is a bit unorthodox, but it has proven successful time after time. Sprinkle the seeds over a pot of dry potting soil. Then gently flood the pot with boiling water, cover it with plastic, and wait for the sprouts to appear.

Other good candidates for a windowsill garden include aloe, ginger, lemon balm, mint, oregano, and rosemary. However, it is not dvisable to start any of these from seed. Even if you do get sprouts, they probably won't yield the intended varieties. Ginger may be grown from grocery store ginger roots. The others should be purchased from a nursery or garden center.

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