When growing parsley indoors, it is essential to determine the amount of light your plants are getting and check the soil moisture level. Use lukewarm water to water your parsley until the water runs out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. Allow the soil to dry out completely between waterings. Parsley prefers moist soil but not overly wet, so it should be watered every 1-3 days. If the weather is particularly hot or dry, you may need to water more frequently. However, if it’s going to be raining a lot that week, you can dial down your watering frequency.
To find the right balance, water your indoor parsley plant frequently enough to ensure moist soil that does not dry out completely between waterings. It is also important to check that the soil is properly watered. Indoor parsley care is easy, and starting with uniformly moist soil will help encourage more germination. Once a plant reaches full size, parsley needs 1 to 2 inches of rain or water. To prevent waterlogging, ensure that your pots have drainage holes.
When growing parsley indoors, keep the soil lightly moist and empty the saucer under the pot after every watering so that the roots don’t sit in water. Feed the plants every two weeks with fish emulsion or half-strength liquid fertilizer. You can grow other herbs in the container with parsley, if desired.
To avoid overwatering, use a pot with drainage or self-watering pots. Water daily with the spray bottle, but never saturate soil. Overwatering, especially curly-leaf parsley, can doom seedlings to failure. After a couple of weeks, place the container in a bright, sunny window and water regularly.
Watering parsley depends on your climate, as it generally prefers moist soil but does not tolerate drought or over-watering. Indoor parsley craves a lot of light and needs to be watered often (when the soil is dry to the touch). Make sure your pot has drainage holes so that the roots receive proper water.
📹 Top 6 Struggles of Growing Herbs Indoors (w/ solutions)!!!🌿🌿🌿 // Garden Answer
LIST OF HERBS (always choose compact/dwarf varieties when you can): -Herbs I’ve had the best success growing inside: Needs …
Does parsley regrow after cutting?
Parsley is a versatile vegetable that can be harvested as needed, with stems at the base allowing it to regrow and creating a bushier plant. It can be grown multiple times to ensure multiple harvests. Parsley leaves can be dried, but the flavor is less intense. To store parsley, chop it finely in a food processor and freeze for later use. Plants can be potted at the end of the season and brought indoors for leaves throughout winter.
Parsley can be used in various recipes, including soups, stews, omelettes, Middle Eastern salads, creamy sauces, pestos, salsas, fish dishes, and herby salads. It’s best chopped finely, and the stems are also full of flavor and can be added to dishes like gremolata or spaghetti vongole.
How do you cut parsley so it keeps growing?
Harvesting parsley plants involves snipping the stems off at the base of the plant using sharp kitchen shears or herb scissors. This method allows the plant to grow bushier and produce new leaves. Smaller plants can be harvested by snipping away a few stems at a time, while larger plants can be harvested by working around the exterior and harvesting the outermost stems and leaves. Parsley produces newer leaves toward the center, so removing the outer stems rejuvenates the plant’s growth.
The number of stems harvested depends on the plant’s size, but never more than a third of a plant at a time to avoid stress and limit growth. Overharvesting can stress out the parsley plants and stress them out.
Does parsley need full sun?
Parsley thrives in full sun or partial shade, with afternoon shade being better in warmer climates. To encourage germination, keep soil moist but not waterlogged. Once a plant reaches full size, it needs 1 to 2 inches of rain or supplemental water per week. For optimal growth, add organic matter like compost and ensure good soil drainage. Parsley is not picky about soil, but it needs to be well-draining for optimal growth.
How often should you water parsley?
Parsley is a popular herb used in cooking, easy to grow, and known for its health benefits. It grows to about 25cm high and has a hardy, ruffled fern-like foliage. The plant can handle hot to cold conditions and is easy to grow. When planting, choose a sunny, warm position in a pot that is 25-30cm wide. If the pot is smaller, water it frequently, as parsley prefers regular watering. The larger pot is easier to maintain as it is more efficient in watering.
Parsley’s wilting indicates that it needs watering, but it will return upright soon after re-watering. It is essential for any garden, as it is a versatile herb that can handle various weather conditions.
Does parsley need direct sunlight?
Parsley is a versatile herb that can be grown in various ways, including as a standalone plant or a complementary plant to flower beds and window boxes. To grow, plant parsley in spring when the ground is workable, 6 to 8 inches apart in a well-draining, nutrient-rich area with a pH of 5. 5 to 6. 7. Mix aged compost or other organic matter before planting to ensure the soil is packed with nutrients. Regularly check the soil and water when the top inch becomes dry.
Regularly feed with water-soluble plant food to promote leaf production. Harvest parsley stems by cutting them at the base once they are large enough to use, never cutting more than one-third of the plant at a time. Parsley is frost-proof in the North and lives through winter in milder climates. It can be planted in spring or fall in zones 7 and warmer, and is often used as a green foliage filler with pansies and violas for winter.
How to keep a parsley plant alive indoors?
Once established, parsley plants require minimal attention. However, regular watering and weeding are essential for optimal growth. To maintain optimal growth, remove any yellowing leaves and provide the plant with a balanced liquid fertilizer, particularly in containers. The practice of regular weeding is an effective method for preventing competition for light, water, and nutrients.
Why is my indoor parsley dying?
The damage to parsley plants is not primarily due to pests or pathogens, but rather environmental factors. Overwatering is the most common cause, but factors such as previous unrotten roots, planting location, setup, and water regimen make it less likely. Parsley plants prefer consistently moist, well-drained soil, and alternating wet-dry soil in different areas may be the cause.
Adding compost to the soil is recommended to improve the soil structure over time. A thick layer of shredded wood, bark, or straw can insulate the soil from evaporative water loss after irrigation, soften the texture, suppress weeds, and improve the soil over time. Leave a small space around each parsley that isn’t mulched to water the root ball and prevent rot issues with organic matter.
Watering the bed well before mulching and afterward ensures that the rootball is soaked. Quick sprays from the hose don’t penetrate below the top layers of soil and evaporate quickly. Installing a drip irrigation system can be an effective solution, but it depends on the individual’s capacity and interest. Overall, a well-watered garden bed and proper watering practices can help prevent parsley problems and ensure healthy growth.
How to water indoor parsley?
Parsley, a member of the carrot family, grows best in well-drained, organically rich soil. Direct seeding is the easiest way to start, and it is easy to grow indoors. Water deeply at least once a week and harvest parsley by snipping off the stalks close to the ground. Fresh parsley has the best quality. Parsley is native to the Mediterranean area and has a biennial life cycle. Gardeners usually grow it as an annual due to its high mortality rate during cold winters.
To ensure optimal growth, have your soil tested and use a commercial fertilizer with a pH range of 6. 0 to 7. 0. For container-grown plants, use a liquid fertilizer at half the recommended strength every three to four weeks, and for indoor plants, every four to six weeks.
Should you water parsley from the top or bottom?
Soil acts as a sponge, absorbing water through capillary action, making it an efficient method for watering plants in containers and houseplants. This method eliminates water loss by running off the surface and ensures more than just the top layer is saturated. Self-watering planters, such as the WOUSIWER 10 inch Self Watering Planters, use this capillary action to transfer water from a built-in reservoir to the plant’s roots. According to irrigation expert Sean Lade, effective watering is more about its application and absorption in the root zone, promoting a healthier root system and reducing foliar disease risk.
How do you know if parsley needs water?
It is recommended that the parsley plant be watered regularly, with the top inch of soil being the optimal watering point. The plant prefers moist soil, but it is important to avoid waterlogging. It is essential to ensure that the pot in which the plant is cultivated provides adequate drainage in order to prevent the plant from soaking and developing root rot. In the event that JavaScript is disabled or blocked by an extension, it is possible that your browser may not support cookies.
How to make parsley bushy?
Parsley is a versatile vegetable that can be harvested and stored in various ways. It can be harvested by cutting the leafy stems from the base of the plant, which helps the plant grow back bushier. Parsley can be frozen for winter use, but it does not retain its flavor well. It pairs well with meat, egg, potato, pasta, vegetables, rice, salads, soups, cottage cheese, and herb butters. To maintain its freshness, add chopped parsley to dishes near the end of cooking or sprinkle it on vegetables or salads immediately before serving.
Parsley can also be used as a seasoning, with flat-leaved Italian parsley having superior flavor and curly parsley having more ornamental appeal. It can also be used as a breath freshener or palate cleanser between courses.
📹 How to keep shop bought herbs alive
How to keep shop-bought herbs alive, you know those little basil, or coriander or parsley plants you buy at the supermarket but …
Laura why are you always doubting if people are gonna watch your longer articles until the end? You are an amazing speaker and besides the editing in your articles is so put together and perfect! I live perusal both your short and long articles. It is entertaining and super informative at the same time. Loved this one. Thank you so much for the tips
Bought a lavender plant shaped like a Christmas tree for the holiday season to take to my daughters. …forgot it, gone 10 days, left in middle of table no light on or window light within 3 ft., heat set at 60. Expected to come home and it would be dead or at least unsalvageable. Nope! Sporting new and abundant growth. Some plants….just want to live…. I’m 66 and still learning. Love your informational and charming articles. Going back and perusal earlier ones. Great way to spend gloomy winter days! Thank you!
oddly enough, i usually cut open a teabag and empty its contents on the plant and they seem to take off with it. I do it once every couple of months. I keep my used teabags on the side to dry out completely before i add them to the soil of the plant then water it in. I’ve done it with herbs, orchids, spider plants and succulents to great success. I find black tea bags work best where as green tea bags don’t seem to work as well.
i am a professional gardener as well and absolutely love your articles. I love that you are getting correct information out to people. please if you can talk slower that would be awesome and easier to learn. dont worry about the articles being a bit longer any one who watches you loves perusal and learning thank you molly
Don’t worry about the length of your articles! Cover what you need to cover and they’re perfect. I’m so glad I found your website! Forty years ago I had a 1/4 acre garden on a farm in NW Iowa and I thought I was Lady Greenfingers — in recent years I’ve been struggling with my yard – haven’t even had enough success to try a garden – and now I think it was because of the soil in that location – you could stick a pencil in the ground and it would grow. But now I’m also in Zone 5 so I’m hoping I can learn from all of your good advice. Thanks for these great articles!
I’m so glad I came across your article on how to maintain herbs indoors. I have had such bad luck with them. Outside no problem inside a disaster. I must have spent over a hundred dollars on them. Just to have them thrive in my apt. Now have the proper tips to maintain. Thanks so much. Also can you make a article on how to grow cut flowers indoors during the winter. I live in an apartment with a balcony. I love fresh flowers and would like to grow them indoors when the gets cold.
I’m so happy you made this article. Perfect timing as I’m recently learning how to grow an indoor herb garden for the first time. I’m currently growing rosemary, oregano, scallions, and parsley. I also have two citrus plants, a calamondin and meyer lemon. Thank you for all the articles you do! I look forward to learning more in your website.
Your articles are so full of info, that yours are some of the few I watch to the end. I swore you were talking to me. LoL I am guilty of not perusal to the end. I have been homeless for the past 16 years and soon will be moving into a mobile home on half an acre. I miss my gardens. I even miss my compost pile. I am excited to be able to garden again and your articles give me the confidence to try again. Thank you so very much.
Your LONG articles or/and short articles give me LIFE!!!! I LOVEEEE COMING HERE AND SEEING THERE IS A NEW article!! YOU are a pleasure to sit and listen to…so knowledgeable outdoors! Thanks for sharing and teaching us what you know and us following along for the new things you are learning yourself! 🙂 Getting close now for lil man to arrive!! Best of LUCK with everything..cant wait to meet him on here!
Idk how to go about getting it, but Mexican oregano will grow incredibly well in whatever container (or ground) you place it in. I live in Texas and acquired some at a local flea market and now have several plants from the small original one I had. During frosts I just bring it inside and even if I forget it still comes back. Great article!
Thanks Laura! Of course I will watch until the end! It’s always good information! About Dill, I never had luck with it when I planted it where I wanted. When I threw the seeds in the garden carelessly, I had a lot of it….remember it’s called dill weed? I even had dill in the grass are. Also if you want it bushy pinch the flowers so the plant can concentrate in giving you leafs. Towards the end of the season let it flower collect some seed and dry the rest to use it on pickling cabage, cucumbers. …and other vegetables.
I grow oregano outside in zone 6. Iv had the same plant come back every year for 6 years. Lavender died after just 3 summers. Iv heard that yearly wetness can be a factor, but it seems to me they just dont live more than a few years for most people. Oh and I always use lawn soil for potted plants, and they thrive. I am not paying someone 5-6 dollars for dirt when its literally under my feet lol. If it gets heavy after a few waterings I just break up the soil a bit with food skewers around the rootball.
This is excellent information! Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I had a beautiful begonia that my neighbor gave me this fall. She had it outside on her porch all summer, but she is a “snowbird” and can’t keep plants in her home in winter because she is gone, so she gave it to me. Well, when I brought it into my home, it was full of these little flying gnats and it died. I, being super new to indoor plants, had no idea they would kill it until it was too late. ☹️ So, your articles are much needed! Thanks!
I always use herbs in my cooking but never grew them myself. I’d love to try in the future. I’m just wondering why no one has developed an easier lavender plant to grow. Maybe you could address this plant more in one of your other articles for those of us who are new to growing indoor edible plants. I’ve always loved lavender and maybe you could demystify this plant for us. Love love your vids gets me through our long Canadian winters. Right now it’s the end of March and it’s snowing!
Thank you for this article. I just went out and bough my first pot of basil from the store. I’m new at gardening of any kind so I can use as much info as possible. Thank you for making such a thorough article. The trick with putting pebbles on the terracotta dish is the type of thing that experienced people take for granted but noobs like me would never think of. Extremely helpful article.
I’m a new plant mom so I’m not a pro, however my sage is growing so well. What I did was make extra holes on the bottom and the sides of the bottom of my pots and they started growing so fast! I also rotate them as you mentioned. I boil veggies in filtered water then I strain them and use the left over water to water the herbs once a week. After the water cools down. I only use filtered water to water them. I hope that helps a little. I just tried what tings and that’s what worked best! I’m in NYC with a high big bright window
Wonderful article, I have all sorts of plants around my house but no herbs! this’ll help me get started smoothly. 🙂 and on the part of the article where you wish you could tell people how much to water their plants, moisture meters truly help! i’m super guilty of over watering my plants because i pay too much attention to them and a moisture meter saved my life early on in gardening. hope this helps
I did make it to the end of the article! I always grow something inside for the long Northern Michigan winter months. Mostly herbs and soon a few starter tomato plants. I’m always interested in tip and what works for others! I don’t normally feed my plants during the winter. I am going to give that a try and see what happens! Thanks Laura!
I love perusal all your articles from beginning to end!!! You give such great advise who would skip any of it??? Not me. I’ve learned so much from you. You are a walking, talking text book when it comes to gardening! Love that you are honest and don’t sugar coat any information. Keep up the great advise. 💙Baby should be here soon!!! Yay! 🐈 Hugs to Russel.
Worst for me are mint and cilantro . Bests for me are rosemary, basil and oddly enough a pepper plant that produced peppers in a pot in the winter ( I have since let that one go we moved and the windows we have won’t support that anymore ) I don’t supplement light I prefer to find the best spot in the house I can and see how it goes . Choosing plants for the lighting situation in the house rather than trying to force something has worked best for me . I also give all of my house plants black ( no sugar or cream.. ew) tea every once in a while . Don’t know if it’s good but it hasn’t proven to be bad and my mother used to pour a little black coffee on plants that needed to “wake up ” lol. Have had my rosemary plant for two years . It’s getting pretty big. As with anything the older the plant gets the more stable the situation with the water gets and you don’t have to water as often . Repotting house plants before their soil gets too compacted and old is always a good tip .
Amazing article! I just moved back to Puerto Rico from living years in cold Europe, and I am beginning my indoor herb growing journey. I live in an apartment with north facing windows (wahhh😭), but it’s warm and humid year-round. Think it will be trial and error at the beginning 😅 I’m so glad I stumbled upon your website… will try some of your suggestions out! Subscribed 🙂
Thanks for the great tips! I made it all the way to the end 🙂 My oregano was dying before I tucked it into one of the tomato containers. I left it alone with almost zero hope it will survive but it took off and now is doing better than many other plants I have. I don’t know if that’s the case, though… my neighbor’s oregano also took off when she left the poor dying thing neglected for several weeks with just an occasional watering.
Love this! I have had my struggles with houseplants and you share great advice. My only luck with sage and lavender are outdoors. I agree that they need the dormancy and it helps to let them experience outdoor weather with plenty of air circulation. When I lived in Idaho, I had much better luck with the sage (3 ft. tall). It is very hardy and survived the cold winters just fine. I believe my new home in zone 2 will be too wet to make that happen, but here’s to trying.
I don’t believe that about Rosemary. I live in Portland,OR and every yard generally speaking has Rosemary, mint, and lavender and the mind and rosemary go crazy & live our climate 😊 if it was particular to drying out between waterings, I would think it wouldn’t appreciate Oregon’s nonstop wet weather 🤗 idk though, I’m named after a shrub of another name and cannot speak for this one lol 😆🤣😁
I have had good luck with dill and thyme in my AeroGarden. However thyme, like mint, kind of wants to vine out and take over if you let it LOL. These are two of my favorites in the indoor herb garden. Of course basil grows like a weed. I don’t think you can kill it if you try. Cilantro has been tough for me.
Best tip I got with basil is not to over water it. Some other speakers suggest it has similar conditions to tomatoes but they were wrong. Tomatoes will root in water & get blossom end rot if not watered enough. Letting basil dry some between waterings has helped a lot when before that I had no luck with it…thanks for sharing your tips
Laura, you mentioned not having much success with oregano, thyme, and lavender. My oregano and thyme grow like a weed in my outside raised bed and beyond as perennials. They have taken over a 6’x6’ raised bed together in 8 years. We are zone 7a here in Reno NV. Dry and windy climate. We also get winter snow and freezing all winter since were in the Eastern Sierra foothills. My oregano and thyme get no special care and winter over in the raised bed fine. They were just grocery store starts. They seed into other areas of my garden in the summer including near by pots. I transplant the seedlings into pots to give to people and they self seed in regular ground soil in my yard with no care at all. I’m experimenting and have created about a 10’ hedge with those in the ground. They love full sun up to later afternoon. The bees love them! They are about 3’ H bushes with woody stems so I need to trim them back at least once each summer. I harvest from them all summer long. I dry the leaves for winter use for myself and friends too with way more than I can use or give. All to say gardening here for 40+ years your zone is like our local foothills where I’ve also grown them with the same results. Maybe neglect is the key- LOL. But perhaps a protected sunny area would work for you there too. I’ve had similar results with specific varieties of perennial lavender here. Outside we get perennial lavender bushes to grow to 4’ diameter and lots of blooms like the lavender farms in Utah. I have found variety counts with lavender.
I have marjoram and oregano that I grew from seed and kept in pots on my back deck. I started them under T3 lights and a garden heat mat. The only successful way I’ve found to keep them alive is to leave them alone after potting and let them die back during winter outside. I’ve tried every kind of light, room, soil to be able to keep them indoors. No luck. Just have to remember to harvest the leaves in time to have enough to last until spring. It got cold quicker than expected this year, and I missed out. 🙁
Hi Laura! I am a modest gardener, but have been working on expanding my indoor plant collection. I tried indoor herbs last winter/spring and didn’t give them enough attention. I also made the mistake of thinning them too much ( I should have kept groups together, and they became leggy and not bushy. The one herb I’ve held on to since my experiment is sage! I only had seedling soil left, I planted it in a 6″ plastic pot and I don’t know why, but it seems to like it. I keep it on my south-facing kitchen window, I have pruned it and it has bushed out pretty nicely.
This is perfectly timed, I have had very bad luck growing herbs indoors, I bring them home and they die within a couple of days, they’re not too wet, not too dry and they are getting plenty of light but they just wilt, I have a major green thumb and love gardening so I have no idea what’s going on with them
Fill actually works best if grown from seed. As for lavender I’m in Zone 3 and I move my lavender outside for the warm summer months then bring it indoors. Come Dec/Jan I move the plant to the basement and let it go dormant. Once Feb hits I pull the plant out and in the warmest window and overwater it for the first watering. Hope this helps!
this is a great article! And I went to the end, of course, because 1) there was going to be more to learn from your experience, and 2) because I grew up in a generation before the internet where the satisfaction was with the entirety of an experience, not the 10-second snippet! Greetings from the Tualatin Valley.
As always inspiring articles and bought several herbs to try and grow year round with a grow light in the winter. Unfortunately this old Rock home gets some light as in built on Log Cabin kitchen is my perfect place for a few in the morning sun. To both bedrooms gets some afternoon light but not enough. This home is really dark instead as I am gonna try to lighten up more especially my living room. To painting the fireplace mantel in chalk distressed white, lighter furniture and rug for hardwood floors. So much to here right now making sure all plants getting proper outside light to transform & get especially my herbs in by Fall with grow light. Lavender x 2 plants in which one has buds all over it, to basil a purple & green, Curly parsley, 3 different, 2 mints,lemon balm, rosemary, lemon balm, lemongrass and a mosquito plant I can’t believe has any green left on it as I found just this week in the back of my SUV, praying now it has a chance as it was out in hot vehicle for good couple of weeks, more tomatoes 1 being cherry as this is what got me going after growing 3 plants last year of tomatoes and more yet these tomatoes grew above my porch. This was one of my Mom’s favorites and mainly grew in Her Memory at this old Farmhouse she completely gutted in 1990 and this was so exciting for me knowing Gods hands were in my plants and my Angels perusal over me. .not a big tomato eater here prefer small cherry sometimes in a salad to Love Fried green tomatoes & about it besides canning for so many great soups to other recipes that call for tomato.
I am so glad to hear you have had problems with stevia. I am on my second plant and it is starting to look unhealthy. Not sure why. Also, I have NEVER had any problems growing cilantro but for the last 2 years, they just keep getting leggy and die. ??? I have had better luck if I don’t do anything at all with them. I live in Texas, and we are moving, so I am in the process of digging up my herbs and putting them in containers. I am hoping that they all will do much better since I can control the environment better. If you have any tips or suggestions on the cilantro, I would appreciate it. Thanks for your articles!
Hi, I’m so glad I found you lr website!! ❤️ Thx so much for the tips. I’ve been wanting to make an indoor herb garden for a very long time (I’m here in California and am so intimidated with gardening but have been wanting to grow things) your article has made is less intimidating thank you very much 😊!
They make grow bulbs too that you can pop into any lamp. Oregano is pretty simple, mine does well in indirect light, and prefers to dry out between watering. I set my herbs outside for the summer, so I get issues with fungal gnats 99% of the time. Our summers, and sometimes early fall are hot, and it’s humid all year round. I almost ALWAYS have to repot with new soil, and then sterilize my old soil so I can recycle it into my compost. Getting a ginger rhizome to root, and grow foliage, and additional rhizomes is pretty neat too.
Oh yes I’ve never been able to grow Lavender. I grow basil, parsley, garlic chives, mint, thyme and I just got coriander on the weekend … but I’m also going to plant sage, tarragon, Rosemary, oregano, sweet marjoram, dill and try an growing bay leaves and ginger. I love my herbs in cooking … ahhh and yes I did watch your article to the end … always do … love them, keep them rolling 😉 🕊
A great article, thank you! I have an aerogarden so I guess that’s cheating a bit but I’ve had great luck with both cilantro and dill in it. Oregano also goes crazy in it! I’ve always had trouble with rosemary though this year I have a plant that’s doing well. I would love to grow lavender but it never seems to do well. I’ve not had a chance to look at your other articles but would love to see your thoughts on plants that help keep mosquitoes away? Here in Texas we have a problem with them. Thanks again!
Thank you Laura for all the great tips. My wife and I love herbs and I would like to start one inside and one question is you say not to cut more than a 1/3 at one time. How often can you cut the same plant. E.G. every day, once a week ? I may have more questions down the road. Great article. Thanks Richard Roblin “Songwriter”
Mistakes I made right from the beginning. • Planting herbs in just compost. (When I looked up soil vs compost as a newbie, didnt see any straight answers about the main requirement. Only after I had 6x 50 litre bags of compost did I see about potting mix lol, just starting to repot all plants and especially palms and pineapple, with coco coir trichodermas, might mix a bit of this with herb potting mix) • I took off MOST of the herb leaves as soon as I bought them. Leaving only 1 inch, thinking the more I take off, the more they will want to grow… the more I’ll give them room to grow.. but they’re all really weak now. I might try them all from another fresh batch in sleeve. • Mixing clay hydropellets in all my soils, or at the bottom of the pot. (Should I remove them? You said you never do it, now im thinking I need to fo through all my pots and remove pellets from soil mix)
Thank you for this article it was very helpful! I too have had no luck with Sage & Oregano! The only herb that is thriving inside for me is the rosemary. The basil, mint, thyme and chive dried up for me. Not sure if the heat in my apartment is too strong for them or it’s not enough light. If I purchase those lights and keep the herbs away from the radiator I wonder if that would do the trick? Because my apartment doesn’t get too much direct light.
I made it to the end. Great article! Very informative and entertaining to watch. I had no idea that some of these herbs are so slow growing. I must say, if cilantro is an easy-to-grow herb then I am a terrible gardener lol. I’m also a first timer. I have a very large indoor window box going right now with these seedlings that I’ve sown from seed: basil, thyme, oregano, summer savory, sage, cilantro and parsley. All are doing quite well except for the parsley and cilantro… they’ve both grown their second set of true leaves but they just lay there will not stand up! I think they might not have been ready to transplant and I shocked them in the process. I’ve started more seeds since then but I might take your advice and just buy a few plants and pot ’em.
Love your article! I am so happy to have found you and your website! Great advice – and the information is exactly what I needed. Felt like I was listening to a friend – can’t wait to check out more articles! By the way, really great point on mentioning that geographical location will also factor into plant growing needs – I have a never ending debate with my mom (Master Green Thumb) about this since she lives on the west coast in Cali and I live in Paris, France. I keep having to remind her that we live in different zones and things don’t all grow the same here and I can’t find the same American products here.
Hey Laura, I bought some glazed ceramic pots that hang on my wall and I have a feeling I can only plant succulents in them (no drainage holes). I would really like to have herbs though! Perhaps putting a mini pot inside the ceramic pot? Then I can rotate it and do your pebble trick? Any advice would be much appreciated! Thank you!
I had to laugh when you said you’re amazed that some of us made it to the end of your article. I guess we are what some might say are “Gardening Nerds” I’m still doing research on how to grow Stevia indoors so I’m not able to give you any advice. From what I’m seeing, you are not the only one having this problem. I do a lot of cross reference in my research in hopes that the information I find online is good sound training and or advice before I start on a project. After I’m satisfied with the information I create a .pdf with with pics and instruction. Thank you for taking the time to give us instruction and advice.
I’ve learned my lesson with lavender. I put them in one part of my yard and they never grew as big and then didn’t come back at all. Then I moved a new set where they got a bunch of sun and they are huge and still kinda green while it’s cold over where I live. Had to no luck keeping them in hanging baskets… they stayed alive but never got bigger. I love perusal your articles, I learn a lot from you and can’t wait to plant when it’s warmer. I just have tulip bulbs I didn’t plant but are outside away from getting wet but they are starting to grow… and it’s in the 20s here, and idky they are growing. Any thoughts?
Such a helpful article! Thank you! I only have one small south facing window and a slightly wider north facing window to work with that are lined with herbs. I purchased a red/blue LED grow lamp that I have clamped to the windowsill for additional light. I’m curious on the difference between the red/blue LED grow lamps and the white lights that you use. Is one better or do they have different uses? Very interesting about the ambient temperature of the windows impacting plants. Definitely something to consider for my poor plants!
It’s nice how you talk about garden centres being responsible with plants they sell. Unfortunately in Singapore, I have purchased many plants with issues (e.g. fungal/bacterial leaf issues, soil mealybugs, snails and tiny white worms). Even with the strictest pre-purchase checking, we can’t catch certain plant issues. When you bring home pests, they spread to healthy plants at home. I wish we had stricter quality controls here 🙂
So, I’ve been an indoor gardener for about 3-4 years now and have a pretty isolated environment for them, but insects are super annoying. I’ve had to deal with gnats, aphids, thrips and spider mites. I have had to restart my garden from scratch a couple of times because they were too stubborn to completely kill off. And when I say isolated I mean start from seed with every plant. It’s only now that I’m starting to branch into plants that can only be started from cuttings and more mature plants and even then, I completely switch out the soil just to air on the side of caution when it comes to insects because I don’t really have an area that I can quarantine them, so when one gets something, it spreads pretty quickly.
Hi Laura, Thanks for all the tips. I have herbs that are growing in pots outside and they look great. I live in Canada so I would like to bring them in for the winter. I never have luck with this, however. Is there some way I can bring these plants in and enjoy them until next spring? I have a big pot of rosemary that I would love to maintain. Let me know. Cheers
Great article !!! Why do you think people won’t stay till end ? Your idea of putting gravel beneath a pot has really solved one of my problems. I have just one question. I tried growing Rosemary and Thyme (I live in India). After growing about one and half inch tall, they just drop dead !!! I have tried this 3 – 4 times but I just failed. I haven’t tried other herbs – but I am able to grow standard vegetables (from seeds). Maybe the Indian climate is not suitable for them. Or could it be some other problem ? Thanks once again.
Variegated sage is prone to powdery mildew but large leaf standard sage grows beautifully without problems. I have to prune it often to keep it in constant growth to prevent leggyness. In fact all of my herbs except the woody rosemary need to be pruned almost weekly with kitchen shears even if you arent cooking with the trimmings. Lay unused trimmings in a single layer on newspaper and let them dry if you dont want to waste the trimmings. Store in airtight half pint Mason jelly jars to maintain flavor. Home dried herbs are unsurpassed in flavor, you’ll never use store bought dried herbs again! Oregano has to be staked. Push in three bamboo stakes around the clump to form a triangle, run green tie tape or string around the outside of the stakes droping a loop around each stake to form a triangular cage (like a mini tomato cage) to keep the clump from falling over.
Thanks Laura for another informational article!! I watched until the very end no problem ;). Your articles have inspired me to start an herb garden and possibly attempt to grow some vegetables from seeds. Planning on getting at least one grow light, we’ll see what happens, as I don’t have the green thumb that I wished I had.
My first time perusal you & of course I made it to the end! Your awesome, you speak clearly & you definitely know what you are talking about. Great tips. On another note: Dill is actually very easy to grow. I have never grown it indoors, though. I live in Ohio, so maybe I should try the indoor herbal garden. We have quite a few month’s that aren’t good for outdoor herb gardening😩
thank you so much. your article was concise and very helpful. I read some where that you don’t fertilize herbs. explains why mine start out fine then decline I guess. love the idea of indoor herb garden but have only had luck outside so far. sucks as northern Michigan summers r so short they barely get started and its time to bring them in and kill yet another crop.
Love this article. I have had ok luck with sage as well but it does seem to get sparse at the bottom of the plant. I am working on building a little greenhouse. I was wondering what u keep in your greenhouse and how you maintain the temperature throughout the year. I live in Maryland and it gets very cold and very hot but we don’t get a whole lot of snow. Thanks
My sage is on year 2 and is just now starting to fail. It did go dormant last year so I hope it will come back later this year. If it isn’t toast I’m going to re pot it since it’s currently in a plastic pot, I think terracotta will be better. The lavenders were looking pretty bad, but now I’m seeing new shoots. I forgot to water my lemon balm, I thought I lost it but now it’s coming back.
Hi, I just started urban gardening and I have basil plants in pots. My question is, can basil really survive hot and humid climates? I usually have them in direct sunlight early in the morning but here in the Philippines, 8AM is already extreme heat usually at 30C, so I have to place them indoors. Will they wilt if I keep them indoors with less light?
Hello thank you for an excellent article. Can one plant peppermint seeds in a pot in winter at this time in December what temperature is around 60 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 45° at night. I am going to put the what inside at night and keep it outside in the sun in the morning. I don’t have access to any peppermint plant and that is why asking this I also have to plant Basil but I am thinking I will perhaps have to wait until February.
Hi! I’m about to plant some basil seeds and I’m a little confused. I can only start with seed since my place doesn’t sell plants in bulk. I don’t have a lighting system and I’m planning to put the plants on the bar table instead of near the window. So how else can I get sufficient lighting for the basil? Please reply if you know.
So a lot of the trouble I’ve had with lavender is that it does not have a high germination rate, and the seeds NEED a period of cold to even get that, so your luck with tarragon depends on which species you’re growing, I didn’t have any problems with germinating Russian tarragon, but French tarragon, the tarragon most used in cooking, does not bolt at all, so it has to start from cuttings, and I’m just starting on that process now, my area doesn’t have access to any live French tarragon plants, so I took a package of cuttings from the store to try to grow that. I haven’t tried to grow stevia but I will definitely add that to my list, dill does pretty well inside, but it loves to fall over, it needs some support until it gets mature enough to stand on its own, the same thing happens with lettuce and several other plants, just give it support and patience and it’ll get there eventually
Appreciate this, thank you. Also makes me feel good cause my sage is hard to grow lol I’ve just been pruning the leaves that go bad like crazy and a bunch of little ones grew in so I’ll see what happens now. Seems to like a lot of bright, indirect sunlight and a tiny bit of water every day. So interesting cause before the herbs I only had plants like spider plants and African violets and they all have such different needs. I’m enjoying it though learning about growing herbs and plants. I was going to get a cat but I’m much happier I think with the plants haha
I loved this article! Do you have any articles on larger succulent care? I got an Echevaria gigantea for Christmas and it’s beautiful but I’ve never had such a large succulent. Right now it has a big flower spike on it and the leaves are huge, so I’m not sure if that’s something I will need to cut back after it’s done flowering or what. Loved learning about herbs though! I’m hoping to get the Gardener’s Supply countertop system soon, but may have to start with a clamp light. Thanks for the great articles!
I’ve never been able to successfully grow herbs indoors! Which sucks because it means I don’t fresh ones in winter. I think my biggest problem is we have an air conditioner in all the main parts of our house. Any window that gets sun has an air conditioner – and I feel like it dries the plant out and I can’t seem to get the amount of water right. They’re either dried or water logged! Also if I want terracotta pots and they are not glazed on the bottom could I glaze it myself? And what would I need to use?
Could you give me recommendations for the best low light “air purifiers”? I don’t exactly have a black thumb, but it’s not super green either lol. I live in an apartment complex that severely limits my natural light. I already have a bunch of sansevieria that seem to be doing great, but I’d like to expand a bit. Thnx in advance!
Super helpful! Even a year later! 😂 I can never get rosemary through the winter indoors. It just gets too dry, possibly having to do with using a woodstove, possibly because it doesn’t like being forgotten for 2 weeks. Oops. I hadn’t thought about parsley indoors, but it’s getting planted inside today instead of outside like I planned. Experiment time….
yes please make a separate article on pests ( when you’ve got the time of course), I have a ZZ plant and I’m noticing some white little balls on the tips of the leaves. As far as lavender, … I have had success with my spanish lavender by not watering as much and keeping it out side, I don’t know why but it loves our cold, down to 30 degree weather out in the high desert. I had almost killed it over watering. Seems like that plant likes just enough water to dampen the soil and morning sun (I had mine in our South facing backyard aka where it almost died).
THank you and yes I watched the article in its entirety 💋honestly sometimes I Have trouble with the long 30 minute articles especially when I don’t get the answers I need .. im having trouble growing thyme indoors . The thyme plants i have die with exception of two or three vines which Have lived for theee months since although I do have a lot of humidity in My attic apartment can u help ? They go brown in a week
thank you for this article! my parsley and my cilantro are in my plant graveyard. the only one that does really well is basil for me. i do have a south window also. my parsley and cilantro had tiny leaves and were just limp and fell over. sad. i would love to grow dill but i can’t find a rooted plant either. my try the seeds. one thing i have noticed, it seems my herb plants draw fruit flies in the house. is this common? xo
It must be the kind of oregano. I have stuff that last thru the winter in 7b (protected) and goes crazy in the summer. I’m guessing hot and dry. Also it took 1 year to establish, but now I’m pulling it out by the handfuls, worse than mint!!! Actually have it 3 places outside all dry:1 most shade, 1 part shade, 1 full sun. Shade seems to slow it down.
Hi Eli, this article is so helpful. I followed the instructions on this article and lo and behold my little basil plants are thriving. First time I’ve ever kept a shop bought plant alive! I’m new to gardening and love your articles. You and Kate are so warm and have such a fun sense of humour. Keep up the good work! 🪴🌱
Thank u so much for ur store bought herbs tips. New subscriber here. I never managed to keep my store bought thyme alive. I did transfer to a bigger pot. But did not survive. Is it à bad thing to trim off right away once ur herb is home. I did just now. Thought it will help to bush it out. May be not right? Do u thing that I should not have done it. Please ur advise. Thank u so much.
I love your energy. I bought a property in Portugal, yeah I know, completely different weather. I am so scared of gaddening, but desperate to do it. I kill plants and it is so expensive. But I wanted to get info on planting my store bought herbs. Mostly cilantro, which is so finicky. But I subscribed as even though I am older than you my knowledge and fear of this subject is childlike. So yeah when Auntie speaks I listen😅, you and your energy and accent make it fun. Thanks, and any tips on cilantro appreciated. I got the supplies to build a mini greenhouse. Any tips on that also welcome. Here freezing in winter, tons of rain, summer dangerous heat wildfires. I have about 7 old metal bathtubs, thought to do raised beds to not loose water so much in summer, what do you think? My property is all concrete terraces😢, so no ground to dig into.
Hello good afternoon, I’m from USA, just watched this little lesson because it came randomly in my feed after searching for results and peer to peer reviews about store bought herbal plants for indoor/ outdoor use. I know this article is about 3 years old but nevertheless it’s still relevant for me and extremely helpful. You are such a charming lady and very informative. I love some basil and cilantro and art my store they have the cilantro, basil, parsley, chives, mint, rosemary, thyme, all in one cart in the porridge department and i want one of each. I love cooking with fresh herbs and especially to include fresh basil. Herbs and produce have become nearly cost prohibitive that i want to start growing my own herbal plants as well as various onions and peppers and tomatoes and other small berries. I love in an apartment and i genuinely appreciate your advice on how to commit the longevity of these wonderful little gifts. Thank you have a wonderful day blessings.
Thanks for this article, I’ve been doomed my whole life at keeping plants alive, I just can’t. I’ve even managed to kill my mint plant which amuses my mum no end because mint is ubiquitous. It makes so much sense now why I can’t keep supermarket herbs alive longer than a few weeks, but why I can grow them from seed, feel a bit daft for not realising. Good article for complete beginners
Hi from Blackpool! New to your website, liked and subbed 🙂 – You put the correct hand up on the left @6:30 for the plant risers for pots, but didn’t put the link there?!? What are these disc risers please? Many thanks x Andddd straight after I typed this I found your article at youtube.com/watch?v=A7KRU3X3ox0 lol
“Gateway drugs” 😂😂😂That cracked me up! I’ve had a sad looking basil plant on my windowsill for two weeks. After perusal this article this morning I’ve gone and separated it out and now have five wee plants in separate pots all with a chance of growing now. Thank you so much. I’m literally binge perusal your articles and learning so much while I wait impatiently for my greenhouse to be delivered.
New sub here. This was delightful and informative! I got a basil plant from Trader Joe’s last week, and have used the leaves in several dishes so far. I can’t grow plants to save my life (inherited my dad’s gangrene thumb), but, at this stage of my life (I’m 67), I figured what the heck, let’s give it a whirl. Thank you for the wealth of info in this article.
We don’t get that many plants in one pot so I just take them out the pot and plant them in a very large planter with lots of fresh soil. I have an amazing herb garden throughout the summer, 🙂 In winter a put the planter in my glass house. Most of the time it survises the winter, except when it’s freezing below -5 C.
I saw some other gardeners actually put the roots system in water to help separate the plants, essentially washing off the soil that they were in so they can be pulled apart more easily. Not sure if that is a trick to use for all plants or just some… but it might help make the process a bit less scary for first time gardeners.
I have bought a pot of basil and as I’d expect it was choked up with roots. I took it out of the pot and split it into about 4 or 5. However I didn’t have any compost so I put it in jars of water until I can get some. It seems to be slightly limp though….what am I doing wrong? Seems I can’t win….previously I just used to buy pots of it and basically kill it by leaving it. Is it meant to go straight into compost after you divide it? My plan was to split it then maybe take some pieces to root them, and consequently plant those, and have “infinite basil” like I saw someone do in a different article. I am confused because I know they shouldn’t have too much water when in a pot in compost,, but when you take a piece to hopefully grow roots to make a new plant, it is left in water to root.
I got a bunch of coriander in a pot, easily over 30 little shoots, leggy is an understatement, they have no ability to support their own weight. Is that all well and good? It’s nearly spring here in Victoria Australia, Zone 10b, gets to about 6-8C at night, around 14C in the day currently. They’re outside as I’ve got only a skerrick of light through my front windows in the morning. They were also sooo tiny that I felt a pot per was just too much for some of them (plus not having 30 pots on hand y’know), so I’ve experimented a little and will see how they cope in their ability to live together. The most promising with the biggest root balls intact were potted individually, just 3 that were clearly strong outliers, 10 were planted in pairs in a big wide pot together, each pair occupying one outer edge of the circle each (no idea how this’ll affect growth as I always see things potted central) and one pair in the middle of the wide pot. The rest were planted in pairs using the rest of the pots I had on hand. Also- You’re awesome! I found the whole article absolutely charming, it inspired me to pot them up immediately in the dead of night instead of waiting till morning I just couldn’t help myself haha
My boyfriend bought me some parsley, mint and basil yesterday, I wont be using it myself but it’s a great addition to my bunnies bowl of veggies, they’re not looking so good rn, I re potted the basil and mint because the pot was far too small and I’ll be re potting them again in a week or so if they’re still alive😅
me and my partner have just bought our first greenhouse because my aloe Vera plant has sprouted to the point i can no longer keep them in the house so we have decided to start growing our own fruit and herbs aswell! Will be looking to your articles for some tips! Also love the fact your a Scottish youtuber!
Fabulous! I will be replanting my basil and parsley tomorrow as per your wonderfully warm and entertaining article, as I use a lot of both. I already have a huge rosemary SHRUB in my back garden. I have 2 questions: Rosemary – she is HUUUUGE and woody. Should I prune her? Coriander – I can never get enough. How can I grow her from a shop bought? Can she grow in garden or just indoors? Thank you. I hope you find your dry shampoo! 🙂 x
This was really helpful, thank you so much. I just made some planters in my garden out of pallets and have sown Parsley, Chives, Rosemary, Thyme and Mint. They’ve just started coming through and I’m very excited. I also bought a coriander plant from Tesco and want to re pot it and make sure it doesn’t die, so this is really useful! Gardening will help me with Uni stress hopefully.
thank you so much for this article, it’s super helpful! Ive been wondering lately why all the herbs I buy seem to be a bit suicidal, they just used to die within days. I thought maybe the supermarkets make them so they don’t have enough nutrients to survive for long (making people go back in to buy more). but now you’ve told me! I’ll definitely have to try and seperate them next time I buy some. 🌿🌿 Also I’m excited for the giveaway!