Herbs you can grow on your windowsill

Greens, salads, herbs are the easiest things to grow on a windowsill. Therefore, even those city farmers who have neither the desire nor the space to grow a large vegetable garden often pay attention to them. Spicy herbs also grow without problems. Which of them feel great on the windowsill and what are the nuances when growing?

Dill

It’s worth starting with something simple and beloved by everyone. Dill is one of the most common herb plants; in many gardens it successfully sprouts on its own, like a weed. What about the balcony? But here he is by no means a leader in successful growth. That is, it often does not feel very good in boxes and pots and develops sluggishly. To get a decent harvest of fragrant greens in cramped conditions, you should consider the following points: • choose varieties that are compact, low-growing, with late flowering, but lush greenery; • plant in deep boxes and pots (from 20 cm in height), because dill has a long root; • provide each bush with enough space, avoid crowding. A win-win option for getting dill greens is to dig up the root of an already mature plant in the garden and transplant it into a spacious pot. Cut off the green part. New branches will appear soon. This way you can provide yourself with fresh dill for the winter.

feather onion

The most common “resident” of the window among spice lovers.

Onions can be planted even just in water. But the water will have to be changed frequently, otherwise the bulbs will rot.

Landing

To plant onions, it is advisable to take small bulbs (sets).

Before planting, the top, loose layer of husk is removed.

In the grocery store you can find already sprouted bulbs - this will help them grow faster.

Harvesting

You can cut onion feathers within a week.

Each bulb can germinate again 3-4 times.

Photo 3. Feathery onions

Parsley

Where there is dill, there is parsley. This curly beauty has a less developed root system than its comrade, therefore it grows better in balcony conditions. However, here too it is worth giving preference to compact varieties. It can be planted in low pots, unlike dill, and more densely. You can also provide yourself with greens for the winter by digging up roots in your garden. It is better to take root parsley for these purposes.

Leaf salad

A crop that will require a little more space. And you need to be more careful when watering, because a lack of moisture will affect the bitter taste of the greens.

The salad is demanding on light - in winter, due to the shortening of daylight hours, the plant will have to be illuminated with fluorescent lamps.

Landing

After sowing the seeds, you need to cover the pot with plastic wrap to create a greenhouse effect.

As soon as the shoots appear, the film is removed.

Harvesting

Lettuce leaves can be cut after about a month.

When arrows appear, it is worth planting a new lettuce.

Photo 5. Lettuce

Cilantro

The spicy plant, similar in appearance to parsley, has a specific aroma. It germinates well, grows actively and quickly. It also blooms at home, forming seeds, which are commonly called coriander and used as a spice. At the same time, the greens become tough and tasteless. If your plans do not include getting seeds, but you want to get tender leaves longer, the following tips will help: • keep the plant cool, because the hotter it is in the room, the faster it will bloom; • spray early in the morning or late in the evening with cool water; • when fertilizing, focus on nitrogen fertilizers and avoid potassium fertilizers; • cut off the tops. If you want to get fragrant coriander seeds from the plant, it is worth giving potash fertilizers during flowering and shaking the flower brushes for better pollination.

Instructions for growing herbs on a windowsill - herbs in the kitchen

When planning to master growing herbs on a windowsill in winter, autumn and spring, lovers of indoor garden beds consider three undisputed leaders: dill, parsley and green onions.

These plants are suitable as seasonings for many dishes. They gained their popularity due to their ease of care, versatility and taste. How to grow popular and not so popular herbs in the kitchen with your own hands, what to pay attention to so that the harvest is pleasing to the eye and taste?

General recommendations for growing herbs on a windowsill
Requirements of different greens
Features of growing dill in an apartment
Fragrant basil on the window
The ideal lettuce variety for growing at home
How to quickly get onion greens in winter
Fragrant mint in the home kitchen
What else can you grow on a windowsill in an apartment?

General recommendations for growing herbs on a windowsill

You can grow almost any greenery on the windowsill in your apartment. The main thing is to choose the right variety and comply with the plant’s requirements for soil composition, air humidity, watering, and temperature conditions.

Important:

Choose unpretentious varieties, or better yet, hybrids specially bred for indoor conditions. This will simplify care and increase the chances of a harvest. If you are not confident in your abilities and want to get quick results, buy not seeds, but ready-made seedlings in pots.
Practical pots for herbs on the windowsill should have a rectangular shape. Take wide and shallow dishes. Plastic containers are quite suitable; they are light and easy to clean. Ideal for reusable use. Read more about choosing containers here.
Buy light, well-drained soil for your greens. You can prepare a mixture of vermicompost and coconut fiber. The proportion should be 1:2. Be sure to add a layer of small stones, expanded clay, crushed polystyrene foam, or other drainage to the bottom of the pot.
If the window is cool or drafty, use plastic covers to create mini-greenhouses. You can buy ready-made ones or make them from a bag yourself.
The optimal daylight hours for green pets are 10-13 hours. In winter there is not enough light, especially on the north side. To illuminate the greenery on the windowsill, install lamps; it is better to buy fluorescent or special phytolamps. Ordinary lamps will not work.

Do not neglect fertilizing; select mineral fertilizer complexes for watering once every 2-3 weeks. But make the solution less concentrated than for open ground.
Every other day or more often, spray green pets with a fine spray, especially if the air in the apartment is dry.
Do not be lazy to turn the pots on different sides towards the light so that the plant develops evenly.
To grow greenery, it is better to allocate a window sill in the kitchen to the apartment. The bedroom is not the best place for frequent watering, spraying and applying fertilizers. In the bathroom, herbs will look ridiculous; other plants are more appropriate for its landscaping.

If you don’t want to limit yourself to just greens, then study our tips for organizing and decorating a vegetable garden on a windowsill and find out what else you can grow in a city apartment all year round. However, it is best for beginners to start with herbs and indoor pepper. Plants that are difficult to cultivate can disappoint with the results and discourage the process.

Requirements of different greens

Before you go to the store for seeds or seedlings, learn how to grow different types of greens on a windowsill, and choose the simplest and most affordable option for you.

How to grow parsley on a window

To grow parsley in pots, you need a mixture of one part peat, the same amount of humus and twice the volume of garden soil, disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate. But it’s easier to buy ready-made universal primer.

When choosing seeds, give preference to early, quickly ripening varieties. This information is indicated on the packaging. Low-grade species and curly parsley look beautiful. It is important that the selected variety can easily tolerate frequent pruning, because you will constantly be picking leaves to decorate dishes.

Optimal varieties for indoor conditions:

Appetizing;
Vorozheya;
Aster;
Gloria;
Nastenka;
Station wagon;
Russian feast.

To increase the germination of parsley, experienced gardeners advise keeping the seeds warm in a damp cloth for two or three days. Then you need to squeeze out the excess water, place the cloth with the seeds in a bag and put it in the refrigerator for several days.

Basic rules for growing parsley on a windowsill:

Choose containers for planting with a height of at least 15 cm.
When planting, be sure to maintain a distance between holes of at least 5 cm.
Bury the seeds to a depth of 0.7-1.4 mm.
Immediately after sowing, cover the pot with film or a special plastic greenhouse and place it on a lighted windowsill.
Provide a temperature of 17-21 degrees.
Moisten the crops, but not too much, otherwise mold will form. Remove the film every day, allowing air access.
With proper care, parsley shoots will appear in one and a half to two weeks. The film can be removed.
Water your greens two to three times a week. Provide additional food once a month.
The optimal temperature for indoor parsley is 15-18 °C during the day and 10-12 °C at night.
Make sure that the greens are not attacked by pests. Spider mites often spread from other plants to parsley.

When harvesting, try not to tear off the tops, but thin out the rows . This will improve the conditions for further growth.

Features of growing dill in an apartment

When choosing what greens you can grow on the windowsill in winter, pay attention to dill - the second most popular spice in the kitchen.

To enjoy the summer aroma within a month, buy varieties with rapid ripening: Gribovsky, Karusel, Early Miracle, Aurora, Grenadier. You can plant varieties with different ripening periods on the same windowsill, so that you can use the early ones first, and then switch to the late ones, which just have time to grow.

To select good seeds, soak them in warm water for two days, changing the water to fresh water every 12 hours. Throw away everything that floats mercilessly, and use the rest of the material for planting.
Moisten the soil in the pots and make holes 1-1.5 cm deep, leaving gaps of about 4 cm.
Fill the top with soil, sprinkle with water and cover with plastic, as described above for parsley.
Place in a warm place (from 18 to 20 degrees) and protected from sunlight for a week.
When the shoots appear, remove the film and place the pot of herbs on the windowsill. If there seem to be a lot of sprouts, thin out, leaving about 3 cm of space around each sprout.
Water as the soil dries out. It is better to use a spray bottle as an assistant so as not to damage the young shoots.
Turn the pot with different sides to the sun so that the dill grows evenly.
Fertilize once every 30-45 days.

Fragrant basil on the window

Basil is another popular choice for growing fresh herbs on a windowsill in a city apartment. There are many varieties of basil in nature, but only a few dozen are suitable for human consumption. The leaves of the plant are used in cooking; they are ideal for salads, meat dishes, and marinades.

The best varieties for the room are:

Marquis – distinguished by its compactness and beautiful ball shape;
Dwarf is a low bush, there are species with greenery with a purple tint;
Clove – attracts with its pleasant aroma and high decorative value.
Lemon – delicate lemon aroma and crown with beautiful light green leaves.
Purple is a bright bush with large leaves.

Basil seeds have a long germination time . To speed up the process, keep the seed in a warm place for 10-14 days, then soak in warm water for a day. Discard any floating specimens.

Make holes in the soil and plant the seeds about 3 cm apart. There is no need to make large gaps, since not all crops will sprout.
To speed up germination, make a polyethylene greenhouse. The plant loves light and warmth - provide a temperature of 25 ° C.
Moisten the mini-bed as it dries.
Once the basil has sprouted, thin out the excess so that there is 5cm of space around each plant.
Place on a well-lit windowsill and regularly care for the plantings - water, turn, fertilize, loosen the soil. Heat water for irrigation to 30 °C.
Basil loves light, so be sure to install a lamp on the windowsill for illumination and provide at least 15 hours of daylight.

For culinary purposes, remove leaves from the tops of the bush . This will prevent flowering, which makes the grass unedible.

The ideal lettuce variety for growing at home

When planning to plant greens on the windowsill for the first time, pay attention to watercress. This is one of the most unpretentious and fastest-germinating plants. Watercress seeds do not require long soaking, and the seedlings are resistant to temperature fluctuations and light. The best varieties: Pepper, Ordinary, Broad-leaved, Curly.

To get a bountiful harvest, soak watercress seeds in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for a couple of hours.
Create good drainage at the bottom of the pot and fill it with flower soil from a bag or a mixture of two parts coconut fiber and one part vermicompost.
Prepare holes 5-10 mm deep, sow basil and fill the holes with soil. Moisten and cover with film.
The first micro-greens on the windowsill will appear in a week. Keep the pot at a temperature of 17-20 degrees.
The higher the temperature, the more abundant the watering should be.

Watercress is one of the most unpretentious plants; it can be grown without any soil at all. Some people do it right in the water, while others do it on foam rubber. But greenery looks more attractive in a pot on the kitchen windowsill.

How to quickly get onion greens in winter

To grow onion greens at home on a windowsill, you can use two options - in soil in a pot and in water. The second method is fast and familiar to everyone since childhood. You just need to fill the glasses with water and place the bulbs in them. It is better to take those that have already begun to germinate.

The nuances of growing onions in water :

The water should be warm - about 40 degrees.
If the bulb has not yet begun to sprout, it is recommended to cut off the top by 1.5 cm.
Only the roots should be in the water; the bulb should not be immersed more than one-third.

By the way, you can similarly grow an avocado from a seed at home and get a beautiful tree.

Instead of cans, it is convenient to use egg cartons or special pots for growing onions at home. This is a container with holes for the bulbs. It looks neat and beautiful on the windowsill.

Growing green onions in the ground takes longer and is more difficult. Use bulbs for planting, since you may not get a harvest from the seeds at all.

Watch the video for the process of planting bulbs on greens in a bottle.

Fragrant mint in the home kitchen

An excellent choice for the home is mint with a wonderful aroma. Mint is a perennial plant that is easy to grow on a windowsill using root cuttings or seeds. The second method will take more time, but will bring more pleasure.

Peat or loose humus soil with an acidity of no more than 5-6 pH is suitable for growing mint. Feel free to buy universal primer in the store and don’t worry. The ideal temperature is 18-25 degrees. The plant requires good lighting .

You need to divide the bush in the fall after the growing season has ended. Carefully divide the rhizomes so that each portion contains shoots with dormant buds.
Fill the pots two-thirds full with nutrient soil.
Carefully distribute the seedlings and sprinkle them with soil.
Pour warm water over it.

The first leaves should appear in about two weeks.

If you bought a bunch of fresh mint, then try to obtain planting material using the cutting . Just place a few branches in water, dipping them in a root stimulator (root formation). The roots will appear in 8-14 days. All that remains is to plant the seedlings in pots.

It is better to sow mint seeds for growing on a windowsill in mid-spring.
Fill the pot with soil, prepare holes 0.5 cm deep and moisten the soil.
Sow the seeds and sprinkle a small amount of the same soil on top.
Cover with a film greenhouse.
At a temperature of 19-25 degrees, seedlings will appear a couple of weeks after sowing.
Control the moisture of the soil, do not allow drying out and excessive humidity. Water by spraying to avoid washing away the crops.

When growing mint in winter, do not overwater. Let the soil dry out slightly. Avoid drafts. In summer, water more deeply, but protect fresh greens from excess direct sunlight. If conditions permit, use mint to create a fragrant ambience in your balcony garden.

What else can you grow on a windowsill in an apartment?

When planning to grow herbs on a windowsill in winter, you can choose almost any type of fast-growing herbaceous plant. Oregano and sage perform well in apartments; they are not demanding of light and can withstand partial shade.

fragrant lemon balm causes little trouble . Melissa seeds just need to be sown in the soil to a depth of 0.5 cm without pre-soaking, watered and moistened regularly. The greens will hatch within a few days. Melissa loves light; its lack reduces the production of essential oils that give the leaves their aroma.

It will require care, but celery . The easiest way to get celery greens is in water. Simply trim the root part from the stem and leave it in a container of water in a sunny place. In a few days, new shoots and roots will appear. You can transplant the plant into soil or leave it in water. Trim green leaves as needed and care for your pet if replanted.

Green seeds cost pennies. Try and experiment with different types and planting options. Create your own spicy mini-vegetable garden to the delight of yourself and the envy of passers-by looking in the windows. And for greater effect decorate the pots with your own hands using our selection of ideas. This way you can save a lot on purchasing containers.

By making growing herbs on your windowsill at home your hobby, you will have fun, decorate your kitchen, and always have herbs on hand for salads and soups. This hobby is ideal for spending time together with children and husband. Have a good harvest all year round!

Basil

Here's the thing, basil feels great as a container crop. Its many varieties come in all shades of green, red, and purple. And the aroma is lemon, cinnamon, anise. To successfully grow this herb, it is worth considering the following: • basil should be sown when stable warmth and long daylight hours are achieved (late April-May); • plant densely – this will make the plant more comfortable; • regularly trim the tops when the height reaches 15-20 cm, so that the plant actively branches and does not bloom. You can also sow basil in pots with tomatoes. These two grow well in pairs, enhancing each other's quality and protecting against pests.

About the features of care during the winter period

Low air humidity during the heating season does not have the best effect on plants - the leaves suffer from a lack of moisture, and the soil in flowerpots dries out faster. Since soil dries out more slowly in plastic containers, it is recommended to use plastic pots for growing moisture-loving crops.

For all types of plants, pots should be provided with drainage; ceramic fragments, expanded clay, and pieces of polystyrene foam can be used as drainage.

Moving plants into your home can be dangerous in terms of introducing diseases and pests. In room conditions, thrips and common aphids can be destructive to plants. Therefore, before bringing them into the house, you will need to wash the leaves and trunks with water and green soap, which, being an environmentally friendly product, has a disinfectant and insecticidal effect.

The soil in pots should be treated with Fitosporin M; this is less harmful than steam sterilization.

Mint

The plant has many varieties, and they all do well in boxes and pots. The plant is compact and unpretentious. Valued as a source of essential oils, it has a sedative effect. Therefore, it is indispensable in soothing teas and many cold drinks. Mint loves bright, but diffused light; you should not place it under the scorching sun. The soil is light, with the addition of sand. Water abundantly, but not every day. Soft mint leaves have a slight pubescence, so you should not spray it unless absolutely necessary.

Tarragon

Also known as tarragon. A spicy addition to many dishes and the most important component of the well-known emerald drink. It germinates well when sown superficially on moist soil; the seeds are small. Germination can take up to 3 weeks. The optimal soil for tarragon is light, non-greasy, with the addition of sand, without an excess of organic fertilizers. Watering is moderate. The plant feels good on a sunny windowsill, but in very hot weather it is better to shade it. The problem with growing tarragon at home is that each specimen has a different intensity of aroma. And you can never guess in advance whether a bush will be fragrant or not. Well, it is useful in any case.

Turmeric

Dried turmeric root powder is used in food. You can grow domestic, long, orange or patumma turmeric on the windowsill. In addition, there is a special indoor species that grows no higher than 25 cm.

Turmeric is a light- and heat-loving plant. The optimal temperature for growing it is +25°…+30°. It is recommended to water the plant with warm, settled water; constant spraying is also required.

Turmeric prefers slightly acidic soil with a small content of high-moor peat, but it must be constantly loosened and enriched with organic fertilizers.

Thyme

Also known as thyme, it belongs to the herbs of Provence. Who doesn’t know the amazing taste and aroma of tea with the addition of this plant? Also, all parts of it are an excellent seasoning for meat, fish, and poultry dishes. The notes of thyme are especially excellent at highlighting the taste of fatty meat and game. Thyme has thin, creeping stems, small leaves and flowers collected in elongated inflorescences. All external parts of the plant have aroma and beneficial properties. It does not require too much space, grows and develops well even in a liter pot. Thyme likes light soil without excess fertilizer, moderate watering and sun.

Seed selection

The process of selecting and planting seeds is a little more complicated; it requires at least minimal experience. The bottle is prepared in the same way, but the seeds are planted immediately into the holes after filling the bottle. This method is for herbs that do not require a lot of light during germination, for example, white mustard, dill, thyme, lettuce, parsley. Before the shoots emerge, the holes need to be covered with something to retain heat and humidity.

Stores also sell special pots and cartridges for growing herbs; they are already equipped with everything you need, you just need to water them.

Pots or other containers should be placed on a stand to protect the rhizomes from drafts.

Oregano

This plant also belongs to the herbs of Provence, but we are more familiar with it by the name oregano. A fragrant herb with soft leaves, delicate flowers and a pleasant aroma. It is used as a seasoning and is part of soothing mixtures and simply aromatic teas. Oregano takes up very little space and grows well in cramped conditions. Shade from too bright sun, water moderately, as needed. The germination rate of oregano seeds is not very high, so it is worth sowing thicker and then, if necessary, thinning out.

Marjoram

Aromatic greens included in the list of Provençal herbs. The rich smell of the plant, somewhat similar to thyme, perfectly complements the taste of fatty meat, so marjoram is indispensable when cooking lamb and game. Also goes well with poultry. Caring for the plant is simple, like other Provençal herbs. Marjoram loves light, lean soil, sunny windowsills and regular watering. He is not picky about feeding, but some organic matter every two weeks will be useful to him. All above-ground parts of the plant are eaten.

Chamomile on the window

Why it is useful : Medicinal chamomile is most often added to tea as a soothing, relaxing agent. However, it can also be used externally to relieve irritation and allergic reactions, added to the bath as an antiseptic, and drunk to normalize processes in the gastrointestinal tract.

To grow chamomile in the house from seeds, you will need a well-lit windowsill and fertile, loose soil. Use a mixture of garden soil, sand and peat in a 1:1:1 ratio and wide containers for growing. If you add organic fertilizers to it when preparing the soil mixture, you will not need to feed chamomile in the next 4-5 months. The main task is to organize a 12-hour daylight hours and spray the plants with warm water.

Fenugreek

This legume family plant is also called mushroom grass. The aroma of greenery really resembles the smell of fresh mushrooms. Therefore, it is used for preparing salads, appetizers, and hot dishes. And ripe, ground fenugreek seeds are used as a seasoning. Fenugreek does well in a 1.5 liter pot. The seeds are planted, buried 1 cm into the soil. Space must be left to the top of the container for subsequent addition of soil. The plant loves good lighting, but not direct sunlight, as well as abundant watering. It is better to feed with mineral complex fertilizers once every two weeks.

Oregano on the window

What is useful : Oregano decoction helps with colds, as the plant has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, oregano is taken for gastrointestinal disorders, insomnia, or to improve brain function.

The easiest way to obtain oregano is by dividing the rhizomes in the fall. To do this, the bush is dug up and the root is cut into several parts so that 3-4 healthy buds remain on each. The rhizomes are placed in pots with a volume of at least 3 liters, on a layer of drainage and fertile soil, watered and sprinkled with a 3-5 cm layer of soil. Then the oregano is watered 2 times a week and thoroughly illuminated. Every 3 weeks, oregano is fed with complex fertilizer for indoor plants, and a month after germination, the leaves begin to be cut off. All inflorescences on oregano must be removed regularly, otherwise the branches will become woody and the beneficial properties will decrease.

What is a garden without oregano? 13 good reasons to plant oregano in your garden
Do you like spicy medicinal herbs? Is fragrant and healthy oregano already growing in your garden?
Read also: Where does feijoa grow in Russia and where does the fruit come from?

Melissa

Component of fragrant teas and soothing mixtures. Melissa - ordinary and lemon - is a fairly tall plant. However, it can also be cultivated on a balcony. For planting, it is better to take pots of 2 liters or more in volume and sow several seeds in one container. Melissa loves sun and moderate watering. You should not abuse fertilizers. You can alternate organic and mineral. All above-ground parts of the plant have a strong aroma. Therefore, both leaves and shoots can be used for food. But the most intense smell comes from flowers. Therefore, lemon balm shoots with flowers are prepared for the winter.

Soil preparation

As children, we always stored molehill soil for the winter. Light and airy, without extra roots and pest larvae, it is excellent for seedlings.

The mole unerringly chooses good land to live in. It throws soil to the surface from a depth of up to 40 cm - as a rule, this is fertile soil, which is especially valued by owners of clay areas. Mole soil does not need to be treated with anything other than the disinfecting phytosporin.

If it is not possible to get this nutritious soil, soil for indoor plants will do. If you use ordinary soil from the garden, it must first be calcined in the oven and mixed with soil for indoor plants (to avoid strong acidification).

Sage

There are many varieties of sage. At home, the compact medicinal plant grows best. It is used as a spice, for soothing herbal preparations, and for medicinal and cosmetic purposes. Sage infusion is used to gargle and mouth for various diseases, wipe the skin, make compresses, use for hair care, etc. Sage grows well in loose, light soil in a bright place. Watering – moderate, as needed. Feed once every two weeks.

Violet tricolor (Pansy) on the window

Why it is useful: A decoction of viola (garden violet) is used for diseases of the urinary tract and nervous disorders. In addition, its leaves are used in the treatment of skin diseases, such as acne and eczema.

The main charm of this culture is its unpretentiousness. Tricolor violet grows without additional lighting on any window, because it loves partial shade, and also takes root well in standard soil for indoor flowers. Pansies should be sown in shallow containers, moistened abundantly, and covered with a lid. After the emergence of seedlings, thin out, and when the growth reaches 3-4 cm, prick out. This violet has a small root, so the pots can be shallow. It can even be grown in cups, but then not for use, but for decorative purposes.