Six herbs i planted indoors

My indoor herb pots on the windowsill. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2021.

This year was the year I decided to take the leap and grow some of my herbs indoors. In the past I planted a few herbs (like chives, mint, sage, chamomile, parsley, cilantro, and rosemary) outside in the garden, but having some herb plants indoors would be so much more convenient when cooking and would provide the opportunity to appreciate the beauty of the plants as they grow throughout the year. ​
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So the question that needed to be answered was what to grow and why? 

In addition to the obvious reasons, the herbs needed to provide a natural fragrance to the home. It would also be nice if some of the plant stems could be used in vases, either alone or in a floral arrangement.

Ultimately, the decision was made to plant rosemary, dill, parsley, catnip, cilantro, and thyme. I wanted to grow lavender indoors as well, but research indicates that lavender can be harmful to cats (and I have two fur babies), so those seeds were planted outside. 

​The seeds were planted (with the exception of the lavender) in styrofoam cups and covered with plastic wrap. When the plants sprouted tall enough the plastic was removed. Each plant was watered with a tablespoon every couple of days, just enough to keep the soil moist without drowning the poor things! Once they got a little hardier I watered deeper, making sure the soil had drainage. In a few weeks each plant will be repotted into their “forever” pots…But that’s a whole other post!
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Dill seedlings. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2021.

Parsley seedlings. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2021.

Catnip seedlings. Diane M. Lilly, 2021.

Cilantro seedlings. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2021.

Thyme seedlings. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2021.

As we are all easing into this growing season, I thought I’d share a few tips for planting and using these six common herbs, starting with one of my favorites—rosemary!


Rosemary

Rosemary is a fragrant evergreen shrub that has blue flowers in the summer. It’s also an amazing herb to cook with, especially when paired with honey and lemon! I personally use it quite a lot on chicken, and I hear it is tasty with potatoes (and you know I’ll be trying THAT out!)

Rosemary likes full southern sun and will grow tall and bushy, so put it in a big sturdy pot in a nice sunny location. This herb is notoriously difficult to grow from seed. I’ve tried four or five times, and even when I get it to sprout, it dies on me within a couple of weeks. I’m trying again this year, but if this endeavor fails I will just go buy a plant! 

For those intrepid enough to try growing this herb from seed, here are a few tips: 
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Plant the seeds 1/4” deep (don’t “bury” them) and cover with plastic. Water a tablespoon or so a day until the seeds start to sprout, in about 15-25 days. Use soil that drains well (like sandy soil, or premium potting mix) with ph levels ranging between 6.0 and 7.0, or slightly acidic to neutral. Water this plant well then let dry out before watering again.
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Rosemary plant. Pixabay image.

Rosemary. Pixabay image.

Dill

I love garnishing fish with fresh fragrant dill, and I often use this herb with homemade cucumber salads, because it just adds that little extra bit of zest. Dill can also be used as a garnish on deviled eggs (yessss!). This plant has multiple uses in cooking—dill leaves can be used as herbs and the flowers seeds can be used as a spice—and this beautiful feathery herb is apparently good for your health too (it is said to freshen breath and help with digestion)!  

If you’re looking to grow dill, here are some tips:
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Dill likes full sun and when it matures it will grow tall and/or long (“leggy”). Plant seeds in a pot about 12” deep, because this plant develops a taproot which will require space under the plant for the root system. (This herb does not like its roots disturbed so don’t transplant it. I do transplant it but it doesn’t always like me for it!) This herb likes well drained or sandy soil and doesn’t like to be overwatered. The seeds will sprout in 7-14 days and the plant will mature in about 90 days, sprouting yellow flowers in the mid summer.
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My dill plant. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2021.

Dill leaf closeup. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2021.

Parsley

Parsley is amazing in soups and salads! I use it whenever I make homemade chicken soup, roasted potatoes, and in marinades. My research has uncovered a variety of health benefits to using parsley, including freshening breath, improvement to the digestive system, improved urinary tract health, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Here are some tips for you for planting parsley:
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Soak seeds in room temp water, then plant them 1/4-1/2” deep in well draining soil, and you will see your parsley seeds sprout in 21-28 days. Parsley likes full sun, so plant them in a spot that gets plenty of sun during the day, or put them in pots on a sunny patio. If growing indoors, put them in a south facing window and they’ll be happy!
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Parsley stems. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2021.

My parsley plant. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2021.

Catnip

My cats are gonna love me this summer—or they’ll just attack the plant…Either way it should be interesting! If there’s anything left, maybe I’ll try making a tea. Yes, you heard right… People can use catnip too! Apparently catnip can be used in teas to help sooth anxiety, aid insomnia, and help with digestive issues. And it is useful in the garden as well…Plant it in between your plants as an insect repellent. Just beware of neighborhood cats!

If you want fresh catnip for your own kitties, here are a few tips for planting:
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Catnip needs well draining soil and plenty of sun. Bury seeds 1/4” deep in good potting soil and water with a tablespoon until it sprouts in about 7-10 days. Keep soil moist but never soggy. Once the plant starts maturing, only water when the soil is dry. Harvest catnip once it starts to flower, then cut the flowers to keep the plant producing more leaves.
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Catnip. Pixabay image.

Cilantro

I have to be honest, I have had little luck growing cilantro, but I am determined! This year I think I got a plant that is growing okay…so far. I’d love to be able to use fresh cilantro in homemade salsas and pico de Gallo, so my fingers are crossed this plant doesn’t die on me! I’d also love to experiment with salad, fish, and soup recipes with cilantro. Oh, and the cilantro leaves are just part of the fun…The plant will produce seeds (coriander) that can be used in additional recipes as a spice—so double the fun! This plant can be used as an anti-inflammatory and for a variety of other health issues related to eyes, skin, diabetes, etc.

Cilantro likes full sun and needs soil with good drainage. Water this plant only when semi-dry—don’t overwater but don’t let dry out completely. Plant seeds in their “forever” pot (it does not like to be transplanted, which might be why mine keep dying?!) 1/4” deep, and wait for it to sprout in about 7-10 days.
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My cilantro plant. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2021.

Thyme

I have heard good things about thyme, so I thought I’d give it go this year. Typically it is used outside as a fragrant ground cover, but there are varieties that do well in pots. I actually forget which type was planted, but I’m pretty sure I did my homework and purchased seeds that do well in pots (hopefully). If not, there will be nice ground cover for an empty spot in the garden! As for other uses, it is said to help with sore throats, so it might come in handy during cough and cold season.

Tips for planting thyme:
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Plant seeds less than 1/4” deep or sprinkle on soil then mist to water. They should sprout in 8-20 days. When planting outside, plant in full sun about 8” apart in well drained soil. Some varieties of thyme can grow 8-12” tall and work well as attractive and fragrant ground cover. Plants can be harvested in 80-85 days, cutting older leaves to allow younger leaves and new growth to develop.
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Thyme. Pixabay image.

​So there’s my herb project for this spring! Well, I’m not quite done. I still have other things to plant and I’m trying to make up my mind which ones to plant next. Recently someone from Happy DIY Home reached out to me with a blog article on a plant called Sorrel—a plant that I have admittedly never heard of before, but it sounds like an interesting leafy plant to grow in my outdoor garden (or maybe even in a pot indoors) for some future salad or other recipes.


I hope you found this little article informative, and if you’d like to share your own experiences and comments down below, please feel free! I’d love to hear other people’s stories, triumphs and failures. 

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