Herbs You Can Grow All Year Round

A lot of your favourite herbs can actually be grown all year round inside on a sunny windowsill. As long as you give then the right care you can keep harvesting these herbs all the way through winter.

How to Grow Herbs

Usually herbs will grow with about six hours sun per day. It doesnt have to be very strong sun light, but the dont like to be in shade continually. After good light, good drainage comes next. A lot of herbs originally came from warmer countries, and therefore their roots do not like sitting in water. If you compost is a little heavy and prone to holding water, add some vermiculite or grit.

To start off basil, all we need to do is plant the seeds in a small pot and place it on a warm sunny windowcill. If you can pick a place over a heat source like a radiator this will also help. The soil needs to be kept moist but not to wet. When the plant starts growing pinch out the top growth to keep the growth fresh and bushy.

In the kitchen basil is used on pizza and pasta dishes, and is a lovely addition to salads.

This plant prefers a full sun position on a windowcill and is at home grown in a container. Keep thining the plant as it growns because bay likes a good air circulation. In the kitchen bay leaves are used in soups and stews.

This herb is widely used in French cooking and is one of their favourite herbs. Sow chervil seeds in spring or late summer, in pots in part sun on a windowcill. The herb likes warmth and will flurish in a well drained compost. Again regularly nipping out the leading buds will cause the herb to grow bushy and strong. In the kitchen the herb is very versatile and can be used in recipes for soups, fish and poultry.

Chives have a mild onion falvour, and are easy to grow in a sunny position. This herb is easy to grow from seed, but can also easy be grown by splitting existing clumps of the herb. As usual the herb enjoys a good light position on a windowcill. In the kitchen the the green leaves can be finely chopped and added to salads and soups.

Oregano grows well from cuttings or seeds. This herb has a low growing habit and spreads easily. The herb likes a warm sunny windowcill. Watering this plant should be kept low, make sure the soil is dry to the touch before watering again. Regular pruning of the plant will keep it healthy and growing well. In the kitchen this herb is favoured in a wide range of recipes.

Parsley grows well from seed and the herb enjoys a fully sunny position, but will still grow in positions with less light. There are two varieties of the herb, the curly leaf variety is used for decoration and the flat leat varierty is used in cooking. In the kitchen parsley is used with lamb, steak fish and rice.

Rosemary is a lovely herb to grow, it can be used as an architectural plant as well as a herb. The herb can be easily grown from cuttings, usually with about a 50% success rate. The plant is resonably frost hardy if you wish to grow the plant outside. However growing the herb inside is easier, as it just enjoys a sunny well drained pot and is easy to grow. In the kitchen rosemary is well know in recipes for meat etc.

Sage is very well suited to the indoor life, as it tollerates dry conditions and doesnt need too a humidity. It does need strong sun light, so pick your position appropriately. To grow the plant inside just take a cutting from an outside plant and plant in good compost. In the kitchen sage is used in stuffing, pork and poultry dishes.

This herb needs a cold spell in the winter time, so a good solution is to pot an older plant from your garden as a start. Don’t bring the pot into the leaves have died back. Tarragon enjoys a sunny position and will thrive if well fed. In the kitchen is great for sauces and meat dishes.

Thyme is easy to start for in door growing. The easiest way is to take a soft cutting or transplant a small plant. The herbs favours a position with full sun light and moist compost. Thyme is best used once dried, so hang the sprigs in a dry place before using them. In the kitchen the leaves can be used dried or fresh and can be added to sauces, roast dishes and soups.