Herbs for a windowsill

The easiest herbs indoors are mint, chives, parsley and basil — but only on your sunniest window. Most culinary herbs want at least 6 hours of direct sun. A south- or west-facing window works in most US homes from spring to fall; in winter, or with an east or north window, add a grow light.

Herbs are not houseplants. A spot that keeps a pothos happy will leave basil thin and floppy.

Herbs by how much light they need

Herb	Light indoors	Water	Difficulty	Pets (ASPCA)
Mint	4–6 h sun or bright light	Keep slightly moist	Easy	Toxic to cats and dogs
Chives	6 h sun	When top inch is dry	Easy	Toxic to cats and dogs
Parsley	6 h sun; tolerates less	Keep slightly moist	Easy	Toxic to cats and dogs
Basil	6–8 h sun, warm (above 60°F)	When top inch is dry	Easy in summer, hard in winter	Non-toxic
Cilantro	6 h sun, cool	Keep slightly moist	Moderate — bolts fast	Non-toxic
Thyme	6–8 h sun	Let dry between waterings	Moderate	Non-toxic
Oregano	6–8 h sun	Let dry between waterings	Moderate	Toxic to cats and dogs
Rosemary	6–8 h sun, cool winter	Let dry between waterings	Hard indoors	Non-toxic

Have pets? Basil, thyme and rosemary are the safest choices. Check any herb on the ASPCA plant lists before putting it within reach.

Windowsill or grow light?

• South window, March–October: most herbs grow well.
• West window: good for basil and thyme; afternoon heat can dry small pots quickly.
• East window: mint, parsley and chives manage; basil gets leggy.
• North window, or anywhere in winter: use a grow light. A full-spectrum LED 6–12 inches above the herbs for 12–14 hours a day works well. Not sure what your window gives? Try the hand-shadow light test.

Starting: seed, cutting or supermarket pot?

Start from	Time to first harvest	Notes
Supermarket potted herb	Right away	Split the crowded clump into 3–4 pots
Cuttings in water (basil, mint, oregano)	3–5 weeks	Same method as rooting pothos
Seed (basil, chives, parsley, cilantro)	4–10 weeks	Cheapest; parsley seed is slow to sprout
Small nursery plant (rosemary, thyme)	Right away	Slow from seed; buy these as plants

Harvest so they keep growing

• Basil: pinch the top pair of leaves just above a leaf node. It branches into two stems. Pinch off flower buds.
• Mint and oregano: cut stems back by a third.
• Chives: cut a few blades at a time, 1–2 inches above the soil.
• Parsley and cilantro: harvest the outer stems first; new ones grow from the center.
• Never take more than a third of the plant at once.

Common problems

Problem	Cause	Fix
Long, thin stems, small leaves	Not enough light	Sunnier window or a grow light
Basil leaves turning black	Cold (below about 50°F) or cold window glass	Move away from the glass at night
Yellow leaves, wet soil	Overwatering or no drainage	Pot with a hole; let the top dry
Cilantro flowering early	Heat and long days	Sow small batches every 3–4 weeks
Tiny flies	Fungus gnats	Let the topsoil dry

Grow herbs outside too? Our vegetable planting calendar covers when to sow them in the garden.