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Growing Herbs Indoors


Gold Post Medal for All Time! 555 Posts
September 19, 2016

herbs in planter with cute birdhouse decorationsI always pot some of my herbs to bring in during the cold weather, then you have fresh herbs all year long!

Here's a photo of this year's herbs to come in soon!

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6 Questions

Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.

February 23, 2006
Q: I live on the sixth floor of an apartment building. My apartment is a studio and I have two windows side by side with one having a window air conditioner in it. I want to grow fresh herbs but my sunlight during the day doesn't hit my side of the building or my studio apt. very well until around 2 pm and not for long.
Is there anyway I can grow herbs in my apartment? I also want to have house plants but haven't bought any because I'm not sure what kind to buy. I don't want to waste money by going out and buying some and having them die because I bought the wrong kind. Does anyone have some ideas for me?

Thank you.

sparkingbrowneys

A: sparkingbrowneys,

In the case of herbs, besides using grow lights, which most studio apartments don't have space for, your best bet may be to try herbs that are suitable for shade. Most herbs need full sun for best growth, but a few will grow in partial shade, although their vigor will be compromised. You could try angelica, sweet woodruff, sweet flag, goldenseal, sweet cicely, lungwort, lady's mantle, mint and bee balm all tolerate partial shade. Unfortunately, the culinary properties of these herbs are limited.

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There are several houseplants that tolerate low light. Here are some ideas: Arrowhead vine (Syngonium podophyllum), Cast-iron plant (Aspidistra elatior), Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema commutatum), Corn plant (Dracaena frangrans 'Massangeana'), Golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum), Grape ivy (Cissus rhombifolia), Heart-leaf philodendron (Philodendron scandens), Japanese aucuba (Aucuba japoncia), Japanese holly fern (Cyrtomium falcatum), Kangaroo vine (Cissus antarctica), Parlor pine (Chamaedorea elegans), Peace lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii), Snake plant (Sanservieria trifasciata), Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum), Table fern (Pteris cretica).

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Diamond Feedback Medal for All Time! 1,023 Feedbacks
April 28, 20040 found this helpful

Here is some good general information.

doityourself.com/.../growingherbsindoors.htm

 

Diamond Feedback Medal for All Time! 1,023 Feedbacks
April 28, 20040 found this helpful

Here's another article with general information.

www.hgtv.com/.../0,1785,HGTV_3595_1377315,00.html

 

Diamond Feedback Medal for All Time! 1,023 Feedbacks
April 28, 20040 found this helpful

If you don't have much sunlight you probably will need a growlight to get a healthy crop of herbs.

 

Diamond Feedback Medal for All Time! 1,023 Feedbacks
April 30, 20040 found this helpful

We posted this to the HappyGarden Discussion list.

Grow lamps were suggested by Gloriamarie. And Linne suggested this:

"I'd hang up a Shop Light,the bulbs are cheap & provide Plenty of light.Put

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the plant stand under it.It might light up the whole room for very little
money."

 
February 20, 20050 found this helpful

A shop light is a great idea.... Grow lights are also available in the form of an ordinary light bulb. I once found one at Walmart for under $5.00. Any sort of full spectrum light might work since they are designed to mimick daylight. I used florescent lights for over 15 years, and had very healthy plants.

 
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May 4, 2009

I can't remember the name of it, but there is a fairly new plant light that sells for about $120 that you use to grow your herbs and whatever in the house. Has anyone tried it, and is it really worth that much money? Thank you.

Hardiness Zone: 7a

By Pam Strunk from Wichita, KS

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Bronze Post Medal for All Time! 148 Posts
May 9, 20090 found this helpful

I don't think you need the $120 light....just buy a cheap flourescent shop light at Lowes or Home Depot. set your herbs on a table, and hang the light so that it is only a few inches above your plants. As they grow, you can raise the light. This set up will take a little time and ingenuity to put together, but it will save you about $100.

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Harlean from Arkansas

 

Silver Feedback Medal for All Time! 399 Feedbacks
May 9, 20090 found this helpful

I have been gardening with lights for about 30 years. I used to use a flourescent light bulb (long tube) suspended from the ceiling on chains. You could lengthen or shorten the chains to fit. Now I am using a lamp with a flourescent bulb in it for my few houseplants. I found the lights worked beautifully for african violets, but they are great for everything, including starting seeds.

 
May 9, 20090 found this helpful

I think you might be wondering about the Aero Garden, for which there's an ad popping up on this page even as I type :)

I read a number of consumer reviews of this product and was scared off by the fact that people said the pump which runs water all the time is very noisy. I think there were some other issues as well. I'd go with a thriftier option like the suggestions above.

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I would probably choose a flourescent bulb specially designed for plants. I don't think they cost any more than a regular bulb.

 

Bronze Post Medal for All Time! 205 Posts
May 13, 20091 found this helpful

For $120 it had better chop, cook and do the dishes after cooking! I spent $5 on a plant light bulb and put it in a lamp that points downward. It works great and is $115 cheaper than the one you're talking about!

 
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December 28, 2008

I live in a apartment with few windows and I get morning light and that's it. It's colder, how can I grow herbs in my home?

Frazia from Hopkinsville, KY

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Bronze Post Medal for All Time! 213 Posts
December 29, 20080 found this helpful

Go to any plant nursery & buy yourself a little grow bulb. They come in either florescent or in regular bulbs for a small lamp. Put this light on to your herbs for most of the day (They can be found for under $10). You should turn the grow-light off at night when you are sleeping. I had a large florescent grow-light (about 5 feet long). I hung it above my houseplants back in the 1970's & BOY-OH-BOY did they ever grow like the wind! ...Try to find a bulb that's in the right spectrum, but if you can't find a "real" grow-light in your area, any lightbulb will do, in fact you can even buy a swirled compact florescent bulb that's called a "daylight" bulb at any store that sells lightbulbs.

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These are made have real daylight-like spectrum, but a real grow-light would be best if you have a plant store, hardware store or even better, a plant nursery close by.

 
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October 19, 2006

Question:

Can oregano, basil, thyme, parsley, sage, etc. be grown indoors in a home during the winter months in the midwest? Do I need special lights or would window light do?

Hardiness Zone: 6b

Dorothy from Northville, MI

Answer:

Dorothy,

When it comes to growing them indoors, not all herbs are created equal. Scented geranium, mint, rosemary, parsley, bay leaf, thyme, chives, garlic and oregano are all considered easy to grow. If you have a south-facing window that gets at least 6 hours of direct sunlight, you should have few problems (mint, parsley and rosemary can tolerate somewhat less light).

Others, like basil, need longer light conditions when grown indoors (16 hours per day) than can usually be obtained during a Midwest winter. They also like temperatures around 65ºF to 75ºF degrees. Grow lights can easily compensate for this if you have the space to set them up. You don't need special plant grow lights for this. You can use standard fluorescent tubes designed for room or shop lighting. Don't use regular incandescent lighting-the color spectrum isn't right. When your herbs are seedlings, keep the lights as close as you can to them without touching them. Watch them closely and raise the lights as they grow and turn the seedlings every other day to ensure even growth. Plan on replacing the lights when they reach 70% of their stated service life. By that time, they'll be delivering as much as 15% less light than when they are new.

Ellen

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September 14, 20060 found this helpful

I grow herbs (basil, rosemary, oregano, marjoram) in boxes in my kitchen year around. (My rosemary is actually in a spare bedroom in a huge pot, and it's grown so much I think I will have to replant it.) Now, I do live in FL, so I have an excellent source of light coming in my windows. If you live in a part of the country where your sunlight isn't strong in the winter, you might want to add growlights. I would also be sure to keep them warm. Also, every so often my basil tries to go to seed, so I have to remove the flowers. (Once they go to seed, the plant will die, so it's important not to let them flower). Also I feed them with Miracle grow every so often which they appreciate.
Good luck.
Sharon

 
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