Windowsill Herbs
A windowsill herb garden is the simplest possible herb setup: a few small pots on a sunny window ledge. It is not going to replace an outdoor garden in terms of yield, but it can keep you in fresh chives, mint, parsley, and a few other herbs through the winter or year-round in an apartment.
Which Window?
South-facing is best, providing the most hours of direct light. West-facing is second best. East-facing gets morning sun and can support shade-tolerant herbs. North-facing windows generally do not provide enough light for herb growing without supplemental lighting.
Best Choices for Windowsill Growing
- Chives — compact, tolerates low light, productive
- Mint — grows vigorously even in moderate light
- Parsley — tolerates partial shade; flat-leaf types do better indoors than curly
- Basil — needs the sunniest window you have; consider a compact variety like 'Spicy Globe'
- Cilantro — grows quickly; harvest the whole plant and succession-sow new pots every 3 weeks
Practical Tips
Use 4–6 inch pots with saucers. Rotate pots a quarter-turn every few days so plants do not lean toward the light. Watch for overwatering — small pots in cool indoor air dry out more slowly than you might expect. Harvest little and often to keep plants bushy. For a more serious indoor setup with grow lights, see Indoor Herb Garden.