Moving Your Herbs Indoors

That's good news to gardeners, like me, who love to cook with homegrown ingredients. An indoor herb garden allows us to enjoy delicious fresh flavors in the dead of winter.

Top tips for moving herbs indoors

Tip #1

Use high-quality potting soil.

If you're transplanting herbs into containers, be sure to use a high quality potting soil – and not regular garden soil. Remove as much soil from the roots as possible, before repotting the herb.

Tip #2

Using terra cotta for thyme.

The above thyme plant prefers well-drained, dry to medium soil. So, my terra cotta pot is a good choice. Just keep in mind you'll need to water terra cotta more frequently than plastic pots. I often water my herbs in the sink, so I don't need to worry about drainage.

Tip #3

Try propagating more herbs.

You can also propagate cuttings from thyme, rosemary and sage plants, by taking a piece from a mature herb. Prune off a couple inches of stem, including the tip. Remove the lower leaves and place the stem in a soil-free mixture.

Keep the area moist by covering the plant with a dome of plastic wrap. Place the plants in bright light, but not direct sun. The herbs should root within a week or two and can be transplanted when the roots are 1/4 to 1/2 inch long.

Pro Tip

Most herbs don't need a rooting hormone, although rosemary and bay are two exceptions.

Tip #4

Move herbs indoors in stages.

Before I bring these herbs to their new home, I check them carefully for insects, and I water them well. To prepare my herbs for growing indoors, I start by placing them in a bright, cool spot for a week to 10 days. I often store my herbs on a covered porch for the transition period.

Tip #5

Pay attention to temperature.

We don't keep our house very warm during the day or at night. So, it's rather perfect for herbs, as most like daytime temperatures around 70 degrees and about 10 degrees cooler at night. And then I place the herbs like sage and rosemary in south-facing windows in my home, or east or west-facing views for herbs like thyme, if I'm running out of space.

Pro Tip

Be careful not to place herbs near frosty windows or heater vents.

Tip #6

Try watering and misting.

Water herbs well when the top inch is dry but allow good soil drainage to prevent root rot. Misting around the plants weekly increases humidity and mitigates spider mites, whiteflies or aphids. Don't be afraid to give your herbs a bath once in a while.

Tip #7

Don’t forget to prune!

Keep your plants bushy and strong by pruning off the tips regularly. Cut back to the spot where two leaves meet on the stem, as I'm doing here with this sage. Use the extra trimmings in your evening casserole, or in your morning scrambled eggs.

Once you start growing an indoor winter herb garden, you'll find lots of reasons to add these fresh flavors to your meals. Enjoy!