How to Grow Herbs Indoors: A Beginner's Guide to Fresh Herbs Year-Round

Growing your own herbs indoors is a great way to level up your cooking, enjoy fresh flavour and enjoy fresh herbs whenever you need them. This beginner's guide covers the benefits of indoor herb gardening, the best herbs to grow, tips for harvesting and cooking with herbs, and how the Plantaform Smart Indoor Garden makes it easy.

Avantages de la culture d'herbes aromatiques à l'intérieur

There is nothing like having fresh, flavourful ingredients at your fingertips, ready to take your cooking to new heights. Homegrown herbs are an easy way to add fresh flavour to your meals and can be part of a healthy lifestyle.

Their fragrance can create a calming, relaxing atmosphere at home, and growing your own can save you a fair bit of money compared to buying herbs in-store.

Key Benefits at a Glance

• Fresh flavour: Fresh herbs taste better than dried and can elevate your cooking.
• A healthy habit: Growing and cooking with fresh herbs can be part of a healthy lifestyle.
• Aromatherapy: The fragrance of fresh herbs can create a calming, relaxing atmosphere.
• Cost savings: Growing your own herbs can save you money compared to buying them at the store.

The Best Herbs to Grow Indoors

Each herb has its own flavour and works in a wide range of dishes, from pasta and salads to sauces, soups and stews. Here are some of the best herbs to grow indoors, all featured in our Plant Packs:

• Basil: A versatile herb that adds a fresh, sweet, aromatic taste to pasta, salads and sauces. It is a staple of Italian cooking.
• Cilantro: Also known as coriander, cilantro is popular in Mexican, Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine. Its citrusy flavour brightens salsas, curries and salads.
• Parsley: With a fresh, herbaceous flavour, parsley works as a garnish or in soups, stews and sauces.
• Oregano: A staple of Mediterranean and Mexican cooking, oregano's earthy, slightly bitter taste adds depth to sauces, soups and casseroles.
• Dill: Light and tangy, dill pairs well with fish, potatoes, eggs, yogurt sauces and pickles.
• Thyme: Earthy and slightly floral, thyme is perfect for roasts, soups, stews and marinades.

Tips for Harvesting and Cooking with Herbs

• You can harvest your herbs any time of day, whenever you need them.
• Use sharp scissors or a knife to cut herbs, taking care not to damage the plants.
• Rinse herbs gently under cold water and pat them dry with a clean towel.
• Store fresh herbs in the fridge, wrapped in a damp paper towel inside a sealed bag or container.
• Add fresh herbs near the end of cooking to preserve their flavour and aroma.
• Experiment with different herb combinations and amounts to find your favourite taste.

For more harvesting tips, see the Growing Guide.

Plant Packs Make Indoor Herb Gardening Easy

Our Plant Packs are a great option for beginners. They simplify growing with pre-packaged, ready-to-grow seeds in recyclable containers.

For example, the Herb Essentials and Leafy Mix Plant Packs offer a variety of popular herbs and greens, including the Sweet Basil, Thai Basil, Parsley, Oregano, and Cilantro in Herb Essentials, and the Edible Flower Mix adds colour to your dishes. You skip the hassle of sourcing seeds and preparing your own growing medium and containers. Check the Plant Pack Instruction Sheet for how to set up each pack.

Grow Herbs Effortlessly with the Plantaform Smart Indoor Garden

For an efficient, hassle-free way to grow herbs indoors, try the Plantaform Smart Indoor Garden. It uses advanced fogponics technology and app connectivity, making it a great partner for beginners and experienced gardeners alike. Ultrasonic foggers vibrate nutrient-rich water into a fine fog that feeds the roots. Fogponics is one of the key differentiators that sets Plantaform apart from hydroponic and other aeroponic systems. Learn more in our introduction to aeroponics and fogponics.

Full-spectrum red and white LEDs, with a little blue mixed into the white LEDs, give your herbs the light they need, with no sunlight required. Light intensity adjusts automatically based on your plants' growth stage, and you set the on and off times in the Plantaform app, which also shows your water and nutrient levels. Read more about the advantages of smart indoor gardening systems and why light matters for indoor plants.

By following the tips in this guide and pairing Plant Packs with the Plantaform Smart Indoor Garden, you can grow a thriving indoor herb garden and enjoy fresh herbs all year round.

Questions fréquemment posées

Do herbs need sunlight to grow indoors?

Not in the Plantaform Smart Indoor Garden. Its built-in full-spectrum red and white LEDs provide the light your herbs need.

Which Plant Pack is best for herbs?

Herb Essentials is designed for herbs. Leafy Mix and Edible Flower Mix are great for greens and edible flowers.

How often do I refill the tanks?

The tanks hold 2 L (top) and 7 L (bottom), and most gardens need a refill every 2–3 weeks. For the initial fill, add 2 g of nutrients to 2 L in the top tank and 3 g to 7 L in the bottom tank. See the Plant Pack refill charts for details.

When should I harvest my herbs?

You can harvest any time of day. Trim regularly to keep your plants productive.

Où puis-je trouver de l'aide ?

Start with the Setup guide and the Help Center FAQ, or email us at support@plantaform.com.

Start Your Indoor Herb Garden

Ready for fresh Sweet Basil, Thai Basil, Parsley, Oregano, Cilantro and more, right in your kitchen? Explore the Plantaform Smart Indoor Garden and pick up the Herb Essentials Plant Pack to get started.