Fresh herbs from the shop cost a few pounds for a small packet and go limp in the fridge within a week. A single basil plant on your windowsill produces more than you can use in a month and costs about the same. That maths alone makes an indoor herb garden worth the effort, and the setup is simpler than most people expect.
I started growing herbs in my apartment three years ago with a few pots of basil and mint on a kitchen windowsill. Since then I have tried soil-based growing, a Kratky hydroponic setup, and an AeroGarden. Each method has trade-offs, and the right choice depends on your light, your space, and how much attention you want to give your plants.
This guide walks through the full process: picking herbs that actually grow well indoors, choosing between soil, hydroponics, and smart garden kits, setting up lighting for apartments that do not get much sun, and keeping everything alive once it is planted. If you are looking at other ways to grow food in a small space, herbs are the best starting point because they are forgiving and productive from week one.
Step 1: Choose Your Herbs
Not every herb belongs indoors. Some need deep root systems, full outdoor sun, or cold stratification periods that an apartment cannot provide. The herbs below are the ones that reliably produce indoors with reasonable light and basic care.
Best Herbs for Indoor Growing
Basil is the most popular indoor herb plant, but it is also one of the fussier ones. It needs at least 6 hours of direct sunlight or a grow light to stay compact and flavourful. Without enough light, basil grows tall and leggy with small, bitter leaves. Genovese and Thai basil both do well indoors if the light is right.
Mint is nearly indestructible. It tolerates low light, inconsistent watering, and cooler temperatures. In fact, mint grows so aggressively that keeping it in its own pot is a good idea. One mint plant will try to take over any container it shares with other herbs. Spearmint and peppermint are the easiest varieties for indoor growing.
Chives handle indoor conditions well and keep producing through the winter months when other herbs slow down. They need moderate light (4 to 6 hours of direct sun or a grow light) and prefer to dry out slightly between waterings. Snip what you need from the top and they grow back.
Parsley is slow to germinate from seed (2 to 3 weeks) but steady once established. Both flat-leaf and curly varieties grow well indoors. Parsley tolerates medium light better than basil and keeps producing for months before it bolts.
Thyme and oregano are Mediterranean herbs that want bright light and well-draining soil. They do not need much water and actually produce better flavour when the soil dries out between waterings. Both are compact growers that fit well on a windowsill.
Rosemary is trickier indoors. It needs bright direct light, good airflow, and soil that drains fast. Overwatering is the most common way people kill rosemary indoors. If your apartment has a sunny south-facing window, rosemary can work. Otherwise, it is better suited to a grow light setup or a balcony.
Herbs to Avoid Indoors
Dill and cilantro bolt quickly in warm indoor conditions and have short productive lives. They are worth growing if you plant successionally (new seeds every 3 to 4 weeks), but they are not set-and-forget plants. Large herbs like lemongrass and bay laurel need more root space than most apartment containers provide.
Step 2: Pick Your Growing Method
You have three realistic options for an apartment herb garden: traditional soil, hydroponics, or a smart garden kit. I have used all three, and each one suits a different situation.
Growing Herbs in Soil
Soil is the cheapest way to start. A bag of quality potting mix, a few 6-inch pots with drainage holes, and some herb seedlings or seeds is all you need. Total cost for a basic windowsill herb garden is under £15.
The main advantage of soil is simplicity. You plant, you water when the top inch dries out, you feed every couple of weeks with a diluted liquid fertiliser, and you harvest. There is no equipment to maintain and nothing that can break.
The downsides are speed and pests. Herbs in soil grow slower than hydroponic herbs because the roots spend energy searching through soil for nutrients instead of absorbing them directly from water. Soil also brings fungus gnats, which are harmless but annoying. They show up in nearly every indoor potting mix eventually.
For soil growing, use a mix that drains well. Standard potting compost holds too much moisture for herbs like rosemary and thyme. Add perlite (about 30% by volume) to improve drainage. Terracotta pots dry out faster than plastic, which is actually an advantage for Mediterranean herbs that prefer drier roots.
Hydroponic Herb Garden
Hydroponics skips the soil entirely. Your herbs grow in water with dissolved nutrients, and the roots absorb everything directly. Growth rates are typically 25% to 50% faster than soil because the plant does not waste energy searching for food.
The simplest hydroponic method for apartment herb growing is the Kratky method. You fill a jar or container with nutrient solution, place your herb seedling in a net cup with clay pebbles at the top, and let the roots grow down into the water. There are no pumps, no timers, and no electricity needed. I ran a Kratky basil setup on my kitchen counter for six months and the plant outgrew my soil-based basil by a wide margin.
For something more structured, a small nutrient film technique (NFT) system or a deep water culture (DWC) bucket works well for apartment hydroponics. These need a small air pump or water pump, which adds a low hum of background noise. If your apartment is open-plan and noise bothers you, the passive Kratky method is the quieter option.
The downside of hydroponics is that you need to monitor pH and nutrient levels. Herbs grow best in a pH range of 5.5 to 6.5. You will need a basic pH test kit and hydroponic nutrients, which adds about £20 to £30 to your startup costs. Once you get the routine down, though, maintenance takes less than five minutes per week.
Smart Garden Kits: AeroGarden and Click & Grow
If you want herbs growing with minimal effort, a smart garden kit handles almost everything for you. These are self-contained indoor herb garden kits with built-in grow lights, automated watering reminders or self-watering reservoirs, and pre-seeded pods that take the guesswork out of planting.
The AeroGarden is the most popular option. It uses a hydroponic system with a built-in LED panel and a water reservoir that you top up every couple of weeks. I have run an AeroGarden Harvest on my kitchen counter and it produced usable basil, dill, and parsley within 3 weeks of planting. The built-in light means it works anywhere, even in a windowless kitchen.
The Click & Grow Smart Garden takes a slightly different approach. It uses a soil-like growing medium in pre-planted pods with a built-in LED light. Setup takes about two minutes: fill the water tank, drop the pods in, plug it in. The pods are more expensive than AeroGarden refills, but the system is quieter (no pump) and the design is more compact.
Smart garden kits cost more upfront (£70 to £200 depending on size) and the replacement pods add ongoing cost. But for apartment dwellers who want herbs without learning about nutrients, pH levels, or grow light positioning, they are the most reliable path from zero to fresh herbs.
Step 3: Set Up Lighting
Light is the single biggest factor in whether your indoor herb garden produces or fails. Most herbs need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day to grow well. In an apartment, that often means supplementing with a grow light or relying on one entirely.
Assessing Your Natural Light
South-facing windows get the most direct light throughout the day and can support nearly any herb without supplemental lighting. East-facing windows get morning sun, which is bright but cooler. West-facing windows get afternoon sun, which is warmer and more intense. North-facing windows rarely get direct sun at all.
If your best window faces east or west, you can grow shade-tolerant herbs like mint, parsley, and chives without a grow light. Basil, rosemary, and thyme will struggle in these conditions and will benefit from supplemental lighting.
If your apartment faces north or your windows are small or blocked by neighbouring buildings, you will need a grow light for any serious herb growing.
Growing Herbs Indoors With Grow Lights
An LED grow light changes what is possible in a dark apartment. A basic panel or bar light running 12 to 16 hours per day provides enough photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) for herbs to grow as if they were in a sunny window.
For a countertop or shelf herb garden, a compact LED bar light mounted 6 to 12 inches above the plants is enough. Full-spectrum LEDs in the 3000K to 5000K range work well for herbs. You do not need the purple-tinted lights that some growers use for flowering plants.
A basic clip-on or bar-style grow light costs £15 to £30 and uses very little electricity. If you are growing herbs across a wider area or want to explore other indoor growing projects, our guide to the best LED grow lights covers panels and fixtures at every price point. For a broader look at lighting options across different plant types, our best grow lights for indoor plants guide breaks down what works for herbs, leafy plants, and flowering species.
Position your grow light so it covers all your herb pots evenly. Herbs directly under the centre of the light will grow faster than those at the edges, so rotate your pots every few days to keep growth even.
Step 4: Plant and Maintain
Once your herbs, growing method, and lighting are sorted, the actual planting is straightforward.
Planting in Soil
Fill your pots to about an inch below the rim with your potting mix. If starting from seedlings (easier for beginners), remove the plant from its nursery pot, loosen the roots gently, and set it in the new pot at the same depth it was growing before. Water thoroughly until it drains from the bottom.
If starting from seed, scatter seeds on the surface of moist potting mix and press them lightly into the soil. Most herb seeds need light to germinate, so do not bury them. Cover the pot with cling film to hold moisture and remove it once sprouts appear (7 to 21 days depending on the herb).
Setting Up a Kratky Hydroponic Jar
Take a wide-mouth glass jar (a 1-litre mason jar works well). Fill it with hydroponic nutrient solution mixed to the manufacturer’s recommended strength. Place a net cup in the mouth of the jar so it sits just above the water level. Fill the net cup with clay pebbles and nestle a small herb seedling into the pebbles so the roots dangle into the nutrient solution.
The water level will drop as the plant drinks. Do not top it up until the jar is about two-thirds empty. The air gap that forms between the water surface and the net cup is important because it gives the upper roots access to oxygen. Topping up too early drowns those air roots and can kill the plant.
Watering and Feeding
For soil-grown herbs, water when the top inch of soil feels dry. Stick your finger in to check. Overwatering kills more indoor herbs than underwatering, so when in doubt, wait another day. Feed every two weeks during spring and summer with a half-strength liquid fertiliser. Cut back to monthly feeding in autumn and winter when growth slows.
For hydroponic setups, check nutrient solution levels weekly. Top up with fresh solution when the level drops. Replace the entire solution every 2 to 3 weeks to prevent nutrient imbalances and algae growth. Keep the pH between 5.5 and 6.5.
Harvesting
The key to productive indoor herbs is harvesting often and harvesting correctly. Cut the top third of each stem, just above a leaf node (the point where leaves branch off the main stem). This encourages the plant to branch out and produce more growth from below the cut.
Never harvest more than a third of the plant at once. Taking too much stresses the plant and slows regrowth. With regular harvesting, a single basil plant can produce usable leaves for 3 to 4 months before it needs replacing. Perennial herbs like mint, chives, and thyme keep going indefinitely with proper care.
Common Problems and Fixes
Leggy, stretched growth: Not enough light. Move the plant closer to a window or add a grow light. Herbs that stretch toward a light source are telling you they need more.
Yellowing lower leaves: Usually overwatering. Let the soil dry out more between waterings. Check that your pot has drainage holes and that water is not pooling at the bottom.
Small, pale leaves with weak flavour: The plant is not getting enough light or nutrients. Increase light exposure and start a regular feeding schedule.
Fungus gnats: Small flies hovering around the soil surface. They breed in moist potting mix. Let the top inch of soil dry out completely between waterings and add a layer of coarse sand on the surface to discourage egg-laying. Sticky yellow traps catch the adults.
Bolting (flowering): Basil, cilantro, and dill bolt when stressed by heat or long days. Pinch off flower buds as soon as they appear to extend the plant’s productive life. Once a plant has fully bolted, the leaves turn bitter and the plant is done. Start fresh.
Which Method Is Best for Apartments?
After trying all three methods, here is how I think about the choice.
Soil is best if you are on a tight budget, have a decent window, and do not mind a bit of mess. It is the most familiar approach and needs the least equipment. Start here if you have never grown anything indoors before.
A hydroponic setup (especially the Kratky method) is best if you want faster growth, cleaner maintenance, and do not mind a small learning curve with nutrients and pH. It costs a bit more to start but produces more herbs per square foot of counter space. It is also a good entry point if you are curious about apartment hydroponics beyond herbs.
A smart garden kit is best if you want results with zero learning curve. The AeroGarden and Click & Grow both produce herbs reliably in any light condition. The trade-off is higher ongoing cost for pods and less flexibility in what you can grow compared to soil or DIY hydroponics.
For most apartment dwellers, I would suggest starting with a couple of pots on the windowsill (mint and chives are hard to fail with) and adding a grow light or a Kratky jar once you get comfortable. If you want to skip the learning phase entirely, an AeroGarden on the kitchen counter gets you from unboxing to fresh basil in about three weeks.
Once your herb garden is running, you might find yourself looking at other things you can grow indoors. Microgreens are a natural next step. They grow even faster than herbs (7 to 14 days to harvest), need very little space, and pair well with the same grow light setup you are already using for your herbs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Herbs Grow Best Indoors?
Mint, chives, parsley, and thyme are the most reliable because they tolerate lower light and cooler indoor temperatures. Basil grows well indoors but needs 6 or more hours of direct sunlight or an LED grow light. Oregano and rosemary also work with bright light and well-draining soil. For a first indoor herb garden, start with mint and chives. They are the hardest to kill.
Do Indoor Herbs Need Grow Lights?
It depends on your windows. A south-facing window with 6 or more hours of direct sun supports most herbs without supplemental lighting. East or west-facing windows handle shade-tolerant herbs like mint and parsley. If your apartment gets less than 4 hours of direct light, a grow light makes a significant difference. An LED panel running 12 to 16 hours daily can replace natural sunlight entirely, which means you can grow herbs anywhere in your apartment, even on a shelf with no window nearby.
Can I Grow Herbs Without a Windowsill?
Yes. A smart garden kit like the AeroGarden or Click & Grow has a built-in grow light and grows herbs anywhere with a power outlet. You can also place a small LED grow light on a shelf or counter and grow herbs in pots underneath it. The Kratky hydroponic method works well in windowless spaces when paired with a grow light, and it costs less than a smart garden kit.