How to Grow Herbs Indoors During Winter: A Beginner’s Guide
The outdoor herb-growing season doesn't have to end when frost arrives.
While perennial herbs in the garden begin settling into dormancy and tender herbs start losing their battle with colder nights, you can move part of your herb garden indoors.
Imagine having fresh rosemary for roasted potatoes, chives for soup, mint for tea, or thyme for dinner while there's snow outside.
It sounds simple:
Put herbs in pots. Put pots in window. Enjoy herbs all winter.
Sometimes it really is that easy.
Other times January arrives and you're standing in your kitchen staring at a pale, droopy rosemary plant wondering what happened.
Growing herbs indoors during winter is different from growing them outside in summer.
The biggest challenges are usually:
Light. Water. Temperature. Pests. Airflow.
Get those basics right, and an indoor winter herb garden becomes much easier.
Here's how to get started.
Can You Grow Herbs Indoors During Winter?
Yes.
Many herbs can be grown indoors during winter when they're provided with suitable growing conditions.
But there's an important distinction.
You might be trying to:
Keep an outdoor plant alive until spring.
Or you might want to:
Keep an herb actively growing so you can harvest it all winter.
Those aren't necessarily the same goal.
A dormant perennial may survive winter without producing much growth.
An herb you're actively harvesting needs enough light, appropriate temperatures, water, nutrients, and growing space to continue producing foliage.
Decide what you want from each plant before choosing where to put it.
Which Herbs Grow Best Indoors During Winter?
Some herbs adapt to indoor growing more easily than others.
Good candidates can include:
Chives
Mint
Parsley
Thyme
Oregano
Rosemary
Sage
Lemon balm
Cilantro
Basil
But they're not equally easy.
Their needs also differ.
Easy Indoor Herbs for Beginners
If this is your first indoor winter herb garden, don't feel like you need to move twenty plants into your house.
Start with a few.
Mint and chives can be relatively forgiving.
Parsley can also be a useful cool-season indoor herb when provided with enough light.
Thyme and oregano can grow indoors, but they need good light and careful watering.
Rosemary is popular for winter growing but can be surprisingly temperamental indoors.
Basil needs warmth and lots of light.
So rather than asking:
"Can this herb grow inside?"
ask:
"Can I provide the conditions this particular herb needs inside?"
Start Before the First Hard Freeze
If you're moving existing plants indoors, don't wait until they've already been severely damaged by freezing temperatures.
Begin planning while the plants are still healthy.
Watch your forecast.
Decide which plants you're:
- Leaving outside
- Protecting outside
- Moving into dormant storage
- Bringing inside for active growth
- Replacing next spring
This prevents the annual fall tradition of carrying seventeen random flowerpots into the kitchen at 9:30 p.m. because someone just mentioned it's going to be 28°F.
Don't Bring Everything Inside
This is important.
You don't need to save every herb.
Consider:
How healthy is the plant?
How large is it?
Do I actually use this herb?
Do I have enough light for it?
Would taking a cutting be easier?
Would starting a new plant from seed make more sense?
Is it inexpensive and easy to replace next spring?
Indoor growing space is valuable.
Save it for plants you genuinely want.
Inspect Every Plant for Pests
This is one of the most important steps when moving herbs indoors.
Outdoor plants are part of an ecosystem.
That's wonderful outside.
It's less wonderful when the ecosystem relocates to your living room.
Before bringing a plant inside, inspect:
Leaf tops
Leaf undersides
Stems
Branch joints
The crown
Soil surface
Pot rims
Drainage holes
Look for pests or signs of pest activity.
Common Pests to Watch For
Depending on the plant and conditions, you may encounter:
Aphids
Small insects that often cluster around tender growth.
Spider mites
Tiny pests that can cause stippling, discoloration, and fine webbing.
Whiteflies
Small flying insects often found around leaf undersides.
Scale
Small immobile-looking bumps attached to stems or leaves.
Mealybugs
White, cottony-looking pests.
Fungus gnats
Small flies often associated with persistently moist potting mix.
Finding a pest doesn't necessarily mean you need to throw the plant away.
But you want to discover the problem before putting the plant beside your houseplants.
Clean the Container
Wipe down the outside of pots.
Check underneath them.
Remove:
- Dead leaves
- Spider webs
- Debris
- Slugs or other hitchhikers
- Anything hiding beneath the rim
If the plant is already growing in a suitable container with healthy potting medium, you don't necessarily need to repot it simply because it's moving indoors.
Unnecessary repotting adds another source of stress during an already significant environmental transition.
Should You Dig Garden Herbs and Pot Them?
Sometimes.
But not every established garden plant is a good candidate.
Digging up a mature perennial means disturbing its roots just as conditions are changing.
Depending on the herb, you may be better off taking:
A small division
or
Cuttings
rather than digging up the entire plant.
If you're potting a garden-grown herb, use an appropriate container with drainage and a suitable potting medium.
Avoid filling indoor containers with ordinary garden soil.
Garden soil behaves differently in pots and can compact or drain poorly.
Consider Taking Cuttings Instead
Cuttings can be one of the easiest ways to bring part of your outdoor herb garden indoors.
Instead of finding space for a giant plant, you propagate a smaller new plant.
Herbs commonly propagated from cuttings include several types of:
- Mint
- Lemon balm
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Sage
- Oregano
Success and the best propagation method depend on the individual plant.
We'll cover herb cuttings in detail later in this series.
Quarantine Outdoor Herbs
Don't put newly arrived outdoor herbs immediately beside your favorite houseplants.
Keep them separated for a period while you monitor them.
Check repeatedly for pests.
Some problems aren't obvious during the first inspection.
You may notice activity several days later.
Quarantine gives you a chance to catch it before it spreads.
Expect Some Transition Stress
Outdoor summer conditions are very different from indoor winter conditions.
When you move a plant indoors, you're changing:
- Light intensity
- Day length
- Temperature
- Humidity
- Air movement
- Water use
Some plants respond by dropping leaves or slowing growth.
That doesn't automatically mean the plant is dying.
Give it time to adjust.
Light Is Usually the Biggest Challenge
If your indoor herbs struggle every winter, start by looking at light.
Outdoor sunlight is incredibly intense compared with ordinary indoor light.
A room that feels beautifully bright to you may still be relatively dim from a plant's perspective.
And winter makes the problem harder.
Days become shorter.
The sun sits lower in the sky.
Cloudy weather can persist.
Your herbs may need more light than your windows can provide.
What Is the Best Window for Indoor Herbs?
In the Northern Hemisphere, an unobstructed south-facing window often provides the strongest winter sunlight.
But window direction isn't everything.
Actual light depends on:
- Trees
- Buildings
- Roof overhangs
- Window size
- Window coatings
- Cloud cover
- Latitude
- Distance from the glass
A clear east- or west-facing window may outperform a heavily shaded south-facing one.
Observe your actual space.
Put Herbs Close Enough to the Window
Light intensity drops quickly as you move away from a window.
A plant sitting several feet across the room may receive dramatically less light than one sitting near the glass.
Don't assume:
"It's in a sunny room."
means:
"It's receiving enough light."
For actively growing herbs, proximity matters.
Watch for Cold Window Glass
There's another side to windowsill growing.
A window may provide excellent light while becoming extremely cold at night.
Leaves touching freezing-cold glass can be damaged.
Drafts can also create stressful temperature fluctuations.
Position plants so they're receiving light without pressing foliage against very cold glass.
Watch Heating Vents Too
The opposite extreme can also be a problem.
Don't put herbs directly over or beside a heating vent if you can avoid it.
Hot, dry air can:
- Dry foliage
- Dry soil rapidly
- Increase plant stress
- Create large temperature fluctuations
A bright location with reasonably stable conditions is preferable.
Do Indoor Herbs Need Grow Lights?
Sometimes yes.
If your windows don't provide enough winter light, a grow light can dramatically improve your chances of keeping herbs actively growing.
Grow lights are especially useful for:
- Basil
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Oregano
- Sage
- Seedlings
- Cuttings
- Herbs located away from bright windows
They can also allow you to create an herb-growing station in a location that otherwise wouldn't work.
You Don't Need a Complicated Grow-Light System
An indoor herb setup doesn't have to look like a commercial greenhouse.
A beginner system might simply include:
A small shelf
A grow light
A timer
A waterproof tray
Several pots
That's enough to grow a surprising amount of herbs.
What Kind of Grow Light Should You Use?
LED grow lights are popular for home growing because they're widely available, efficient, and available in many sizes.
For a simple herb garden, look for a light designed for growing plants rather than relying on an ordinary decorative lamp.
Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for:
- Coverage
- Hanging height
- Duration
- Plant type
The brightest light in the world won't help if it's hanging six feet above a tiny basil plant.
How Long Should Grow Lights Stay On?
Indoor herbs need a regular day-and-night cycle.
Don't leave grow lights running 24 hours a day.
The ideal duration depends on the plant, the strength of the light, and whether the plant is also receiving natural sunlight.
A timer makes consistency much easier.
Rather than remembering to switch lights on and off every day, automate it.
Your herbs get a predictable schedule.
You get one fewer daily chore.
How Do You Know Your Herbs Need More Light?
Watch the plant.
Signs of insufficient light can include:
Long, stretched stems
Large spaces between leaves
Pale growth
Leaning strongly toward the window
Small new leaves
Weak stems
Little or no new growth
If a plant looks like it's desperately reaching across the kitchen toward the window:
Believe it.
Rotate Windowsill Herbs
Plants naturally grow toward light.
Rotate pots periodically so one side doesn't permanently face the window.
This can encourage more balanced growth.
Grow lights positioned directly above plants can reduce some of this leaning.
Don't Crowd the Plants
It's tempting to fit as many pots as possible under one grow light.
But plants need space.
Crowding reduces airflow and makes it easier for moisture-related problems and pests to spread.
Leaves shouldn't be permanently packed against neighboring plants.
Give your herbs room.
Indoor Herbs Need Airflow
Outdoor plants experience wind and constantly moving air.
Indoor air is much more stagnant.
Reasonable air circulation can help plants dry appropriately after watering and reduce overly damp conditions around foliage.
You don't need to create hurricane conditions.
Normal household air movement may be enough.
In crowded growing areas, a small fan on a gentle setting can sometimes improve circulation.
Watering Changes Dramatically Indoors
This is probably the second biggest winter herb problem after light.
Outdoor summer herbs may need frequent watering.
Bring that same watering schedule indoors and you may quickly
Explore Related Products
Interested in bringing the outdoor indoor this winter? Explore our collection of curated products to help you nurture, grow, and enjoy plants all year long. Each product is thoughtfully crafted with quality and a commitment to simple, natural living.
- Six tier grow light plant stand
- 51" growing plant stand
- Corner plant stand with grow lights
- Indoor potting soil
- Windowsill grow kit
- Hydroponic grow system for kitchen
- Indoor smart garden
- Seed binder organization
- Heirloom seed kit
- Organic herb seed kit
Excellent books and tools available to help you learn more. Browse our recommended resources below.
- Primal Queen Beef Organ Supplements
- Women's Probiotic Gummies
- Woman's Herbal Apothecary
- Cortisol Supplements
- Women's Mood Gummies
- Lemme Women's Gummies
- Ayurveda For Women
As an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases.
Continue Your Wellness Journey
If you enjoyed this article, you may also find these wellness resources helpful. Explore our growing library of educational articles covering herbs, natural skincare, self-care, women's wellness, herbal traditions, and natural living. Learning how plants, ingredients, and wellness practices fit into everyday life can help you create a routine that works for you.