Day 2: Pick your first herbs

Free 5-day course · Lesson 2 of 5 · About a 5-minute read

Some linked guides contain affiliate links. Disclosure below.

Yesterday you found your brightest spot. Today you'll choose what to grow.

For a first indoor garden, pick two or three forgiving herbs:

• Mint: tolerates lower light and grows vigorously. Give it its own pot.
• Chives: cut them and they regrow. Extension services say they grow easily in pots in a sunny spot.
• Parsley: slow to sprout but productive for months.
• Basil: fast and rewarding, but it needs the most light and warmth. Keep it above 50°F.
• Oregano and thyme: like bright, drier spots. Let the soil dry between waterings.

A tip on cilantro: it's lovely, but it bolts (runs to flower) quickly in heat, so it's better as your second or third herb.

Seeds or starter plants? Starter plants from a nursery or grocery store give you a head start. Seeds are cheaper and fun to watch. Parsley seed can take 2–5 weeks to sprout, so if you're impatient, buy parsley as a plant.

Here's our full beginner guide, with what each herb needs:

Best herbs to grow indoors for beginners