The Key to Growing Herbs in the House

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Once the outdoor season winds down, a lot of us start looking for ways to keep our thumbs green indoors. Tropical houseplants are fine, but as someone who loves growing food, I've gradually built up a little indoor collection of edibles—ginger, bay, cardamom, and various culinary herbs. Susan Betz's book Herbal Houseplants has been a terrific resource; she lays out everything you need to know about keeping these plants happy in your kitchen and throughout the house.

When I asked Susan where to begin with indoor herbs, her answer was simple: find the light first.

“Light is everything when it comes to herbs,” she told me. “These are sun-loving plants, and they need a bare minimum of five to six hours of sunlight every day.”

Even a window that looks sunny to you might not deliver enough intensity for some herbs, so she suggests adding a grow light to supplement what nature provides.

When it comes to choosing what to grow, Susan says start with the herbs you actually cook with. But she also encourages branching out—especially if a plant can fill your home with wonderful fragrance. Her top picks for scented indoor herbs: lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus), eucalyptus (Eucalyptus cinerea), lavender (Lavandula), and tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia).