9 Herbs You Can Easily Grow on Your Windowsill

Urban gardening is all about making the most out of the space you’ve got. To turn your balcony or windowsills into a full-on garden, all you need is a pinch of creativity. Even if you don’t have any pots or soil, you can easily grow a number of herbs on your windowsill with a glass jar and some fresh water.

Choosing the right herb is important, but these 9 herbs are easy to grow in water. Perfect for those who don’t have the time (or desire) to deal with soil, but if you have the space and soil, I’d recommend planting them from seed to get the most out of them.

1. Mint

One of the most popular and easiest herbs to grow. In soil, mint is like a weed and once planted, it come back every spring/summer. Pop a sprig of mint in a jar and you can snip bits off for tea, drinks or food. It does well in partially sunny windows and doesn’t need direct sunlight, and can be kept outdoors too.

2. Basil

This sweet-smelling herb needs between 6 to 8 hours of sun daily to thrive and can be used in a ton of Italian dishes and salads.

3. Thyme

Thyme is hard to grow from the seed, so buy a plant or ask a friend for cuttings instead. Pop the sprigs into a jar of water and once it flowers, the flowers are edible. You can also harvest it before it flowers, hang the stems to dry the leaves and then remove the leaves to use in cooking. Thyme needs plenty of sunlight, so set those jars in a bright window.

4. Rosemary

Rosemary is a hardy herb, but doesn’t like the cold, so keep it in a draft-free space. This herb does well in sunlight or partially shaded areas, but it’ll grow better in full sunlight though.

5. Chives

This onion family member is super easy to grow, and you can use it in a ton of dishes. Make sure this herb has plenty of water and sunlight for best growth results.

6. Coriander

Coriander prefers plenty of sunlight, though partial shade works okay too. A great herb to grow if you cook a lot of Indian and Mexican cuisine.

7. Oregano

Again, this herb doesn’t need direct sunlight. Just use a pair of kitchen scissors to gently remove a few leaves from the stem. Oregano can grow quite large, so keep an eye on your plant.

8. Sage

Sage doesn’t need a ton of water and should be kept in moderate sunlight. Snip off as much as you need to add to any dish when cooking.

9. Stevia

Probably the least popular herb on this list, but perfect to use as a natural sweetener in hot drinks. You can also blitz up the leaves to create a powder to use as a sweetener. This hardy herb prefers a bit of sun but can grow just as well in shadier areas.

Gardens or terraces can be difficult and time-consuming to manage but if you have one, then it makes sense to grow some herbs outdoors, depending on the climate you live in. If you don’t have time to manage the space then you can simplify it by removing trees and lawns which all take time to prune and cut to really maximise your space. Larger trees can be removed by companies like Thor’s Trees and lawns can be replaced with patios or decking areas.

These are the easiest herbs you can easily grow on your windowsill or balcony, especially if you don’t have a garden. You can also use any of these to decorate a grazing board, filling all the space to give it that professional touch.

Don’t forget to freeze all your herbs, or use them when batch cooking while they are still fresh! This will help prolong their life and cut down on food waste. It’s a win-win!