Hi.

I'm Elsa Sánchez, a Professor in Plant Science at Penn State.

And on this edition of Year-Round Gardening, I'll show you the basics of growing your own herbs in your home.

We'll go over what herbs grow well indoors, proper planting, and more.

[music playing] Growing your own herbs can be a fun way to maintain a steady supply of seasoning for your food year-round.

Your herbs will be fresher than what you get from other places, and it's satisfying cooking with ingredients you've grown yourself.

There are a number of herbs that grow quite well indoors, and they happen to be common ones for several dishes.

Let's take a look.

Oregano.

This herb is a perennial and is a fairly versatile herb used in a variety of pasta sauces, seafood, meats and other dishes.

You can start by using a transplant, by dividing an existing plant, or less commonly by seed.

Basil.

This herb is generally grown as an annual, and is highly aromatic.

Like oregano, it's used in a variety of tomato and other sauces, pastas, fish, chicken, and other meats.

You can grow this herb by using a transplant from seed or using cuttings from an established plant.

It grows well on a west or south facing windowsill.

When the days are short, during the winter, basil will grow better with supplemental light.

Thyme.

This fragrant herb is a perennial and grows well in dry, sunny conditions.

It's best started from cuttings or transplant from a garden center.

Growing from seed is more difficult due to its slow and uneven germination.

Rosemary.

This herb is a perennial, and is easiest to grow by buying a transplant or taking a cutting from an existing plant.

With most herbs, particularly perennial herbs like oregano, rosemary, and thyme, you can grow them outdoors in a pot, then bring them indoors as the weather becomes colder.

Most herbs need a minimum of six hours of sunlight.

Make sure you place your herbs in a sunny location, such as a south or west facing window.

If you place your herbs on a windowsill, rotate the pots often so that the entire plant gets enough light for uniform growth.

Meeting the light needs of many herbs can be difficult indoors.

If your herbs are not growing well, you may need supplemental light.

Use a grow light or 40 watt cool white fluorescent lights.

Place your herbs 6 to 12 inches from the lights and keep the lights on for 12 to 16 hours a day.

Most herbs will grow best at a temperature of at least 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit at night.

Avoid placing your herbs in drafty areas where temperatures fluctuate throughout the day as some plants are sensitive to this.

Many plants grow best when humidity levels are between 40% to 50%.

Generally, humidity levels indoors support plant growth.

However, during the winter, humidity levels in homes can be as low as 10% to 20%.

When humidity levels are low, you can set pots on a pan of pebbles in water.

If your houseplants grow well in an area, the temperature and humidity is likely good for herbs too.

Grow herbs in a container that has a drainage hole.

Use high quality potting mix that has good water drainage.

Water regularly to make sure the potting mix does not dry out.

Some herbs such as oregano, sage, and thyme should dry out slightly between waterings.

When roots have filled the pot, it's time to repot your herbs.

This is generally done in the spring and summer when the plants are actively growing.

Use a pot that is about 2 inches in diameter larger than the existing pot.

Make sure the pot is clean to avoid spreading pest problems.

Handle the plants carefully to avoid damaging them.

It's important to keep the same soil level.

Also, avoid packing the new soil.

Water the plant after repotting.

At this point, the potting soil will settle and you may find you need to add more.

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