Growing Herbs in the Winter?

Question:

Can oregano, basil, thyme, parsley, sage, etc. be grown indoors in a home during the winter months in the midwest? Do I need special lights or would window light do?

Hardiness Zone: 6b

Dorothy from Northville, MI

Answer:

Dorothy,

When it comes to growing them indoors, not all herbs are created equal. Scented geranium, mint, rosemary, parsley, bay leaf, thyme, chives, garlic and oregano are all considered easy to grow. If you have a south-facing window that gets at least 6 hours of direct sunlight, you should have few problems (mint, parsley and rosemary can tolerate somewhat less light).

Others, like basil, need longer light conditions when grown indoors (16 hours per day) than can usually be obtained during a Midwest winter. They also like temperatures around 65ºF to 75ºF degrees. Grow lights can easily compensate for this if you have the space to set them up. You don't need special plant grow lights for this. You can use standard fluorescent tubes designed for room or shop lighting. Don't use regular incandescent lighting-the color spectrum isn't right.

When your herbs are seedlings, keep the lights as close as you can to them without touching them. Watch them closely and raise the lights as they grow and turn the seedlings every other day to ensure even growth. Plan on replacing the lights when they reach 70% of their stated service life. By that time, they'll be delivering as much as 15% less light than when they are new.

Ellen