Top Herbs to Grow on a Windowsill

Growing your own food in its many forms has appeal to a great variety of people for a multitude of reasons – whether care for the environment, concerns over food origins or just an enjoyment of growing something to name a few.  The great thing about growing herbs is that a plot, garden bed or other outdoor area is a compulsory part of the process because there are a number of herbs that can be grown on a windowsill.

Chives

Chives are a great windowsill herb because they have no specific requirements, don’t need too much sunlight and just keep on producing.  You can grow them from seed but the easiest way to grow them is from an established plant.  You can pick these up anywhere from a garden centre to a supermarket or even just grab a clump from a friend’s established plant.  Place them in a nice pot and cover the roots with potting compost and they will settle in nicely.  When harvesting, cut off around the top one third of each leaf to encourage regrowth. 

One of the easiest ways of using chives is in mashed potato – simply get a nice wooden choppingboard and a sharp knife, dice the chives into pieces of whatever length you prefer then sprinkle them into the cooked and mashed potatoes.

Basil

Basil is the mainstay of Italian cooking, particularly alongside tomatoes and many of the varieties available actually prefer to be in the house.  They need plenty of sunlight and shelter from the worst of the weather so a windowsill is ideal.  Basil is easy to grow from seed, needing only a 5cm pot to plant up five seeds and then tossing the smallest two plants to have a healthy potful.  Alternatively, a small established plant can be bought for instant results, but remember not to remove all leaves from a stalk to allow the plant to keep producing.

Basil works well in salads with mozzarella cheese and tomato or can be shredded to add to pasta sauce.  It can even be put into food bags in the refrigerator and frozen just after picking to be used at a later date.

Parsley

If you’ve ever tried to grow parsley in the garden, you’ll know the biggest problem is stopping it.  By growing it in the windowsill, it is restrained and doesn’t take over the garden plus is at hand whenever you need it.  Seeds can be a little tricky to get started but established plants are easy to come by and to keep, plus there are a few different varieties such as curly or flat leaf.  It only needs moderate light levels and little maintenance but remember not to harvest too many leaves from a stem or you can kill the plant.

Parsley is used as a garnish for many dishes and is also a great ingredient in garlic butter with its many uses.  It can be dried and frozen to extend its lifespan and keeps for a few days in the fridge after it has been harvest.