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.

Healthy Herbs and Their Benefits

There’s nothing bad about herbs when you think about it; they are easy to grow, easy to use, taste great when used with the right ingredients and are good for you.  The last point is probably the least well-known fact but is based on research by nutritional experts.  So which are the super-herbs that give the most health benefits?

Rosemary

Rosemary is a fragrant, evergreen herb with thin needle-like leaves as well as pretty flowers in white, pink, purple or even sometimes blue.  It is native to the Mediterranean region and is commonly used in Italian cuisine.  Herbal tea can also be made using it and it works particularly well when cooked with meats to give a unique flavour.

According to the Brain, Performance and Nutrition Research Centre, the smell of rosemary can itself even boost brain performance.  This is because a compound that is absorbed from the aroma has been connected to speed and accuracy of cognitive performance.  The more of the compound in the blood, the better the brain works.

Parsley

Parsley is also a Mediterranean herb and is known for its simplicity to grow as well as its varied uses.  It has spread into Middle Eastern and American cooking as well as being popular in the cuisines across Europe and is often used to garnish a dish with a splash of fresh green.

Parsley has high levels of something called apigenin and a study from Cancer Prevention Research has shown that when rats were tested for breast cancer, they development fewer tumour or had delays in development of tumour when ingested this substance.  Apigenin works to block the creation of new blood vessels that allows tumours to grow.

Peppermint

Peppermint is actually a hybrid plant combining watermint and spearmint that was found across Europe and the Middle East.  As well as being great as a breath freshener, peppermint is also effective at combating Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBM) according to a Canadian survey.  It works to relieve pain in the colon and calm pain sensing fibres, particularly to combat the effects of strong flavours such as chili and mustard.

Oregano

Another Mediterranean herb, Oregano is common in pastas and pizza dishes.  It also has natural anti-inflammatory properties and when used on mice’s paws it has been shown to reduce inflammation after an injury.  It contains beta-caryophyllin, which has been shown to inhibit the production of substances that cause inflammation in the first place.

Conclusion

Preparing herbs is very easy and even someone with little knife skills can chop up a few herbs to add to a meal and gain a few of these subtle health benefits.  Most herbs can be torn up by hand, chopped up roughly with a small knife or even cut up into smaller pieces using a herb chopper,

It can also be a great idea for a gift to buy someone a personalised chopping board with a recipe for their perfect herbs on it, to remind them which herbs are their perfect match.