What Is a Windowsill Herb Garden and How Do You Start One? This type of garden is a small planter that sits on your windowsill and uses natural light to grow herbs, greens, or small plants indoors. What you need to get started: One wooden planter box that fits your sill A sunny window (south- or west-facing is best, east-facing works, north-facing will struggle) Three herb starts from any garden center 30 minutes Start with one box and three herbs. You can expand as you go. RELATED: How to Create No Dig Garden Beds Containers for Windowsill Herb Gardens The container matters more than people think. Pick the wrong type and your herbs might die within a month. Your best bet: A rectangular wooden planter that fits your windowsill depth. Measure your sill before you shop. The non-negotiables when choosing windowsill herb containers: 1. Must have drainage holes in the bottom. If your box doesn’t have them, drill three or four ½-inch holes before you plant anything. Water needs somewhere to go. 2. A drip tray underneath to catch runoff and prevent your windowsill from rotting or staining. For the material, plastic or ceramic works. 3. A plastic liner inside the box. Wood rots when it stays wet. A liner will help extend your planter’s life. Budget alternatives that work fine: Repurposed wooden crates (drill your own drainage) Terra cotta troughs (heavy but breathable) Ceramic planters (check that your sill can handle the weight) Easy Herbs to Grow in a Windowsill Garden Some herbs can thrive on a windowsill while others need more space, light, or attention than apartment life allows. Start with these three: Basil: The crowd favorite. Needs warmth and consistent moisture. Loves a sunny window. The key is pinching the tops regularly to keep it bushy instead of tall and leggy. Rosemary: The low-maintenance one. It can tolerate drier soil and doesn’t mind if you forget to water for a day or two. Let it dry out slightly between waterings. Mint: It grows fast and spreads faster. Left unchecked, it will take over your entire box and crowd out everything else. There’s a trick to contain it (see the planting section below). If you want a fourth herb: Chives, parsley, or thyme are great for beginner planters as they require low-maintenance care. How to Plant a Windowsill Herb Garden 1. Gather Your Supplies The Box Look for a rectangular wooden planter that fits your windowsill. It must have holes in the bottom. The Tray This is a plastic or ceramic tray that sits under the box. The Soil Buy a bag that specifically says Potting Mix or Container Mix. Mistake to avoid: Never use “Garden Soil” or “Topsoil” from a bag or your yard. Those are too heavy and will pack down like bricks, which suffocates the roots. Plants die within two weeks. The Plants Buy plants that are already 4 to 6 inches tall. These are often called Starts. As mentioned above, Basil, Rosemary, and Mint are great options. The Liner A piece of a thick trash bag or a plastic sheet to put inside the wooden box. 2. Prepare the Box Do this step to make the box last for years. Line It Cut your plastic liner so it fits inside the box. Staple or tuck it against the inside walls. Poke It Use a pair of scissors to poke holes through the plastic. Mistake to avoid: If you skip this, water will pool at the bottom and roots will sit in standing water and end up rotting. Set It Place the box onto the drip tray. 3. Move the Plants into the Box Be gentle with the roots. Prep the Bed Fill the box about halfway with potting mix. Loosen the Root Ball Take your first plant (still in its plastic store pot) and give it a tiny bit of water. This will loosen the roots from the pot walls. The Hand-Over-Pot Grip Place your hand over the top of the pot with the plant stem between your fingers. Turn the pot upside down and squeeze the sides of the plastic pot gently. The plant should slide out. Mistake to avoid: Don’t pull the plant by the stem. It’ll snap. Instead, squeeze the pot and let gravity do the work. Tickle the Roots If the roots look like they’re spinning in a tight circle, use your fingers to gently loosen them so they hang free. This helps them spread into the new soil instead of strangling themselves. Set the Depth Place the plant in the box. The top of the root ball should sit about ½ inch below the rim, level with the surrounding soil. Repeat for all three plants. The Mint Rule: Read This Before You Plant Mint grows fast and often takes over the entire box, crowding out the other plants. The fix: Keep the mint inside its original plastic store pot and bury that entire pot into the soil. The plastic walls will stop the roots from spreading. 4. Fill and Settle the Soil Fill the Gaps Add more potting mix around the plants to fill space. Press Lightly Use your fingers to push the soil down gently. You want to remove big air pockets, but don’t press so hard that the soil becomes so dense. Leave Room at the Top Stop adding soil when it is about ½ inch below the top edge of the wood. This gives water a place to pool before soaking in. Otherwise, it’ll spill over the sides. First Watering Slowly pour water onto the soil near the base of each plant. Mistake to avoid: Flooding the box. Do it slow and steady. You want the soil damp, not soaked. Daily Care for Windowsill Herb Garden Your herbs are planted. Now keep them alive. This takes about 60 seconds a day. TaskHow to Do ItThe Finger TestStick your finger 1 inch deep into the soil. If it feels dry, add water. If it feels wet, wait another day. Most windowsill herbs need water every 2–3 days in a warm apartment.The TurnEvery three days, turn the box around. When you notice leaves pointing hard toward the glass, it is time. This prevents the plants from leaning and growing lopsided.The PinchWhen you want to use basil, do not pull off one leaf. Use scissors to snip off the very top of the stem. This makes the plant grow two new stems and stay bushy instead of tall and leggy.The Tray CheckEmpty the drip tray 30 minutes after watering if water is still pooled. Roots wick up standing water and rot. FAQs 1. What are the best herbs to grow on a windowsill? If you are a beginner, you should start with Basil, Rosemary, and Mint. Basil is a popular choice that loves a sunny window, and it stays bushy if you regularly pinch off the tops. Rosemary is very low-maintenance and can survive even if you forget to water it for a day or two. Mint is great because it grows and spreads very quickly. If you want even more variety, chives, parsley, and thyme are also excellent plants for beginners. 2. Which window direction is best for an indoor herb garden? To grow healthy herbs, you need to pick a window that gets plenty of natural light. A south-facing or west-facing window is the best choice for your planter box. While an east-facing window can work, you should avoid north-facing windows because the plants will struggle to grow without enough sun. 3. Why are my windowsill herbs dying? Herbs often die because of a few common mistakes, like using the wrong soil. You should never use “Garden Soil” or “Topsoil” because they are too heavy and will pack down like bricks, which suffocates the roots. Another problem is poor drainage; if your box doesn’t have holes, water will pool at the bottom and rot the roots. Finally, make sure to empty your drip tray 30 minutes after watering so the plants don’t sit in standing water, and avoid flooding the box by watering slowly. 4. How often should I water an indoor herb garden? In a warm apartment, most windowsill herbs need to be watered every 2 to 3 days. The best way to check is with the “Finger Test”: stick your finger 1 inch deep into the soil. If the soil feels dry, it is time to add water, but if it still feels wet, you should wait another day. When you do water, do it slowly until the soil is damp but not completely soaked. 5. Can I plant different herbs together in one container? You can plant different herbs together, but you must follow the “Mint Rule”. Because mint grows so fast, it will take over the whole box and crowd out the other herbs. To prevent this, keep the mint inside its original plastic store pot and bury that entire pot into the soil of your planter box. The plastic walls of the small pot will act as a barrier and stop the mint roots from spreading to the rest of the garden.