If you find that, come autumn, you start feeling down because you’re already thinking about putting your garden to bed for the winter, and how much you’ll be missing all those just-picked veggies, then perhaps you need to start an indoor vegetable garden.
While not all veggies can be easily grown inside, several will do just fine in containers all winter long – and possibly even better, not having to deal with pests like caterpillars or aphids.
Indoor gardening tips
Make sure to use a pot large enough so your plants won’t become pot-bound and choose a good-quality compost or potting mix. You can usually find the expected mature size of the plants on the seed packet or on the label attached to the seedling.
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For the darkest parts of winter, consider getting an inexpensive grow light and using it for at least 10 hours a day. A supplementary light source is essential during the short, gloomy winter days, as plants can become leggy and eventually die back without enough light.
Grow lights differ from regular bulbs in that they offer a broader spectrum, including the wavelengths plants need for photosynthesis.
Keep the room temperature between 18 and 21°C during the day and a few degrees cooler at night. Don’t let your herbs sit in draughts or near heating or air-conditioning vents. Every two weeks, feed them with a water-soluble fertiliser according to the packet instructions.
Not every plant thrives indoors, but here are some herbs and other plants that usually do best inside:
Basil
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Basil is a lovely herb to have on hand for finishing a bolognese or whipping up a fresh pesto. Compact, bushy varieties do especially well indoors, provided they have plenty of light. You can grow basil from seed, buy a young plant, or even root a cutting in water. Keep the compost consistently moist, but not soggy.
Cherry tomatoes
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Supermarket tomatoes – bred to withstand long transport from warmer regions – often taste rather disappointing. But you don’t have to wait until summer for that fresh, ripe flavour.
Small, bushy varieties work best indoors, and some produce so many fruits that you may struggle to keep up. They’ll need plenty of light, so a grow light is especially recommended. While you won’t have to worry about hornworms, some pests such as aphids, stink bugs and mites can still be a problem indoors.
Chives
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Chives grow easily in pots on a sunny windowsill or under a grow light. Start them from seed or dig up a clump from the garden in early winter, as those lifted in autumn can sometimes become too leggy. Keep the soil moist.
Lettuce
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Nothing feels more luxurious than eating a fresh-picked summer salad in the middle of winter. Lettuces of all kinds, from Bibb to butterhead, and even romaine, can be grown indoors, though you should expect that yields will be generally smaller. Using a larger container can help.
Mint
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Most types of mint grow like weeds, so it’s particularly hardy even in less-than-ideal indoor conditions. Mint can be grown from cuttings rooted in water or from young plants. Give it plenty of light and water when the soil feels dry.
Oregano
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Fresh oregano is far more flavourful than the dried kind, and it’s a must-have for seasoning turkey, stuffing and other festive dishes. Oregano can be grown from cuttings or seeds. It’s a hardy plant, so it should do well indoors with plenty of light. Let the soil dry out between waterings.
Radishes
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Roasted, glazed radishes make a great side dish with hearty winter meals such as pork chops. They’re also delicious in salads or simply enjoyed with butter and a pinch of salt on crackers. Fortunately, they’re easy to grow indoors. Radishes thrive in the loose, airy soil typical of containers, don’t grow as deeply as carrots and reach full size quite quickly.
Sage
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Fresh sage is practically essential for all kinds of winter cooking. Instead of paying over the odds for a small pack from the supermarket, grow your own.
Take cuttings in summer to root, or dig up small clumps in autumn and pot them for indoor use. You can also buy young plants. Let the soil dry out slightly between waterings.
Beautiful buys for the green-fingered
Chester & Cooke Wooden Herb Planter Kit
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Arricca Elin SanSone is a writer, editor, and content creator who specializes in lifestyle and gardening. With a background in health reporting, she applies these same research skills when writing about the science of growing things. She trials new plants in her expansive garden, and her houseplant collection consists of 60+ varieties. Arricca has written thousands of articles for publications such as Country Living, House Beautiful, Good Housekeeping, Prevention, VERANDA, Southern Living, and more. She’s happiest when digging in the dirt, baking, or spending time with the people and dogs she loves.
Christopher Michel has been the Senior Food and Gardens Editor at Country Living Magazine since March of 2021. Chris has over ten years of experience writing and editing for national magazines and websites, mostly in the food space, such as Cooking Light, The Kitchn, Rodale’s Organic Life, and Bon Appetit. Prior to that, Chris worked in a variety of food spaces in New York City. In 2022, Chris completed the Alabama Master Gardener’s Program hosted by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System.
Chris lives in Birmingham, AL, where he enjoys running, reading, and cooking for his wife and two girls.
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