Crochet_Angel
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Indoor herb garden for winter

I am giving some thought to growing some herbs indoors over this upcoming winter.
My concern is primarily the available light level. We live in an older home, and usually keep the windows covered most of the day in cold weather. The one room that gets really good natural light also (unfortunately) doesn't have any heat. So sunlight is at a minimum, and having 12 hour plant lighting on every day...well, my hubby and I are at odds on that.
Are there herbs that grow indoors decently with mid to lower light levels? Or would I be wasting my time and should wait and grow some outside next year?

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rainbowgardener
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Lots of herbs do prefer more light. It wouldn't have to be any fancy "plant light," just your basic fluorescent.

However if you want to try growing herbs with low light levels, here's some of the best ones to try:

mint (wonderful stuff, grows anywhere, just don't plant it in your garden unless you want it to take over), lemon balm, angelica, goldenseal (the latter two are medicinal herbs not culinary).

There's also something called culantro (that's not a typo for cilantro!). I gather it's a tropical variant of cilantro. But it is a shade plant. Here's a little article about it: https://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/proceedings1999/v4-506.html

Other things you can try would be bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, and tarragon. May or may not make it in your conditions, but more likely than the sun lovers like basil.

But note the combination of low light and COLD would be total plant killer. One or the other, but not both. The ones that would do okay with low light are still going to need heated space. ...

Crochet_Angel
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Thank you for your reply. :D
Heat will not be an issue; hubby likes to keep the thermostat at around 78 degrees over the winter.

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rainbowgardener
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DH (the hubby) seems a little contradictory, didn't this discussion start because he didn't like the idea of running a light bulb 12 hrs a day? ... he makes a fuss about running a fluorescent lightbulb which uses next to no energy and then he cranks up the heat to 78 degrees, which uses energy by the truckload full? I don't understand, but oh well, none of my business. :?

We keep our programmable thermostat set for 67 when we are home and up and 59 all the rest of the time..

Crochet_Angel
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Actually, set at 78 the furnace doesn't run a lot. We do turn it down a bit when we leave the house. We plastic the windows, and keep the roll down shades drawn (hence the creation of the lower light levels); helps keep heat in the house. Someday, we'll be able to afford new windows... :wink:

Hubby just doesn't like the idea of a light being on all day long. The electricity used isn't an issue really. I may yet be able to sweet talk him into a compromise. :wink:

I've also been researching on line about whether or not herbs are poisonous to cats, but haven't found anything about it. We have a cat who does occasionally likes to nibble; the window area I would like to use is within her reach. Was thinking about planting some 'cat grass' to distract her from the herbs, but I'm still concerned if she does decide to take a taste.
The kitchen counter would be my next choice, as she can't get up there anymore; kitty is 15 years old and not able to get around like she used to.

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rainbowgardener
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This thread:

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3969

had a post with a list of several websites that list plants that are toxic to cats and one website listing plants that are NOT toxic to cats.

Hope that helps!

Crochet_Angel
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rainbowgardener wrote:This thread:

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3969

had a post with a list of several websites that list plants that are toxic to cats and one website listing plants that are NOT toxic to cats.

Hope that helps!
Thanks! :D



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