Growing rare herbs inside your place sounds like a rich-person hobby—greenhouses, grow lights, the works. Nah, I’ve been pulling it off in my tiny apartment with basic stuff and some hacks I figured out after killing a few plants. We’re talking shiso, lemon verbena, Thai basil—cool herbs you don’t find at the grocery store. No fancy equipment, just some pots and a lot of swearing when things went wrong. Here’s how I got it done, with every trick I learned to keep these picky plants happy.
Pick Herbs That Won’t Make You Cry
Not all rare herbs are a pain to grow indoors. Some, like shiso or Mexican tarragon, are chill if you get the basics right. Others, like saffron, will have you pulling your hair out. I stuck to herbs I use in cooking that don’t need a jungle to survive. My lineup:
- Shiso: Peppery, kinda minty, great for sushi or salads. Loves warmth but deals with okay light.
- Lemon Verbena: Smells like a lemon candy, perfect for tea. Super picky about water, though.
- Thai Basil: Spicy, licorice-y, way better than regular basil. Needs steady heat but isn’t too dramatic.
- Mexican Tarragon: Sweet, like licorice, easier than French tarragon and loves dry soil.
- Chervil: Fancy parsley vibe, great for soups. Likes shade but bolts fast if you mess up.
Choose based on what you cook and what your place can handle—crappy light, dry air, whatever. Hit up seed catalogs like Baker Creek for rare stuff, or check Asian markets for cheap seedlings. I snagged shiso plants for $2 at a Korean store, way better than online prices.
Pots and Dirt: Keep It Simple but Don’t Screw It Up
You don’t need $20 pots, but cheap ones can bite you in the ass. I use terracotta pots with holes in the bottom—plastic traps water and kills roots. Get pots 6-8 inches deep; shiso and Thai basil like a little extra room. Check thrift stores or dollar stores—$1 pots beat $15 garden center ones any day.
For dirt, don’t grab that heavy “potting soil” from Home Depot; it stays wet and drowns your herbs. Mix one part peat moss or coco coir, one part perlite, one part compost. Drains fast but holds enough moisture for picky herbs like lemon verbena. If you’re lazy, cactus mix with some compost works. I spent $9 on perlite and $7 on compost, and it’s lasted forever.
Trick I learned: toss some gravel or broken pot pieces at the bottom before adding dirt. Keeps the holes from clogging. I lost a chervil to soggy roots before figuring this out—don’t be me.
Light: Windows Work If You’re Smart
Rare herbs need light, but grow lights cost an arm and a leg ($40 for a decent one). I stick to south-facing windows—shiso and Thai basil love 6-8 hours of sun. East or west windows are okay for chervil or Mexican tarragon, which don’t mind some shade. North windows? Nope, your plants will stretch like they’re reaching for the sun and look pathetic.
Here’s a hack: put a cheap mirror or some foil behind the pots to bounce light back. I got a $4 mirror at a thrift store, and my shiso went from wimpy to bushy in days. Turn the pots every few days so they don’t lean one way like drunk sailors. If your place is dark, drag the pots to your brightest window in the morning and move ’em back at night. I do this with my lemon verbena, and it’s fine, just annoying. Don’t leave ’em by a cold window overnight—lemon verbena will drop leaves like it’s mad at you.
Water: Don’t Drown the Damn Things
Overwatering is the fastest way to kill herbs. My first Thai basil was a swampy mess because I thought it needed daily water. Check the top inch of soil with your finger—if it’s dry, water; if not, wait. Most herbs need water every 4-7 days, depending on your place. Lemon verbena and Mexican tarragon like it dry; shiso and chervil want a bit more, but not a flood.
Use room-temp water—cold tap water shocks the roots. I leave a jug out overnight. If your water’s super chlorinated, let it sit a day to gas off, but I don’t bother and my herbs are fine. Here’s a trick that saved my chervil: bottom watering. Put an inch of water in a tray, set the pots in for 15 minutes, then dump the rest. Roots get what they need without wet leaves. I use an old baking pan from a yard sale—works like a charm.
Humidity: Fake the Tropics on the Cheap
Indoor air sucks for herbs, especially in winter when the heater’s blasting. Shiso and Thai basil want humidity, but humidifiers aren’t cheap ($25 and up). My hacks:
- Pebble Tray: Fill a tray with rocks, add water just below the tops, and set pots on it. Water evaporates, keeps things humid. I grabbed rocks from a park and a tray for $1 at a thrift store.
- Group ’Em: Put pots close together—they make their own little humid zone. My shiso and Thai basil are besties now.
- Bathroom Hack: Got a sunny bathroom? Move herbs there after a shower for a steam boost. I do this with lemon verbena weekly, and it’s living its best life.
If you wanna be precise, a $5 hygrometer tells you humidity—aim for 40-60%. Misting helps, but don’t go crazy; wet leaves get moldy.
Feeding: Don’t Starve ’Em, Don’t Stuff ’Em
Herbs don’t need much food, but they’ll pout if you ignore ’em. I use fish emulsion—smells like death but works—diluted to half strength every 5-6 weeks in spring and summer. A $10 bottle lasts a year. Skip feeding in fall and winter; plants chill then, and extra food burns roots.
If you’re into natural stuff, mix a spoonful of compost into the top soil every couple months. I’ve sprinkled used coffee grounds on shiso for a nitrogen kick, but go easy—too much makes soil acidic. Overfeed, and your herbs taste like crap and grow all lanky.
Pruning: Chop to Keep ’Em Bushy
Shiso and Thai basil get tall and ugly if you don’t cut ’em. Pinch the top leaves off every week or two, right above where leaves meet the stem. Makes ’em branch out and stay full. My first shiso was a single stick before I learned this. Use scissors or your fingers—clean, though, no dirt. Chervil and lemon verbena are touchy—don’t take more than a third at once, or they’ll sulk. Pick in the morning for best flavor, and store extras in a damp paper towel in the fridge.
Pests: Don’t Let Bugs Ruin the Party
Even indoors, you’ll get pests—gnats, aphids, or those damn spider mites. Gnats drove me up the wall with my Thai basil. Fixes:
- Sticky Traps: Yellow sticky traps ($4 for a pack) nab gnats like crazy. Stick one in the soil.
- Neem Oil: Mix a teaspoon with a quart of water and a drop of dish soap. Wipe leaves weekly to keep bugs away. Don’t soak the plant—it’s not a bath.
- Clean Up: Sweep dead leaves off the soil. Gnats love that junk. I check my pots every few days.
Look under leaves for tiny bugs or webs. Catch ’em early, or you’re screwed.
Temperature: Keep It Comfy
Shiso, Thai basil, and lemon verbena like it warm—65-75°F is perfect. Mexican tarragon and chervil can deal with 60°F. Don’t put ’em near drafty windows or hot radiators; sudden changes make ’em drop leaves. I lost a lemon verbena to a cold window—sucked. In winter, wrap pots in a towel at night or move ’em away from glass. A $10 heating pad on low under the pots helps if it’s freezing. Just don’t cook the roots—feel it first.
When Shit Hits the Fan: Fix Common Problems
Herbs can be drama queens. Here’s what I did when mine acted up:
- Yellow Leaves: Too much water or bad drainage. Let soil dry out, and repot if it’s a swamp.
- Stringy Plants: Not enough light. Move to a sunny spot or use the mirror trick. Pinch back to fix.
- Dropping Leaves: Drafts, dry air, or overwatering. Check one thing at a time to figure it out.
- Weak Flavor: Too much fertilizer or old plants. Cut back food, or start new ones from cuttings.
Make More Plants for Free
Once your herbs are happy, you can get more without spending a dime. Shiso and Thai basil root like champs from cuttings. Snip a 4-inch stem, pull off bottom leaves, and stick it in water. Swap the water every few days—roots pop up in 1-2 weeks. Plant ’em once roots are an inch long. I’ve got four shiso plants from one. Lemon verbena and Mexican tarragon take longer, like 3 weeks. Chervil’s a pain—stick to seeds.
It’s Work, but It’s Worth It
Growing rare herbs indoors ain’t a walk in the park, but it’s dope when you pull it off. Fresh shiso for your ramen or lemon verbena for tea right in your kitchen? Hell yeah. Watch your plants like a hawk—see how they handle your light, water, whatever. Every place is different, so play around with these tricks. You’ll kill a few plants (I did), but don’t sweat it. My first Thai basil was a disaster, but now I’ve got enough to share. Keep at it, and you’ll be flexing your herb game in no time.
