How to Grow Herbs in Pots Indoors

Fill a 4- or 5-inch pot with potting soil mixed with equal parts of clean, coarse sand. Pour a 1-inch layer of pea gravel onto a saucer. Sit the pot on the saucer to catch any water runoff, and place the pot and saucer in a sunny southern or western window. Repeat this process for as many herb pots as you wish to maintain.

Moisten the potting soil in the herb pots. Push two or three herb seeds 1/2 inch into the soil, spaced 1 inch apart. Keep the different herbs separate in their own pots for easy identification. Using a marker, label each herb pot with the name of the plant. Read the package that came with the herb seeds to follow spacing requirements for each plant.

Bury the herb seeds by raking the surrounding potting mix over them with your finger. Clean and empty a plastic spray bottle. Fill it with water, and spray the top of the soil until it is damp. Continue watering the herbs two to three times per week for even dampness, allowing the soil to dry slightly between watering. By spraying the soil instead of pouring water directly over its surface, the seeds will stay in place and remain covered.

Cover the tops of the herb pots with paper plates or plastic wrap, keeping the potting soil damp. Uncover the herb pots when the plants sprout.

Dilute a balanced liquid fertilizer with an equal part of water, and feed the herb plants every two weeks with the fertilizer label's recommended dosage.

Harvest the herbs as needed, depending upon their different stages of maturity and growth. Use kitchen shears to cut the herb above a pair of leaves. Leave 4 to 6 inches of growth on the herb plant for continuous growth.