Being able to maintain lively indoor plants comes naturally to some of us, but the rest of us might be known as “ᴘʟᴀɴᴛ ᴍᴜʀᴅᴇʀᴇʀs.” Even so, there are some herbs you can simply grow with just a glass of water and are perfect for anyone who doesn’t have the best track record with keeping plants alive.
All you need is a medium-sized glass jar (Mason Jars are perfect for this) and fresh water to start cultivating your green thumb with these 12 herbs that don’t require soil to grow.
1. Peppermint
Grow peppermint in a jar and snip off a bit to make herbal tea, oil or soup. You can also just enjoy the sweet scent of this fragrant herb. Peppermint does well in partially sunny or shady windows.
2. Oregano
Oregano is a spice we toss on just about everything. These plants grow large, but you can snip at it with kitchen scissors to trim off the leaves.
3. Sage
Sage is a commonly used herb and it is one of the best-known sage herb uses, and it is also one of the easiest to use when it comes to cooking. The most common sage herb uses are in herb cooking, teas, and more, but this herb can be used as an ingredient in just about anything you like.
4. Basil
This popular Italian herb grows well in water and can be used in many different recipes including sauces and soups. Make sure your basil jar gets about 6 to 8 hours of sunlight per day.
5. Stevia
Stevia is a great alternative to sugar when you need to sweeten things up. You can use the leaves in your coffee or grind up the leaves to make a powder. Stevia can grow in both sunny and shadier spots.
6. Thyme
The many uses for thyme include cooking and baking. Thyme has a number of benefits that make it the perfect ingredient for cooking and baking recipes. It has been used in the past to help with curing food poisoning. It has also been used to help with killing off germs, bacteria, and viruses.
7. Rosemary
Rosemary is well suited to chicken dishes and grows nicely in full sunlight.
8. Lemon balm
You can use the lemon balm herb to create an herbal tea that helps reduce anxiety, relieve symptoms of indigestion and helps make sleeping a little easier. Give this plant plenty of sunlight.
9. Chives
This herb/onion is also a popular choice to bring in flavor and texture to dishes. Chives need a lot of water and sunlight for optimal growth.
10. Cilantro
For many years, cilantro has been used for both medicinal and culinary purposes. It has been proven that cilantro is an excellent herb for reducing stress and anxiety, reducing blood pressure, regulating blood sugar, and reducing the negative effects of aging. The many culinary uses for cilantro:
11. Lavender
Lavender smells amazing and can be made into a tea or an oil. It is used to soothe depression, ease migraines, and cramping, and promotes good sleep. They are happy in sunny places with lots of fresh air.
12. Marjoram
This herb does really well indoors, though it grows best in full sunlight. This herb is a bit slower to grow, so you may need a little patience. Use this herb to spice chicken and beef dishes. Some people prefer to create an oil for lotions and bath soaps too.
