Low Light Kitchen Herbs That Keep Giving

Herbs can quickly add fresh flavors to dishes, saving both money and time by growing herbs indoors instead of having to visit a grocery store for fresh herbs.

Parsley, chives, rosemary and dill are among the many herbs that thrive well under low lighting. When planting these low light herbs near a sunny window, keep their soil evenly moist throughout their lives for best results.

Parsley

Parsley is an ideal way to add zesty color and aroma to soups, grilled vegetables or roasted potatoes, providing crisp grassy notes with subtle bitter overtones that bring other dishes alive. Plus it is packed full of vitamins A and C for additional nutritional support!

As part of the apiaceae family, parsley can be found year-round in most grocery stores near salad greens and herbs, both whole leaves and chopped stems. As the main component in bouquet garni arrangements, its flat or curly leaves often serve as garnish while its flavorful stems add crunchiness and texture to fresh salads and vegetable mixes.

Food parsley comes in multiple varieties, with flat-leaf and Italian parsley being two of the more commonly encountered varieties. Ruffled-leaf varieties, commonly referred to as parsley curly, tend to have milder flavors than flat-leaf parsley. Hamburg parsley root (aka German flat-leaf parsley), however, boasts thick roots with more robust flavors than either variety.

Parsley can be grown indoors easily if given sufficient light and the appropriate conditions. Due to its slow germination rate and difficulty transplanting once established, seeds should be started 8-10 weeks before the last frost date for optimal success. Alternatively, outdoor seeds planted during spring can overwinter for another season of growth.

Chives

Chives, an onion-related perennial herb, are an easy indoor plant to maintain. Plant the seeds in nutrient-rich soil and water regularly until their soil dries; just be mindful not to overwater as overdoing it could result in root rot! Chives thrive best in cool temperatures with direct sunlight from a south-facing window for optimal conditions.

Mint is another herb that doesn’t need much sunlight to flourish, thriving even in low temperatures and bright kitchen windows. Like other herbs, mint needs regular watering – overwatering may lead to fungal diseases while under-watering could result in wilted leaves; ceramic pots make it easy to know when your herbs need water!

Cilantro is an easy and quick-growing herb, perfect for sunny windows. When properly taken care of, cilantro can last an extended time by pinching back its flowers before they turn bitter and can even produce edible seeds! Unfortunately, however, its propensity to flower means you must continue pinching its flowers back to extend its lifespan.

Herbs add freshness and flavor to meals. Growing your own will reduce costs while giving you the freedom to experiment with various varieties in your cooking. Window World has a selection of energy-efficient replacement windows designed to let natural sunlight into your home while making room for an outdoor garden. Please contact us today for more information or arrange a free consultation consultation session!

Rosemary

Rosemary is an indispensable culinary and garnishing herb, often used for food, beverages and cosmetic applications. Additionally, this versatile herb can also be dried out and added as flavor enhancers to vinegar or oil products for use in food, beverages or cosmetics.

Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus), an evergreen shrub that thrives both indoors and out, grows well either directly in the soil or containers. It pairs nicely with other Mediterranean herbs like thyme and sage while drawing bees and pollinators to its presence. As an attractive feature in garden beds and patios alike, or even grown as table centerpieces in containers for added versatility.

Though this herb tolerates some shade, for it to thrive it needs at least six hours of sunlight per day. As with most herbs, rosemary requires well-draining soil that supports healthy drainage; sandy or loamy composted soils are best; low spots should be avoided along with rock mulch which could suffocate its roots.

Rosemary can be propagated easily from cuttings taken prior to flowering, though you will need to prune regularly in order to keep them bushy and encourage new growth. Frozen rosemary can also be easily stored; simply lay some sprigs out on a baking sheet before placing into a Ziploc(r) bag once frozen.

This fragrant herb is often included in chicken and lamb dishes, as well as used to flavor meatloaf and vegetable soups. Additionally, its fragrant flavors pair perfectly with pasta dishes, roasted potatoes and grilled vegetables; making an omelet even more delicious! In folklore, sprigs of this fragrant herb are placed in the hands of deceased loved ones at funerals as a symbol of love and commitment; also worn at weddings to represent love and commitment between couples.

Cilantro

Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) is an essential herb used in Latin, Asian and Mediterranean cuisines. Mislabeled as Mexican or Chinese parsley in grocery stores, cilantro actually belongs to the parsley family as part of which celery and carrots fall within.

Cilantro can be added to a wide range of dishes by steaming or stir frying with other herbs and vegetables or served raw as an herbaceous garnish in salsa, salads, guacamole, chimichurri, soups, chutneys or sauces – it even goes great with roasted proteins and noodles dishes! As its flavor can diminish when heated or dried it’s important to ensure you use only fresh cilantro!

As with other herbs, cilantro is susceptible to microbial contamination, leading to numerous outbreaks caused by it. One batch of salsa from one supplier containing cilantro in California in 1998 sickened 300 with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli; another from this same supplier caused another outbreak with Salmonella enterica serotype Thompson infection that year; all this from cilantro imported from Puebla region of Mexico!

Planting herbs indoors is a simple way to add life and color to any kitchen. Most varieties can thrive under low light conditions; others may need an additional source. For the best results, water your plants at least once weekly and more if necessary if their leaves appear wilted; light feeding of all-purpose plant food or fish emulsion is beneficial too!

Dill

Dill is widely utilized in various culinary applications. Both its seeds and leaves can be added to salad dressings, soups, stews, pickles and fish dishes. Furthermore, its essential oil extracted from its seeds is often used as flavoring agent in food and alcoholic beverages alike. Leaves and seeds can both be used in making pickles; though dill weed is usually preferred since its strong flavor stands out more. Dried dill (weed or seed) can usually be found in spice sections of grocery stores while fresh bunches will provide more pleasant and consistent flavors.

Dill is a beloved herb that pairs beautifully with both cucumbers and other vegetables, such as peppers. Try pairing cucumber salad with dill for an irresistibly fresh and scrumptious dish; or pair your meaty meal like pot roast or beef stew with it to add an intriguing hint of licorice flavor that complements its robust meatiness.

Dill is an easy plant to cultivate from seeds, and you may also find rooted dill plants at local farmers markets or greenhouses. In certain regions, it even reseeds itself in your garden annually! Dill’s strong fragrance makes it a popular addition to bouquets.

Chervil

Chervil (Anthriscus Cerefolium) is an elegant herb with a light flavor resembling parsley while boasting notes of anise and licorice. Sometimes known as French parsley, do not confuse this delicate plant with cilantro as its taste differs significantly – the latter has much stronger characteristics and doesn’t thrive well in cold weather environments.

Chervil boasts fine and curly leaves resembling carrot greens but with paler and frillier foliage than flat-leaf parsley. More often used as a garnish than as an ingredient due to heat degrading its flavor, Chervil makes an exquisite addition to omelets or Bearnaise sauce – also featuring in fines herbes blend used extensively in French cuisine alongside parsley, tarragon and chives.

Chervil should be purchased at markets or specialty stores in bunches that smell fresh and crisp, with tightly closed leaves that don’t contain blossoms (these would likely have lost their flavor). Due to its short shelf life, chervil should only be added into cooked dishes at the very last moment so its flavors do not diminish during preparation.

Numerous herb varieties require full sun to thrive, yet some leafy varieties from carrot (Apiaceae), mint (Lamiaceae), and onion (Allium) families can still be grown successfully in shaded environments with as little as 3-4 hours of direct sunlight each day. Sage, Chamomile, Calendula and Thyme can make great additions to a windowsill herb garden as shade-tolerant options.