How to Grow Fresh Herbs Indoors All Winter Long with Grow Lights

The first frost doesn’t have to mean the end of fresh basil on your pasta, mint in your tea, or rosemary on your roast. When winter brings shorter, darker days across most of the United States, even the best south-facing window can’t provide enough natural sunlight to keep culinary herbs thriving. That’s where a smart grow light setup steps in and takes over.

A compact, stylish indoor grow light planter truly changes everything. In just a few square feet of counter space, you can create your own little sun and keep a lush herb garden growing happily from November through April, no greenhouse, no weird purple glow, and no complicated wiring required.

Before we dive into the 9 best herbs to grow indoors under lights, here’s exactly what to look for in the perfect grow light setup:

Choose a tidy 19W unit that punches way above its weight. It should deliver clean 4007K full-spectrum white light (the same color temperature as natural midday sun), high efficiency around 2.0 µmol/J, and a solid PPFD of ~112 µmol/m²/s at herb height, more than enough for everything from basil to rosemary. Look for a safe 24V low-voltage design (no shock or heat worries), FCC certification, adjustable height, and a look that feels like a chic modern lamp rather than industrial gear. Now, let’s meet the 9 best and easiest herbs to grow under that perfect light…

Basil

The undisputed king of indoor herbs. Sweet Basil and Genovese are the top-performing varieties for flavor and vigor. Basil craves warmth and intense light, give it 14–16 hours per day under your grow light, positioned just 6–12 inches above the leaves. Pinch the tips often (even if you’re not using them yet) to encourage bushy, compact new growth instead of tall, leggy stems.

Mint

Nearly indestructible and famously invasive outdoors, mint becomes the perfect low-maintenance houseguest indoors. Peppermint and spearmint deliver the boldest flavor. It thrives in moderate to bright light (happy with slightly less intensity than basil), requires almost no fuss, and is the ultimate “cut-and-come-again” herb,  the more you snip, the bushier it gets.

Parsley

Hands-down one of the easiest herbs for beginners. Choose flat-leaf (Italian) parsley over curly types for better indoor performance and richer taste. It tolerates lower light levels and cooler nighttime temps (down to 50 °F/10 °C) better than most herbs. Give it 12–14 hours of supplemental light and harvest frequently, constant trimming keeps it thriving and prevents it from getting leggy.

Chives

Cold-hardy perennial herb that grows happily under LED or fluorescent lights with 12–14 hours of daily light. The more the leaves are snipped, down to about 2 inches, the thicker and faster new growth appears. Light harvesting can begin once plants reach 6 inches tall, typically 3–4 weeks from seedlings or divisions.

Thyme

Mediterranean herb with English thyme and lemon thyme as the most compact, flavorful indoor varieties. Requires intense light about 4–8 inches above foliage and good drainage. Allow soil to dry slightly between waterings to mimic that Mediterranean environment. Regular light harvesting can start 4–6 weeks after potting, and keep in mind, stems become woodier and more aromatic over time.

Oregano

Greek and Italian varieties deliver the strongest classic flavor. This low-water Mediterranean herb stays compact under lights and develops peak taste with bright, direct light for 14+ hours daily. Grows quickly, so light harvesting can begin in as little as 4–5 weeks from seedlings, and frequent cutting keeps plants bushy and delays flowering.

Rosemary

The trickiest of the common herbs, but very doable with the right care. Demands the brightest, most intense light possible for 16 hours daily and excellent drainage. Upright varieties like Arp or trailing Prostratus stay compact and perform best indoors. Plants establish in just a few weeks and soon provide aromatic stems ready for cutting.

Cilantro

Fast-growing and quick to bolt in warm indoor conditions. Tolerates slightly cooler spots and moderate light, though 12 to 14 hours under grow lights helps delay flowering and extends leaf production. Start new seeds every 3 to 4 weeks for a steady, continuous supply.

Lemon Balm

Vigorous lemon-scented perennial in the mint family. Thrives in medium to bright light for 12 to 14 hours daily and recovers quickly after heavy harvesting. One of the most forgiving herbs. It bounces back beautifully even if watering is occasionally forgotten.

Final Thoughts

A small grow light planter makes a true year-round herb garden possible, no matter how gray or short the days get. It brings life to dreary fall and winter kitchens while keeping fresh, intensely flavorful ingredients literally within arm’s reach for every recipe.

Set up your light, pick your favorite herbs, flip the switch, and turn the shortest days of the year into the most delicious.