How to Grow Pot Mint & Basil Indoors

Indoor plants Do you remember my Perilla Mint posts? The Sate Shrimp and the Healing Herb, and the Peanuts or Mango in Perilla Mint salads from my Michigan trip. I haven't written about Chinese Basil, but it is another challenging plant to grow. I only use them in Pho noodles, but on the cold winter days, they are missed!
I had a hard time keeping these guys happy in my yard. They like shade or filtered sun and I find they root fantastic in a glass jar by the window. Yet, once I take them outside, like my Perilla Mint Propagation survived four months, before they all burnt in the California heat.
This time, I am sharing an experiment. I am trying to grow them in my kitchen window to protect them from the harsh weather. Hopefully they won't die so that I can have them when I cook. And how am I going to do that? Please see the instructions and photos below.

Instructions:
1) Find yourself a few strong stalks / stems of Basil and Perilla mint, healthy with baby leaves coming.
2) Cut off the big leaves, leaving the new growth, little ones. The stalks will grow much better with some baby leaves. As the leaves will absorb the sugar needed for their growth.
3) Get a little jar or cup, and fill the cup with an inch of water. Do not do more than an inch as soaking the whole stem will cause it to turn soft and mushy.
4) Leave the cup by your window and watch the roots grow. Change the water every other day so that it won't build up with yucky slimy stuff.

Perilla Mint Basil stalks roots Mint Basil Stalk Roots

5) Once the stalks establish some roots. Find yourself a few little pots. I have reused several containers that were make-up holders. They were about 6 inches diameter and 6 inches in height.
6) SO drilled 4 holes on the bottom of each and they are ready to go.
7) The soil is premium potting soil mixed with a some perlite. The perlite helps with drainage in a pot and also aids in separating the soil so that it doesn't become so compacted.



8) Once you fill the pots with soil almost to the rim, water the pot thoroughly but not soaking. Make a hole large enough for the roots, and start burying the stalk's roots.
9) Once the roots and stalks are buried all the way around, use your fingers and push the soil down gently around the stalks. Enough so that you can feel the soil resisting.
10) At that point the roots are pretty well covered and buried. You're all set to display it by your window and reap the benefit of the new growths.

herbs in pots indoor pots

growing herbs by window growing indoor pots

Thanks for stopping by today.

20 Comments

  1. Great step by step instructions. Well illustrated too.

    ReplyDelete
  2. thanks for this tip, i always buy this at the supermarket, maybe i can try instead planing them in a pot like you did.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi there! I found you from the blog hop and just wanted to let you know I'm your newest follower! :)

    I'm SO glad I popped over to your site. I've been wanting to plant herbs for some time now, but have not been sure how to get started. I love that this is something you can do with limited space!

    I look forward to hearing/reading more from you. I hope you get the chance to follow me back at
    http://gumdroppass.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. I like to grow everything in pots, since they are easier to transport and taking care of.

    Thank for the tips! I'm in the process of bringing in some perilla mint, basil, and thyme...

    ReplyDelete
  5. This is so timely, as I am thinking of growing basil indoors. Thanks for the tips!

    Have a great weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  6. It's so much cheaper to do it yourself. They look nice and great directions. New follower from friendly friday. Hope you could visit my blog and follow back. tootsabellarose.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. With our hot summers and cold winters about the only way I can grow herbs is inside. I think I'm going to try some of the perilla mint. Thanks for the great instructions.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi, thanks for popping by, I am now google following you. I really need to do this, I spend a fortune buying the herbs from the shop! Karima www.karimasblogs.blogspot.com and
    www.karimascrafts.com

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love growing herbs on my kitchen window sill. And believe me, that's where we have to grow stuff like that in the UK. The soil is not dry enough, and the weather not hot enough to sustain them properly outside.

    ReplyDelete
  10. You make it look so easy...like even my black thumb could do it!

    ReplyDelete
  11. An excellent post! I checked the links out and your receipes look outstanding! Not only are they colorful but healthy and inspiring! Thanks! I read the benefits and though I know they are good for us, I just didn't realize how much! This was just what I needed for my immune system!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Living in an apartment, I find it better to have plants around in small pots. They look cute and are easy to take care of.

    ReplyDelete
  13. awesome post! if I didn't have a garden, I would definitely do this.

    I stumbled you, my post is http://handmade4every1.blogspot.com/2011/07/bbl-ozora-and-some-qs-about-blogging.html

    I've just put the stumble button on and I would really appreciate it if you could check my post just to let me know if the button is working properly. thank you very much!

    ReplyDelete
  14. This is a great activity for me to do with my kiddos. We just picked our first garden cucumber yesterday. Also, I just stumbled your post. Mine is "A Healthy Example: Our Introduction to the New Food Pyramid" (http://cleverlychanging.com/?p=3307), would love for you to stumble mine as well.
    All the best!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Great post! I found this through the blog hop, but have decided to join up through GFC as well as stumbling it.

    I have grown herbs indoors before. Living in the TX heat, plants die so easily if left out in the sun. I do have one question I hope you can help me find an answer to though.

    What can you do to prevent those little fruit flies from nesting in the soil of these plants. We haven't yet figured out how we end up getting them, but once we do, the only way to get rid of them is putting all the plants outside. Is there something that can be put in the soil to act as a preventative?

    Thanks! Check out my blog post at: http://silverfaeries-dragonflies.blogspot.com/2011/08/creative-endeavors.html

    ReplyDelete
  16. I would love to attempt this but I've accepted that I have a black thumb. Nice tutorial though :)

    I stumbled your post from the Stumble Tumble linky. Feel free to check out mine:
    http://rachelsgiveaways.com/2011/08/what-is-triberr-increase-traffic-to-your-blog/

    ReplyDelete
  17. Thanks! The first time I tried to grown basil and cilantro inside they died....now they are outside, but can't stay out forever cause the snow will kill them!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Yay!!! I love making more!!! great post today!!
    It does my heart good to tour around the gardens that are linked into my little party...I so wish every one of the people who share lived close enough that I could walk the gardens in person. Thank you so much for sharing with me this week...I hope you will again very soon!
    Hugs and smiles from Alberta Canada to you!
    (¯`v´¯)
    `*.¸.*´Glenda/Tootsie
    ¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)
    (¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Awesome post! I've always done herbs outside in the summer, but never really tried bringing them inside in the winter. I think I'm going to try this year.


    Stumbled, of course and if you want to stumble back, my post is http://www.mamamommymom.com/2011/08/savory-oven-roasted-potatoes.html

    Thanks, as always!

    Jamie @ www.mamamommymom.com
    www.facebook.com/mamamommymom
    www.twitter.com/mamamommymom

    ReplyDelete
  20. Oooh my gosh. I clicked on your page from a blog hop and I thought it said "How to Grow Pot" I was like oh no, not the kind of blog I'm interested in, haha.

    ReplyDelete

Have a thought? Please leave a comment here, and I will return as soon as possible. Thanks - If you have a minute, why not check-out the sibbling of Self Sagacity.com Blogger Broadcast. Extra Links = Spam = Delete.