10 Planters That Will Help You Grow a Thriving Indoor Herb Garden
As kids, we’re taught that plants need soil, water, and sunlight to survive. Easy enough! But, if you’ve ever tried to keep a pot of herbs alive on a windowsill, you know it can actually be pretty tricky. Too much sun will scorch tender leaves, and erratic watering can drown or dry them out completely. If this sounds like your gardening track record (nice to meet you!), there’s good news: You don’t need a green thumb to grow beautiful, healthy herbs at home. Heck, you don’t even need a windowsill. You just need the right planter.
There are a slew of clever solutions that offer smart lighting schedules, manage soil moisture, and even provide a combination of both. Plus, there are tons of stylish options depending on whether you want to grow from seeds, use potted herbs, or like the convenience of pre-seeded pods. With minimal work, you’ll have fresh, abundant greens for all your herb-based recipes — no matter the season or the color of your thumb. Need some suggestions on which planter is perfect for you? We’ve rounded up the best options to get you started.
What’s your hack to growing healthy herbs indoors? Let us know in the comments below!
AeroGarden Sprout AeroGarden Sprout
For a high-tech pick we love, check out the AeroGarden Sprout. This planter comes with pre-seeded pods that go directly into a water reservoir without the need for additional soil. Using LED light, water, and liquid nutrients, you’ll be able to grow herbs up to five times faster than traditional soil gardens. As your herbs thrive, the adjustable light arm extends as high as 15 inches to provide the right level of lighting. You can control the lighting schedule manually via a touchpad on the base or through a connected app, which reminds you when it’s time to refill the water reservoir or add nutrients. The kit includes seed pods for basil, curly parsley, and dill, but you can buy additional pods if you want to switch up what you’re growing.
Cole & Mason Self-Watering Potted Herb Keeper Cole & Mason Self-Watering Potted Herb Keeper
If you’ve only got a few inches of space and decent sunlight exposure in your home, this petite planter from Cole & Mason is a cute and effective way to grow a single pot of herbs. Using an absorbent hydro pad tucked into the base of the planter, your herbs will pull just as much water as they need to stay hydrated. You only have to set a reminder to fill the reservoir once a week. It’s perfect for the small potted herbs you find at your local garden centers and grocery stores.
Le Creuset 5.5 inch Herb Planter Le Creuset 5.5 inch Herb Planter
This next one's for the Le Creuset devotees. This gorgeous little herb planter takes up minimal space by a window or on a kitchen counter and comes in a host of fun hues. Simply remove your herbs from their plastic pot, place them directly with their soil into the ceramic planter, and water! With its iconic Le Creuset look, it's sure to become another beloved part of any collection.
Click & Grow Smart Garden 3 Click & Grow Smart Garden 3
If you’re looking for a planter that does it all right out of the box with minimal mess, the Click & Grow Smart Garden 3 is a great option. The planter comes with pre-seeded smart soil capsules that control nutrient, pH, and oxygen levels for plant health (it actually uses technology inspired by NASA). Place up to three capsules into the removable cavities and set them into the reservoir that holds enough water for up to three weeks. The app-controlled LED lighting schedule is designed to spur plant growth, and since the light arm is adjustable, it can move vertically right along with your herbs. Available in four colors, the set includes three basil pods, but you can choose from 50 pre-seeded plant capsules or experiment using your own seeds with their refillable capsules.
Home Grown Indoor Herb Garden Starter Kit Home Grown Indoor Herb Garden Starter Kit
Barely have a green thumb? Don't know where to start? Then this Home Grown starter kit is perfect for you. It comes with everything you need: five different types of herb seeds, soil, plant markers, reusable bamboo pots, trays, and instructions. The kit also includes an instructional eBook with all kinds of tips and tricks on planting and germination. Plus, the seeds are non-GMO, so your herbs will not only taste good, but you can feel good about them, too.
Glowpear Self-Watering Mini Wall Planter Glowpear Self-Watering Mini Wall Planter
This modern wall planter from Glowpear is almost 2 feet wide and 10 inches tall, so your herbs can develop a healthy, resilient root system. Unlike other planters that hold herbs in pots, this lets you place herbs directly into the container with additional soil and mount it on the wall, making it great for small spaces. Water is added to the self-watering reservoir through a small corner flap on the top of the planter, and a reminder tab pops up when it’s time to add more. Due to the generous 8-inch depth, you can stagger a handful of different herbs to build a lush — and edible — wall feature.
Self-Watering Herb Planter Box with Trellis Self-Watering Herb Planter Box with Trellis
When you think of Vego Garden, you likely picture their gorgeous outdoor planters. Now, the brand is bringing things indoors with the Self-Watering Herb Planter Box with Trellis. Featuring the brand's innovative watering system, with one fill, this chic planter will water your herbs for several weeks at a time (don't worry, the included water gauge makes it easy to keep an eye on things). While currently only available for pre-order, units are set to begin shipping on March 31, so what are you waiting for?
Aquaphoric Herb Garden Tub Aquaphoric Herb Garden Tub
By using a combination of special fiber soil and self-watering hydroponic technology, this sleek planter provides plants with the balance of root zone water and oxygen that they need to thrive. Depending on your preferences, you can grow your herbs from seeds by placing them directly in the soil or using it to keep store-bought herbs healthy. The straw-like fibers in the soil provide three times more oxygen to plants than traditional potting soil, and they draw only as much water as needed from the planter’s reservoir. A water level indicator sits directly in the soil so you can quickly see when it’s time to refill.
Automatic Watering Pot Automatic Watering Pot
This minimalist self-watering planter has a simple-to-use water reservoir and fits neatly on windowsills or countertops. It's available in four sizes (in case you want to grow slightly larger plants) and works with most household herbs. The roots will draw just as much water as they need through some absorbent wicks that pull from the reservoir, so you don't have to worry about over watering.
Sicily Herb Planter Set Sicily Herb Planter Set
Designed to fit a standard-sized window sill, this classic planter set is ideal for anyone looking for a small and stylish pick that can hold multiple plants of your choosing. The tri-pot, multi-colored design is inspired by Sicilian maiolica ceramics that have graced the island's tables for more than 500 years, and this set re-creates those glorious designs, complete with a matching tray.
