Past basil, the herb rack splits into two temperaments: the fast bolters that you sow often and cut young, and the steady producers that settle in and give for months. Knowing which is which is most of the craft.
What it wants
Most culinary herbs want cool-to-mild conditions and modest light:
- Temperature, 60 to 70°F suits cilantro, parsley, dill, and chives. Mint is unfussy and tolerates more.
- Light, a DLI of 12 to 17 mol/m²/day for most; the soft-leaved herbs do not need bright light.
- Feeding, pH 5.5 to 6.5 and EC 1.0 to 1.6 mS/cm.
- Humidity and air, steady airflow; soft herbs rot or mildew in still, damp air.
- Roots, cool and oxygenated, like the leafy crops.
The arc
The calendar depends on the camp. Cilantro and dill are fast and bolt readily, so sow them densely, cut young, and succession-plant every couple of weeks. Parsley is slow to start but then produces for months. Mint and chives are near-perennial: establish them once and harvest on repeat. Match your planting rhythm to the herb, not the other way around.
What it fears
Bolting is the bolters' whole story: cilantro and dill run to seed in heat or long days, so keep them cool and harvest early. Powdery mildew finds mint and the soft herbs in stagnant air. Mint also spreads aggressively, so give it its own channel or it will crowd a shared system.
Getting it right
Sort your rack into bolters and steadies and plant each to its nature: cilantro and dill fast and often, parsley and chives for the long haul, mint in its own corner. Keep things cool and airy. The seed-starting calendar and stagger planner keep the fast herbs coming without gaps, and a season of notes tells you each herb's real timing in your space.
Tools for this crop
Frequently asked questions.
Why does my cilantro bolt so quickly?
Cilantro is built to bolt: heat and long days push it to flower and set seed fast, after which leaf production stops. Keep it cool, harvest young and often, sow a fresh batch every couple of weeks, and choose slow-bolt varieties. Treat it as a fast succession crop rather than a long-standing one.
Which herbs are easiest to grow indoors?
Mint, chives, and parsley are the most forgiving: they tolerate a range of conditions and keep producing for months from one planting. Basil is rewarding but wants warmth and airflow. Cilantro and dill are easy to sprout but bolt quickly, so they suit growers who can replant on a schedule.
Do herbs need a lot of light?
Most soft culinary herbs are content with a modest DLI of about 12 to 17 mol/m²/day, similar to leafy greens. Basil is the exception and rewards brighter light with more leaf and aroma. For the rest, cool conditions and steady airflow matter more than high light.