A south window with about eight hours of sun can grow herbs in pots.
Without that window, choose a countertop garden with its own light, starting with the Click & Grow Smart Garden 3.
It has no pump, it waters through wicks, and its light runs itself. Click & Grow says it takes about 5 minutes a month to look after.
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The four options, by situation:
| Your plants and space | A calm choice |
|---|---|
| A countertop with no sunny window, and you want the simplest setup | Click & Grow Smart Garden 3 |
| A small water-based garden with three plants | AeroGarden Sprout |
| A bigger household that wants many herbs at once | LetPot LPH-SE 12-Pod Garden |
| A sunny window and you want no gadget | Planters' Choice 9 Herb Window Garden Kit |
Click & Grow Smart Garden 3
You have a counter but no sunny window, and you want a garden that runs itself
Click & Grow Smart Garden 3 with Grow Light, White
Wicks water the pods, no pump
Light runs 16 hours on, 8 off by itself
See the price and reviews on Amazon
The listing says a full tank lasts about 2 to 3 weeks and the light follows its own schedule.
Basil is full size in 1 to 2 months.
A pod lasts 2 to 3 months, and refill pods are sold separately. Click & Grow says it replaces a pod that does not sprout, and its pods fit every Click & Grow garden.
The garden takes only Click & Grow pods. The maker also sells “Grow Anything” pods for your own seeds.
AeroGarden Sprout
You want a small hydroponic garden (plants grow in water, not soil) for up to three herbs
AeroGarden Sprout Indoor Garden, Cool Gray
Up to 3 plants, up to 10 inches tall
10-watt LED, 3-pod seed kit included
See the price and reviews on Amazon
The listing says the plants grow in water, not soil, under a 10-watt LED light. It includes a 3-pod seed kit and plant food.
Three plants, each up to 10 inches tall, is the limit. A tall herb or a fourth plant will not fit.
AeroGarden says most herbs sprout in 5 to 14 days and that its pods fit every AeroGarden model. Pre-seeded pods carry a germination guarantee, and “Grow Anything” pods take your own seeds.
LetPot LPH-SE 12-Pod Garden
Several people cook from it, and one small garden would be picked bare
LetPot LPH-SE Hydroponic Herb Garden, 12 Pods, 24W LED
12 planting cups, 5.5-liter tank
Light rod adjusts up to 30 inches
See the price and reviews on Amazon
The listing names 12 planting cups with sponges, baskets, covers and A&B nutrients. The light is a 24-watt LED on a rod that adjusts up to 30 inches, and the tank holds 5.5 liters.
The full tank covers up to 3 weeks of growth.
It also has a pump and a light schedule you set in the LetPot app.
LetPot calls it an “open” indoor garden and gives a one-year warranty. Check which seeds come with it before ordering.
Planters' Choice 9 Herb Window Garden Kit
You have a sunny window and want fresh herbs without a gadget
Planters' Choice 9 Herb Indoor Window Garden Kit
Seeds for dill, basil, chives, thyme, parsley, oregano, cilantro, sage, mustard
Soil discs and a booklet
See the price and reviews on Amazon
The listing names seeds for nine herbs, soil discs and a booklet with sowing instructions.
It supplies no light, so the window does all the work. Iowa State University Extension, the university’s public gardening advice service, says most herbs need about eight hours of direct light a day.
Iowa State advises giving each kind of herb its own pot. Sage in this kit is on Iowa State’s second list: herbs that need more light or attract pests indoors.
- Not for you if
- A room with no sunny window, because the kit has no light
Sill or kit: how to decide
Iowa State says light is usually what limits herbs indoors.
| Your window | What to buy |
|---|---|
| South-facing, about 8 hours of direct sun | Pots on the sill |
| Bright east or west window | Pots can work |
| Closer to 6 hours of direct light | Some herbs cope, most want 8 |
| No sunny window | A kit with its own light |
The University of Florida’s IFAS Extension, which answers home gardeners’ questions across the state, says kits with pre-seeded pods and a full-spectrum light let you grow herbs without a sunny sill.
It adds that hydroponic herbs grow much faster than herbs in a traditional container.
If a sunny window already exists, a pot on the sill is enough.
A kit helps when the window does not.
Which herbs grow indoors, and which struggle
Iowa State lists parsley, mint, chives, basil, oregano, cilantro and thyme as the best herbs to start with indoors.
Rosemary, sage, lemon balm, marjoram, chervil and bay laurel can work too. Iowa State says they need more light than usual, or attract pests such as spider mites indoors.
Iowa State also says many indoor herbs taste milder than outdoor ones. Basil still tastes like basil.
What keeping a kit going asks of you
- Refill pods or seeds. Click & Grow says a pod lasts 2 to 3 months, so the next pods need ordering before the first ones finish.
- Water. The Click & Grow listing gives about 2 to 3 weeks per full tank. LetPot lists up to 3 weeks for its 5.5-liter tank.
- Cleaning. Click & Grow says its garden is dishwasher-safe and takes about 5 minutes a month to maintain. It says systems where roots sit in nutrient solution collect more residue.
- Plant food. The AeroGarden Sprout comes with plant food, and LetPot lists A&B nutrients.
When not to buy one
Skip the kit if a south window already gets about eight hours of sun.
Pots on that sill are enough. Iowa State recommends clay or terracotta pots because they dry out more readily.
Skip it too if a refill every few months sounds like one more chore. A pot of chives on a sunny sill needs water and a weak feed now and then.
Which one for which kitchen
- No sunny window, one cook: the Click & Grow Smart Garden 3.
- Three herbs in water, small footprint: the AeroGarden Sprout.
- A household using herbs daily: the LetPot.
- A sunny sill: the Planters’ Choice kit.
If this is the first time growing anything, start with easy first plants for a beginner. For a dim room with houseplants, see white grow lights for houseplants.
For the Click & Grow, order refill pods before the first ones finish, 2 to 3 months after planting.