Herbs indoors

[DarlingNikita]

I've a Vietnamese coriander, currently in the garden in a pot, that the label says will need a greenhouse over the winter. I don't have one! The obvious thing is to bring it indoors, but I don't have many windowsills and those I do have are either not very bright or, if they are bright, they get quite cold (plants placed in them have died in the past, I suspect of cold).

I can't think what to do. Is there such a thing as hanging shelves that you can hang off the inside of window frames? If so, does anyone think that would be warmer for the plants than sitting them on a windowsill right next to the cold?

Any other suggestions also gratefully received.

You can get hanging pots for indoor walls. I think there is an example in Octobers Ideal Home mag.

Can you not just bring it in and leave it on a worktop near the window? No idea how big the plant is.

Unless your house is freezing I'd think a windowsill was fine - just lift it down at night when the temp falls and put on a worktop.

Thank you, Queen. I've actually got two and have just bought a normal coriander too. They're only small, a few inches high.

Problem is I don't have a worktop that near the window – just one under the kitchen window, but it's crowded as it's where the sink, draining board and toaster are. Also, my house is at lower ground level so it's not that light even just a foot or so back from the windows. And I don't have wide enough windowsills to put even a little pot on, except in my bedroom, which is a weird place to keep herbs!

I'll check out the hanging pots for indoor walls.

You'll need luck to keep them alive. They need warmth and light and clay soil. I had some outside (in mid Fr.) They didn't last more than 6 months. It was too shady

Am I going wrong by planting them in compost then? I'm in London so the 'natural' soil is presumably clay.

My house being at lower ground level is the bane of my life when it comes to plants.

You should plant them in compost. Most herbs like hot and dry conditions so clay is not the best as it's not free-draining.

Do you have a living room where you have a dining table or a surface near light? Otherwise I'd just buy frozen herbs or pots from the supermarket.

Do you have a living room where you have a dining table or a surface near light

Sadly not really. My back doors are big French windows as well, so even if I put e.g. a little table or stand in front of them for the plants I think it might be too cold (they're a bit draughty).

Can you buy frozen fresh herbs? I'd love to be able to keep a stock of frozen coriander, parsley and basil.

waitrose sells frozen leaf parsley, coriander and basil. In tiny bags with the frozen veg.

I think you could grow them indoors as long as there is some light.

Queen my garden is ideal for MOST herbs, it's neutral to alkili, free draining, but not for coriander. They do need loads of light because they grow naturally in places like the hills in the mediteranean.

Thanks Queen. I had no idea. What a revelation! I hate buying big bunches of beautiful fresh herbs, using a third or whatever, and then forgetting the rest until it's turned to compost in the fridge. (That's not just me is it?)

That said, I do want to persevere and TRY to grow some of my own. There's nothing like fresh really.