December already? Here we are planning our holidays and allowing ourselves to sneak a glance at 2026 seed catalogs.

For gardening addicts, there is always something to do. If your green thumb is twitching, meet me here today for indoor and even windowsill winter gardening suggestions. Best thing: transfer your indoor plants to the garden in the spring, and half the work is already done!

These vegetables and herbs along with growing instructions are perfect for winter indoor gardening. All can be grown in small or larger pots, most enjoy cool indoor temperatures, and thrive with bright indirect or direct light. If you have more indoor space – the windowsill instructions are the same as for larger space gardening.

Basil – lighting needs are as much sunlight as possible; the soil should be light and well-drained. Keep watering to an evenly moist level and avoid soggy soil. Start basil from seeds or cuttings and make sure to pinch the tips often for busy growth. Keep your basil from cold drafts – it hates temperatures below 60.

Mint – grows like weeds but that is also its charm, sometimes. Mint needs medium to bright light, regular potting mix, water for consistent moisture, and it is so very easy to grow, even I can do it! Plant from seeds, cuttings or divisions. And do yourself a favor: always keep it contained in its own pots to stop it from taking over your entire life. You will thank me later for this truly heartfelt suggestion!

Thyme – in my book there is always time for Thyme! It loves very bright light, well-drained, sandy soil mix, and it is recommended to let the soil dry slightly between waterings. Thyme is easy to grow from small plants or cuttings, and it is very hardy and forgiving. Just what we need in our busy lives.

Rosemary – another one of my favorites. It’s just perfect in home-fried potatoes, baked bread, and in your meat dishes. The sky is truly the limit. Rosemary loves it bright, just like Thyme, thrives in fast-draining soil, and can be grown easily from a small nursery plant. It likes temperatures on the cooler side of 50-65F.

Lettuce (Loose-Leaf Varieties) – lettuce plant some! Yes, even for windowsill planting. I love it for my oak leaf lettuce, romaine, and butter crunch. Those varieties can even be grown from your store-bought stumps! Lettuce likes moderate to bright light, soil that is rich and kept moist, and can be grown from seeds or from stumps in shallow containers. 

Spinach – can’t go wrong with spinach! Follow the instructions as outlined for lettuce, and you got it made!

Green Onions (Scallions) – grow from store-bought. Get those onions that still have some root growth. Keep the last three inches, put the root end in water, and have new growth within 2 days and ready to harvest in about 2 weeks. I get up to three harvests out of one original store-bought bunch. They love bright light, if you want to plant them, use simple potting mix, keep them moderately moist, and plant them from seeds, or as described above. Green onions truly give you a lot of bang for your buck!

Micro-Greens (Mixed Vegetables) – last but definitely not least!  This is the easiest way to grow fresh greens, and a HUGE favorite of mine. They like bright indirect light, thin layers of seed starting mix, and seeds need to be misted daily. Sow seeds densely in shallow trays and harvest in 10-14 days. Options include radish, kale, mustard, arugula, broccoli. One suggestion if you are new to micro-greens: please watch YouTube clips of how to successfully grow micro-greens. There are so many options – what seed trays and grow medium to use, how to prepare the seeds for successful germination and growth, and more useful tips. There is a lot more information – enough for an entire article solely on this topic.

General suggestions for windowsill and indoor winter gardening are using LED grow lights if there is not enough natural light, avoid cold drafts, prevent root rot using pots with drainage, and harvest often (especially herbs) to help plants stay productive and bushy.

Feel inspired by these suggestions in case your green thumb starts itching too much and you just can’t wait until spring. Happy Holidays!

Note: If you are interested in renting a Garden by the Sea plot, or would like to donate to GBTS,  please contact us at info@gardenbytheseaoceanshores.org.