The Best Herbs To Grow In Low Light

Growing herbs in low light can be just as rewarding as any other way to grow your favorite herbs. It takes a little more work than if you were to grow them in full sun, but it can provide the same rewarding result.

The first thing to know is what type of herbs you would like to grow. This will dictate which plants will require the most sun or which herbs will do well in partial shade.

Here are a few herbs that, because they need to be kept in partial shade, you can grow without fear of burning – parsley, marjoram, basil, sage, and oregano. All of these herbs can be grown in containers, and you’ll find that each one of them will do quite well in small pots.

You can plant them in your flowerbeds, in containers on the side of your house, in a pot in the corner of your room, or any other spot that gets at least six hours of sunlight a day. If the sunlight requirements are still an issue for you, than I would recommend using the AeroGarden Bounty Basic Indoor Herb Garden.

Since they all love full sunlight, you won’t have any problem providing them with adequate amounts of water, either. Keep some water in each of your pots, and you’ll always have some green growth to enjoy between the dry seasons.

The Best Herbs To Grow In Low Light Conditions

Basil

Basil is one herb that can thrive in low light. Basil can live in areas that are shaded by evergreens, and in some types of woods, trees, and shrubs. The leaves on perennial herbs do not have the same sheen as their annual counterparts, and therefore they do not require the amount of attention needed for them to grow.

Keep an eye on the leaves of your perennial herbs to see if they are getting too much sun, because they will eventually fade to a pale yellow.

Bay

Bay is another herb that grows best in low light. They prefer a sunny location but will grow just fine in shaded areas as well. Because of this, it will grow quite well as a plant that is trained to go into the shade.

The leaves on bay leaves turn a dark green when they are exposed to the sun, and when they are removed from the sun, they remain bright green.

Rosemary

Rosemary will do very well in low light, especially if you plant them in an east-facing part of your garden. In areas of full sunlight, Rosemary will rarely bloom and will rarely die. If you are growing roses in full sunlight, remember that they will grow to be very large, so keep this in mind when deciding how much sunshine is acceptable for them. Some of these herbs do extremely well if you plant them in pots, and they can actually be grown in the ground.

Mint 

In growing mint in low light, you need to give it room – a tall-growing plant in full sun will block the sunlight from reaching the other parts. It can also help to put something sturdy beneath it as it grows to keep its roots from sinking and drying out. Growing mint in full sun will also block some moisture in the soil that the plants need.

A good method for growing mint in partial shade is to plant it in a container and keep it under cover during the day and then put some kind of light or mulch over it at night to keep the moisture in. This way, the roots of the mint don’t dry out.

Lemon Balm

The best time to plant them is in a place with some kind of shady area, preferably in an area that gets indirect but not completely absent of sunlight. You can place them in your garden, along a fence, in containers under a tree in full sun or partial sun, on your balcony or patio roof or even in a pot on the porch of your home.

Growing them from seed is one way to get them if you want to save money. But keep in mind that the Lemon Balm tends to burn rather easily when the soil is dry so if you are growing them from seeds, make sure you water them fairly frequently, and they should flourish. 

Parsley

If you’re growing parsley in low light, you need to take special care to not over-water it. Parsley, being a perennial, will do best if it gets about twice as much water as grown corn. A good watering schedule is to water your plants about once each month during the summer, and then once a week during the winter.

In the spring you can water it again, but you shouldn’t over-water it, because that will stunt its growth. As long as you give it enough sun and water it regularly, growing parsley in partial shade will be a breeze.

Chives

Growing chives in partial shade is a very popular way to grow green chives. Chives can also be grown in the garden in the full sun, but they do much better when they are shaded or in partial shade. Chives are not a plant that will grow well if you plant it in full sun, it does best in a shaded area of your garden.

It may take a few years for your chives to be able to tolerate partial shade, but they eventually become acclimated to it. This is a very easy plant to maintain and grow.

Thyme

Growing thyme in partial shade is an easy herb to grow if you know what you’re doing and have prepared the soil properly. The reason it’s easy to grow it in the shade is because it doesn’t require a lot of sun or watering to be healthy.

The soil that you choose to grow it on should be very light and free draining if you want it to succeed in a shady area. Thyme likes a warm climate, so it would be wise to plant it in a shaded area, especially during the hot summers, but don’t despair because it can handle sub-zero temperatures as well. 

Cilantro

On the flip side, if you’re growing cilantro in partial shade or on a raised bed, you will need to find a place with plenty of afternoon sun throughout the summer. This will help to ensure that your cilantro doesn’t dry out, but also to ensure that you don’t burn your feet!

One concern that many new gardeners have is finding a good location for their garden. Well, there are a few things you need to keep in mind before you choose your spot. You should try to find a shady area that receives no less than 6 hours of sunshine each day.

Chervil

Chervil is a graceful, beautiful, and healthy plant that will grow well in most areas, it is an evergreen perennial which means that it will stay green year round. If growing chervil in partial shade, the best spot to plant it will be somewhere that gets at least 6 hours of sunlight each day.

You can also plant it in the shade next to a tree. The best times to prune your chervil are during midsummer or early fall.  When you prune this shoot it will make your plant fuller.

Borage

If you are growing it in partial shade, I suggest starting out an established plant from seed and growing it in the shade. Just remember that if you’re growing borage from seed, it should be started in partial shade since they prefer a somewhat cooler location to germinate.

Once your growing borage from seed you may try moving it outdoors if the climate is milder and the soil moist enough. The best growing time for this creeper is in full shade, since this species likes a cooler location. In order to get it growing well, you will need good soil, regular watering, and good soil structure.

Oregano

If you’re growing oregano in partial shade, it’s a simple matter to grow a herb garden in containers, or even in a raised bed with a trellis system for climbing. For growing oregano in partial shade there are several varieties you can use.

You can start with the common all-purpose variety, which is fairly easy to grow and has beautiful deep green foliage. As far as pruning goes, unless you plan to pull the plants at some point they should be left alone.

The main thing to remember is never to try to force the plants to grow taller. The only reason you may end up having a plant that grows into a bush is if you try to bend the branches, and they break off.

As long as you don’t plant your growing oregano in full shade it should be a very easy task to maintain. Just be sure to water your plants regularly and make sure they get the right amount of fertilizer.