Just as you save up on decor by growing houseplants, save up on groceries too by growing houseplants you can eat!
Yes, you can eat houseplants but haven’t grown the breaking leaves of your Monstera yet! We are talking about actual food plants that you can grow indoors as houseplants. Whether you are just trying to have more variety in your plant room or planning to cut back on groceries, check out the list below to grow houseplants you can eat!
Grow Houseplants You Can Eat
1) Thai Lime
Botanical Name: Citrus hystrix
It is easier to grow citrus trees indoors than any other edible plants because you can easily control the temperature requirements. The Thai lime, also known as the Kaffir lime, thrives in temperatures above 60°F or 15°C with plenty of sunlight and regular watering. Place the plant pot filled with sandy, well-draining soil near a south-facing window for the most sun, and use the gorgeous leaves when cooking Southeast Asian dishes like soups, curries, and stir-fries for an aromatic flavor profile.
A very bright spot, if not sunny, is the most basic requirement of the Kaffir Lime. Besides that, you must be careful of watering as they don’t like wet feet and are prone to root rot.
2. Rosemary
Botanical Name: Salvia rosmarinus
Microgreen herbs like rosemary have easily become localized to kitchen windows worldwide because they grow easily indoors. This aromatic herb will grow well in cool but humid environments like kitchen windows that require a lot of ventilation. You can use this versatile herb to season meats in breads and soups. The only thing you need to be careful about when growing rosemary indoors is pest infestations like mealybugs, aphids, whiteflies, and spider mites.
If your kitchen window does not get at least six hours of sunlight daily, consider using grow lights. Rosemary prefers to be on the drier side and needs good drainage. So, grow it in a pot that is 6 to 8 inches deep.
3. Nasturtium
Botanical Name: Tropaeolum
At first glance, you might not consider this plant edible or suitable indoors. However, nasturtiums, with their boldly colored flowers and peppery-flavored leaves, can be a hit in your kitchen! This easy-to-grow plant prefers cooler summers if you transplant seedlings outdoors. The spicy, peppery flowers in red, orange, and yellow shades bloom from spring to fall. You can add all plant parts to your food except the roots.
Unless you are sowing nasturtium seeds by a south-facing window, be sure to provide these plants at least 16 hours of grow lights. Growing them in a pot requires you to provide good drainage, which you can enhance by using pebbles at the bottom of the pot.
4. Tomatoes
Botanical Name: Lycopersicon lycopersicum
Ever smelled the scent of fresh tomato leaves? That is a smell that supermarket tomatoes sadly lack. But not for you, as you can grow tomatoes inside your home! You can choose one you love adding to dishes out of so many varieties, each with different sizes, shapes, and flavors. Ensure your tomato plant is placed near a south-facing window, which receives a good amount of sun. Read more about growing needs here.
5. Chives
Botanical Name: Allium schoenoprasum
A pot of chives can be next to your rosemary in the kitchen window. People pick chives to grow indoors because they can also grow well in partial shade. You should try to grow them under as much sun as possible, but your chives can still cope if your kitchen does not receive direct sunlight for the whole day. Add chives for a beautiful presentation and a splash of oniony flavor to salads, pizza, pasta, and grain bowls.
Though chives can tolerate a bit of shade, you just ensure six to eight hours of direct light daily. Provide them well-draining soil rich in organic matter, with a pH range of 6.0 to 7.0.
6. Peppermint
Botanical Name: Mentha x piperita
A hybrid of watermint and spearmint, peppermint not only makes for a gorgeous houseplant but is also the perfect herb for a variety of dishes and drinks. The best part about peppermint is that it is not a fussy plant and grows quite well in moist soil that is not kept either too dry or soggy. While it would grow best when it gets full sun, you could also grow it in a bit of shade.
Alongside moist, well-draining soil, peppermint needs to be watered regularly to prevent it from drying out. However, don’t overdo it unless you want to damage your plant! Harvest peppermint right before the plant blooms; that’s when the leaves have the highest amount of beneficial oil.
7. Ginger
Botanical Name: Zingiber officinale
A spice that has been used for centuries for various ailments, ginger is quite popular in different foods, drinks, and even medicines all over the globe. Naturally, ginger is a tropical plant that does best in high temperatures of around 75°F or 23°C and at high humidity levels without needing a whole day of sunlight. Get a rhizome of ginger from the market and set it in a shallow dish filled with water; you will soon see roots sprouting. Ensure moist, fertile soil for it to grow, and you will start seeing stunning flowers and many more rhizomes to harvest.
When planting ginger rhizomes, look for ones that are at least 2 inches in length and have well-developed “eyes.” They prefer bright, indirect sunlight when grown indoors. To enhance root growth, use an all-purpose organic fertilizer monthly.
8. Chili Peppers
Botanical Name: Capsicum annuum
Time to spice up your plant collection (and dishes) with a potted variant of chili peppers! Whether you love the taste of sweet, yellow peppers or a hot pepper like jalapeno, these colorful plants will inspire you to cook some unique, bold dishes. After these plants are established, they prefer not to disturb their roots. As with other plants on this list, they, too, require a warm, sunny environment and moist, well-draining, fertile soil.
Besides choosing a rich, well-draining potting mix, you can water it freely during the active growth season. The soil needs to be kept moist throughout the bloom season. Of course, make sure not to drown your plants.
9. Bay Laurel
Botanical Name: Laurus nobilis
Put your bay laurel by a sunny window or door, and that’s all you need to do. The bay laurel does not need much care except light pruning occasionally. You must prune to keep it within 5 feet of height indoors. Though it enjoys being a little root-bound, ensure you repot it every few years. Larger plants can be expensive, so seek houseplant-sized plants in nurseries or garden centers.
When growing bay laurel indoors, let the soil dry out completely between waterings. You must also keep an eye out for pests like scale insects on bay laurels and remove them with horticultural oil and a soft-bristled brush during the dormant season.
10. Stevia
Botanical Name: Stevia rebaudiana
Stevia is quite commonly sold as a sugar alternative. Whether or not you are diabetic, this is one of the most unique and valuable plants you can grow indoors. On the one hand, you can cut back on calories; on the other, you can frequently use the leafy, green stevia in diabetic-friendly desserts. A common misconception is that stevia only grows well outdoors and thrives indoors.
Besides well-draining soil rich in organic matter, stevia grows well if the soil pH is between 6.5 to 7.5. Use an organic, low-nitrogen fertilizer to preserve the sweetness of the leaves. Chemicals and too much nitrogen can make the leaves grow large but would affect the sweet flavor profile.
11. Purple Shamrock
Botanical Name: Oxalis triangularis
This plant with bright purple foliage grows indoors and outdoors in well-draining soil. The vibrant leaves of the Purple Shamrock are edible and taste quite similar to wood sorrel or French sorrel. Due to the presence of oxalic acid, they also have a slightly citrusy flavor. Another surprising fact is that they also taste similar to the flowers of tuberous begonias!
Purple Shamrock can thrive both in full sun or with bright, indirect sunlight, with full sun only in the morning. You must feed the plant every 2 weeks from spring to late fall. Purple shamrocks don’t often go dormant but when they do they look like they died. During this time, let the soil dry out completely and hold back water. When new leaves emerge, you can continue with normal care.
12. Scented Geraniums
Botanical Name: Pelargonium graveolens
Do not confuse flowering geraniums with pelargoniums! Pelargoniums, commonly called scented geraniums, have deeply scented foliage besides their strongly scented flowers, which you can use as garnishes on desserts. Avoid eating the leaves as a whole. However, you can add them to cakes and other desserts as a culinary herb.
Pelargoniums need regular watering during the growing season but you need to hold back during winters. Ensure that you maintain a day temperature range of 65–70°F during the day and no lower than 55°F at night. They do not like cold or hot drafts.
13. Meyer Lemon
Botanical Name: Citrus×meyeri
Ending the list with another citrus plant, the meter lemon is the perfect dwarf candidate to grow in your home. Though it takes a few years to yield its small fruits, these are beautiful and tasty. Place them in a spot with ample sunlight, ensure consistent watering and air circulation, and invest in a humidifier to meet their humidity needs. If you place it outdoors during the summer, ensure it does not dry out.
Meyer lemon trees love high humidity. Mist the leaves regularly or use a humidifier when growing them indoors. You could also try a humidity tray with pebbles. Water your Meyer lemon only when the top couple of inches of the soil is dry. Hold off on watering when it is moist.
