10 Herbs That Just Need Water - Indoor Water Plants

10 Herbs That Just Need Water - Indoor Water Plants

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Herbs : Herbs are small plants that have a fleshy or juicy stem when they are young. The stems of some herbs develop hard, woody tissue when they grow old. Most herbs are perennials. This means that the tops of the plants die each growing season, but the roots remain alive and produce new plants year after year.

Herb Title 

However, there are herbs that grow in water and are much easier to manage. Simply cut a few stems from your favorite herb plant – leaving only a few top leaves on the top of the stem. Then put the stem in a glass jar of tap water. That’s it. These herbs can go on almost any dish you make. Here are 10 Herbs You Can Grow In Water

 1. Peppermint or mint. 

Peppermint

 Snip a few five-inch stems off of an existing peppermint plant and take off all the leaves except a few on the top. Neither peppermint nor mint needs a lot of sun to grow, or much attention - but you will need to change the water every few days. The scent of peppermint is wonderful for the home and you can use the peppermint or mint you grow for herbal tea - or recipes that call for fresh mint or peppermint. Peppermint is one of the 10 plants that can repel mosquitoes, ants and bedbugs from your home. 

 2. Oregano. 

Oregano

 Oregano needs a little more sunshine and warmth, and it is a woody plant, so it will grow bigger and faster. Fresh oregano is perfect for pasta sauces and many other dishes. Oregano plants may need a few more nutrients than they get from tap water, so it would be a good idea to buy a small bag of water-soluble fertilizer. All of your herbs will need a little help from time to time, but only a tiny bit of fertilizer is needed. 

 3. Sage. 

Sage

 Sage has a cool menthol smell and is part of the mint family. Sage only needs moderate sunlight and water, so it will grow on almost any window sill. It has a strong flavor and goes a long way to season chicken, pork, beef, duck, and especially the more fatty meats. Dried sage is also used in smudge sticks – for spiritually cleansing your home of negative energy.

 4. Basil.

Basil

 Basil is probably the most common herb to buy as a potted plant at the grocery store. These plants usually die within a few months - so while your basil plant is healthy, make sure to take a few stems and put them in water on your kitchen window sill - where they will live much longer. Fresh basil makes almost any recipe better, but this herb needs about six to eight hours of sunlight a day to flourish. 

 5. Stevia.

Stevia

 Stevia is the natural sweetener you see on the grocery store shelves, but you can grow it in water at home for yourself. As a zero calorie herb, it is the perfect sweetener for your peppermint tea if you brew the two herbs together! Stevia doesn’t need a lot of sunlight to grow and as one of the hardier perennial herbs, you can plant it outside if it grows large enough – just like peppermint and oregano.

 

 6. Thyme. 

Thyme

 Thyme is one of the herbs that need a lot of sunlight and also one of the flowering herbs. And like all of the woody-stemmed herbs, the thyme stems need to be snipped before they turn woody if you want them to grow in water. Thyme can be harvested as often as you like – the more you harvest it, the more it grows! Just make sure to leave enough of the plant so it can survive. Thyme is generally used to season soups and sauces, or fish, lamb, and veal. 

 7. Rosemary.

Rosemary

 Rosemary grows best in full sunlight, but don’t worry if you don’t have a window with southern exposure. Rosemary will survive in partial sunlight as well. However, keep the rosemary in a warm place if you want it to flourish. Also, make sure to take only the fresh green stems from the rosemary plant for the clippings to grow - gently stripping away the lower needles on the stems with your fingers. The roots should grow within a few weeks after putting the rosemary in water. 

 8. Lemon Balm. 

Lemon Balm

 When you take the lemon balm clipping from the plant, make sure to cut it on the diagonal. Lemon balm plants need a lot of water and this will help. Lemon balm is mainly used for medicinal tea to aid the nervous system, liver, and digestive tract. 

 9. Chives. 

Chives

 Chives are the easiest of all to grow and start sprouting within a few days. Chives do like sunlight but lots of it isn’t necessary. You will need to change the water regularly, though, to prevent it from getting filmy. And as you probably know, chives go on almost any dish you make!

 10. Cilantro.

Cilantro

 Cilantro is another herb that keeps growing as long as you keep it in fresh water and give it some sunlight. Cilantro also grows fast - so you can use it in recipes as often as you like. If you buy really fresh cilantro stems from the grocery store, just put a few stems in water - with the bottom leaves removed - and watch them grow! Cilantro is used in many Chinese and Thai dishes and is a good source of antioxidants.