Outdoors, the only plant light an herb garden needs is the sun. Given a spot with full sun, or even some dappled shade, most herbs will flourish. Indoors, herbs depend on the gardener to supply light as well as nutrients and water.

Natural light

Perched in a sunny window, most herbs will do fine without supplemental light. However, “sunny window” is not quite as easy as it seems. Examining the plant markers in herb gardens or nurseries, one finds most herbs are full sun plants. Moved indoors, plants requiring full sun need nothing less than a window with southern exposure and nothing outside to cast a shadow during the day. Moreover, light has to reach the plant leaves. Window treatments can block light to plants on the sunniest windowsill. If the plant is in a hanging planter, it needs to hang at a level where the incoming sunlight hits the leaves of the plant, not the bottom of the pot. If the herb plant is hanging in a window with a valance, make sure the curtains aren’t blocking the light. Because of the difficulties with providing an indoor herb garden with the light the plant needs, some supplemental plant light is necessary for herb gardens inside.

Plant Grow Lights for an Herb Garden

Specially designed plant grow lights are available through most garden supply outlets. These are adjustable height lights using full-spectrum bulbs to provide optimal plant light conditions for a herb garden or other indoor plant. Most plant grow lights are designed for seed staring or hydroponic growing. Because most people do not start their seeds on the credenza or sideboard, the manufacturers pay less attention to the aesthetics of these grow lights and they can look somewhat industrial. If aesthetics as well as function is a concern in your indoor herb garden, these plant lights may not be the best option.

Lamps as Plant Lights for an Herb Garden

When aesthetics are a consideration, such as when the indoor herb garden is in the kitchen or living room, standard lamps can do double duty as plant lights for the herb garden. Drafting lamps, task lamps or desk lamps on arms with adjustable height and light direction make better herb garden plant lights. End table or decorative lamps yield unsatisfying results, as not enough light gets directed to the plants.

Whichever herb garden plant light fixture you choose, be sure to use a full spectrum bulb. Special grow light bulbs are available from garden supply outlets. Barring that, standard light bulbs with the broadest spectrum possible will make acceptable herb garden plant lights.