A sunny windowsill can be the source of fresh cooking herbs this winter if you start new plants now.

The easiest herbs to grow indoors are chives, mint, parsley, sweet marjoram and basil. Though these and other herbs can be grown from seed, she recommends starting new plants from cuttings from garden plants.

Herb seeds are generally slow to germinate and damping-off, a fungal disease, can be a problem with seedlings.

Start your windowsill herb garden by taking 4 to 6 inch cuttings from healthy plants in the garden. Insert the cut ends in moist sand or vermiculite and keep the medium moist until roots appear. Then pot the new plants in a sterile houseplant potting mix. Place them in a sunny south facing window or under bright artificial light and water whenever the soil surface feels dry. Herbs need little or no fertilizer unless you are cutting them frequently. Too much nitrogen may cause herbs to lose their characteristic flavor and aroma.

An alternative to starting new plants from cuttings is to divide and repot garden plants. Be sure to remove as much of the garden soil from the roots as possible and pot the divisions in a houseplant potting mix.