Fresh herbs are a delight. They add surprising depth to meals, smell great and are easy to plant. For gardeners with limited space and time, the best part is that herbs don't require a large plot of land to get started. Herbs easily adapt to container gardens. With just a bit of planning, you can even grow different kinds in one pot.
Planning and Selection
Decide what you want to plant, paying close attention to the needs of the herbs you're considering in terms of water, sunlight and soil. Some herbs, like basil,rosemary and chives, prefer full sun, while others, such as chervil and mint, do well in partial shade. You want the herbs in the pot to have similar needs.
Purchase the herbs. You can either buy seedlings, which will take longer to get results, or full-grown plants. Most garden supply stores and local farmer's markets have a wide variety of herb plants.
Select a pot. The type of pot you choose, whether plastic, clay, terra cotta or ceramic, isn't as important as the size. The pot has to be large enough to hold the herbs without crowding, and it must have holes for drainage.
Purchase the herbs. You can either buy seedlings, which will take longer to get results, or full-grown plants. Most garden supply stores and local farmer's markets have a wide variety of herb plants.
Select a pot. The type of pot you choose, whether plastic, clay, terra cotta or ceramic, isn't as important as the size. The pot has to be large enough to hold the herbs without crowding, and it must have holes for drainage.
Planting
Fill the pot with potting soil. If you're using a very large pot, you may want to cover the bottom with loose gravel first to improve drainage and avoid using so much soil.
Fertilize. Mix a granular fertilizer into the soil before planting.
Fertilize. Mix a granular fertilizer into the soil before planting.
Plant the herbs. Prepare a small hole and situate each herb plant into the soil so that the top of its root ball is level with the surrounding soil. Gently press in the soil around the plant. If you're using seeds, follow the directions on the package regarding soil depth and spacing.
Water the soil so that it's evenly moist, but not saturated.
Water the soil so that it's evenly moist, but not saturated.
Tips & Warning
Avoid including herbs in your pot that are known for being invasive. Some common herbs that tend to take over an area and crowd others out include catnip, horseradish, lemon balm and mint. Water and fertilize regularly. Indoor plants need fertilizing once or twice a month, while during the growing season outdoors they can tolerate it once a week. Water the herbs until you see water running out of the bottom of the pot to help prevent fertilizer salts from accumulating in the soil. Harvest the herbs regularly. Snip off entire stems to encourage new growth, but don't take more than one-third of a plant at a time.
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