10 Tips For Starting Your Own Kitchen Herb Garden

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We all know the pain of paying top dollar for fresh herbs at the grocery store, only for that packet of sage or bunch of cilantro to go bad before we're able to use it all. Avoid the heartache and enjoy an abundance of homegrown aromatics by starting your own kitchen herb garden.

Many popular herbs are among the easiest plants to grow, so they make a great starting point for those looking to test their green thumb. They can be kept small to fit into tight spaces, like on a countertop or windowsill, where they'll be within easy reach whenever you need them. Herbs tend to be prolific growers, and there's no better way to instantly add fresh flavor and nutrition to a dish. Plus, growing your own herbs at home will save you money and cut down on waste.

If you're interested in growing your own herbs but think you can't, whether due to lack of space, sunlight, or ability, think again. Modern inventions, like self-watering pots and affordable grow lights, are here to fool-proof the process. Follow these tips, and you'll have a beautiful and useful kitchen herb garden in no time.

One of the coolest things about growing your own food is the fact that you're no longer limited by the options at the grocery store. Head to your local plant nursery, or browse a seed catalogue, and you'll see how many flavors are actually out there. From lesser-known herbs to edible flowers to a dozen different types of basil, the choices are eye-opening. But while it's exciting to imagine the possibilities, it's important to think practically about which herbs you actually like to eat, so that you're not using all of that valuable kitchen garden space on experiments. Before you reach for savory or marjoram or something you've never even heard of, consider what you tend to cook.

Common herbs like parsley, rosemary, thyme, and chives might sound boring once you know what else is possible, but they're basics for a reason. Of course, that doesn't mean you need to stick to a strict formula. Before you plant your kitchen herb garden, take a good, hard look at your diet to determine what makes sense for you. Maybe you eat a lot of dishes with cilantro or sage. Maybe classic basil pesto is one of your favorite foods. Maybe, once you cover your fundamentals, you'll still have some space left to try new things. But start there.

A beautiful and productive herb garden begins with fertile soil, and the dirt in your backyard isn't necessarily that. While it's possible to amend the soil to better suit your needs, depending upon where you live, you may not want to (or be allowed to) use it at all. Instead, if you're starting from scratch, opt to build your garden from the ground up with store-bought soil designed especially for growing in pots.

For an all-in-one solution, there's no better bet than a bag or two of potting soil. Unlike the dirt outside, which may contain contaminants or be too dense or compacted, potting soil is formulated to grow plants in containers. It has added ingredients like peat moss, compost, earthworm castings, nutrient-rich manure, and minerals that aid aeration and drainage, so your herbs don't become waterlogged and rot.

Note that potting soil is different from bagged garden soil, which is made specifically for outdoor growing, and topsoil, which is less improved and used to fill in holes or gaps in an existing garden. When gathering materials for your kitchen herb garden, leave those on the shelf and stick to the potting soil.

Herbs are widely considered to be among the easiest edible plants to grow, but optimal gardening conditions are not one-size-fits-all. Different types of herbs require different amounts of water, light, and space, so it's important to learn the specific needs of each.

That might sound overwhelming, but it doesn't need to be. Start by determining which of your herbs are "soft herbs" or annuals, meaning that their entire lifecycle occurs during a single growing season, and which of your herbs are perennials. Those in the latter category can grow for years under the right conditions, so give them a little extra room to grow. Perennial herbs also tend to prefer well-drained soil, and are more flexible when it comes to light, while soft herbs appreciate more moisture and sunshine.

Some common perennial herbs are oregano, rosemary, thyme, sage, and chives. Parsley is a biennial, meaning it grows every other season. Basil can be perennial in certain climates, but is grown as an annual anywhere that experiences frost. Cilantro is notoriously quick to bolt (go to seed) when temperatures fluctuate, so if you want it in your kitchen herb garden, you should plan to replace it regularly. If you grow mint, be sure to keep it contained and separate from other herbs, as it has a reputation for quickly spreading and taking over whatever space it's in. Following these guidelines will make gardening easier.

Yes, growing from seeds is more affordable, and it offers more opportunity to try new things, but it also takes more time — for proper germination, and also for the gardener to learn how to do things right. Some seeds take a while to get going, and they all require more attention than plants that have already broken ground. If you're new to gardening, eager to harvest herbs, or have a busy schedule that might make it hard to stay on task, you'd be wise to start with starter plants.

Seedlings, or starter plants, have already survived the touch-and-go stage of germination, and have presumably been hardened off to some extent. This means that the plants have spent time outdoors or in a similarly uncontrolled environment that forces resiliency, so they are better equipped to thrive in your home. What's more, when shopping for starter plants, you're able to choose among the available options to find the healthiest, happiest specimens and set yourself up for success.

Once you've got a season or two of growing under your belt, you can try your hand at starting from seed. It will take more time and attention, but it can save you money and also be a fun challenge.

Just like different herbs add different flavors and health benefits to our food, they also perform different tasks in the garden. This is the logic behind companion planting, a method of gardening that intentionally pairs plants that complement one another, each providing nutrients and services that let the other thrive. Some herbs repel harmful pests while others attract beneficial ones. Sometimes, the alchemy happens beneath the soil, with one plant digesting or creating a chemical the other needs. A quick tutorial on your favorite herbs' friends and foes can lead to better results.

Parsley is a companion planting powerhouse, whose proximity can help other herbs like sage, savory, basil, rosemary, dill, lemon balm, and more. Chives pair well with tarragon, marjoram likes lavender, thyme and lovage are besties, and oregano gets along with pretty much everyone.

On the other hand, it's just as important to know which herbs to keep apart. An example would be dill and cilantro, which can cross pollinate to create something less desirable. Mint, meanwhile, spreads too aggressively to make a good companion and should just be planted on its own.

When starting a kitchen herb garden in your home, it can be tempting to prioritize aesthetics over functionality. A cute matching set of individual planter pots might look nice, but for a better harvest, you might want to mix things up and give each plant the material and dimensions that work best for it.

While all herbs require proper drainage, meaning every container used in your kitchen garden should have a hole at the bottom to release excess water, different varieties have different preferences. Tender herbs like basil and parsley want their roots kept moist, so they'll be happy in waterproof ceramic or plastic pots that hold onto water longer. They may also like living in a self-watering pot, like a Vego Garden Herb Indoor Plant Box. Mediterranean herbs, like rosemary and sage, prefer a porous material like terra cotta, which allows the soil to dry out between waterings.

Other things to take into consideration when selecting containers for your kitchen herb garden are the height required to get ample light, and whether you intend to occasionally move the plants, either around the home or outside. If you want your herb garden to be portable, consider using smaller, lighter containers, or something on wheels like Tectsia Store's 5 Tiered Stackable Herb Planters with Movable Casters.

If you're lucky enough to live in a sun-drenched space, you may not need to worry about having enough light to grow your own kitchen herb garden. If not, though, don't fret. You can still grow an abundance of fragrant, delicious herbs year-round with the help of an indoor grow light system. There are many options on the market today, from those designed to germinate seeds to larger systems built for long-term growth. They tend to be easy to set up, and can be used in addition to natural light (since many plants require at least 12 hours per day) or as a total replacement in a dark room.

Sophisticated grow lights mimic the warmth and brightness of the sun with different shades known to encourage different growth characteristics. Blue lights promote vegetative growth, while red lights work to help flowers bloom. Full-spectrum bulbs offer the best of both worlds, aiding every stage of the growing process with safe and effective LED lights. Get a grow light system with a timer, like the Aumtrly Store's Full Spectrum Plant Light Panel for Growing Indoor Plants, and your plants will enjoy summer days year-round with minimal work on your end.

Even the most low-maintenance plants require some upkeep, especially when it comes to water. In general, the soil in pots dries out more quickly than the soil in the ground, especially in dry climates, so you'll need to pay attention in order to keep everyone happy and hydrated. At the same time, unlike houseplants, herbs can be quite sensitive to moisture. While tender herbs prefer more than Mediterranean plants, none of them want to be stuck in standing water. It's important to learn proper protocol for watering an herb garden.

When the soil around the base of the plant is dry beneath the top layer of dirt, give it a good watering. Be sure to water around the plant, not over top of it, and don't let it sit in excess water for longer than 15 minutes. Allow the water to drain to the saucer containing the plant pot, then empty it. Skipping this step can create a great breeding ground for diseases, rot, and pests. Nobody wants that.

While this can vary by size and type of herbs, most won't need to be watered more than once or twice per week. If your plants start to look droopy or crisp, that could be a sign that they need more water. If they don't perk up when watered, or if the leaves turn yellow or fall off, they could be getting too much water. It might take some trial and error to get this right.

With an indoor herb garden, you don't need to worry about common pests like rabbits or deer, but your plants might still attract harmful bugs. Fragrant herbs like basil, thyme, and chives are known to repel damaging creepy-crawlies, so they're often paired with vulnerable veggies and more delicate herbs. While companion planting can help, though, the method is not always enough to safeguard against invading aphids.

Once your kitchen herb garden is up and running, it's important to keep an eye out for signs of bugs. Do a routine inspection of the leaves and buds to check for signs of infestation, which can range from obvious holes in the foliage to more subtle damage. Sometimes, you might spot a sticky, shiny residue on new growth, or see that leaves have turned brown and curled. If you see the aphids themselves, or their eggs, remove them promptly with a strong spray of water or swipe of a damp cloth, then treat the plants with an eco-friendly solution like Harris Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth or NATRIA Neem Oil Spray. A spritz of soapy water or diluted ethanol can also do the trick, and get your garden back into tip-top shape.

Regular pruning maintains the health of herbs by encouraging new growth and promoting proper airflow. There's no benefit to letting the plants become overgrown, so once they're mature, don't be afraid to make some cuts with clean, sharp shears.

Herbs with long stems, like chives and parsley, should be snipped close to the base. Bushy plants like basil, tarragon, rosemary, oregano, and mint, meanwhile, will become even bushier the more you pinch. Keep your pruning to new growth, and avoid cutting woody stems. And, if you want your herbs to live longer, don't let them flower. Flowering is a sign that the plant is reaching the end of its growing cycle, and preparing to set seeds for the next generation. Ask them to hold off by removing the flowers (pollinators won't reach them anyway in an indoor herb garden) and use them as attractive, edible garnishes in salads and cocktails.

When you have more herbs to harvest than you can eat, it's time to preserve them. Freeze fresh herbs in ice cube trays or make your own dried herb blends for future use. You can also turn your homegrown herbs into homemade compound butter or herb-infused oil to give as gifts or enjoy yourself. Either way, you'll surely agree that there are many tasty benefits to starting a kitchen herb garden.