How to Create a Simple Herb Garden at Home

Whether you live in the countryside with acres of land to spare, or in the middle of the city with only a balcony, you can create a simple herb garden that will provide you with an abundance of fresh garden herbs. Here are some of our top tips to get you started.

Choose the right position

Most herbs like up to 6 hours of sunlight per day so try to find a sunny, sheltered position preferably close to the kitchen so you can easily access your herbs when you are cooking. A sunny window sill, a warm corned in the courtyard or a pretty balcony or verandah space is ideal to grow herbs.

Size matters

Use a variety of pots in different shapes and sizes adds interest and will make your herb garden visually appealing. Some herbs (like mint and rosemary ) can grow like wildfire so check seedling labels to help you choose the right size pots to plant your herbs in. Many soft stem herbs can also be grown in water, including sage, basil, oregano and lemon balm. Simply take a clean cutting and place it in a vase or glass of water on a sunny window sill. Change the water when it becomes murky. Herbs grown in water will last for many months and provide you with a year-round harvest.

Use a good quality potting mix

Use good quality potting mix to plant your herbs, or if you are using soil from your yard or garden make sure it is well fertilised and is well-draining. Herbs don’t like wet feet so clay soils aren’t ideal.

Water herbs daily

Herbs like being watered regularly and often, particularly in warm weather, and will do best in a good quality soil. Depending on where you live, some herbs will continue to grow through winter and others will die off until the following spring. You can prune herbs back in the cooler months to keep them healthy and ready for their spring growth spurt.

Be adventurous

Once you are comfortable with growing herbs start adding in smaller vegetables and fruits such as lettuce and tomatoes to your herb garden. If you have limited space, try planting small tomato varieties and strawberries in hanging baskets.

Growing herbs is simple and rewarding and will give you an abundance of fresh, healthy greens that you can harvest for cooking throughout the year (plus help you save on your grocery shop!).

Want more? Click here for our tips on how to grow lavender and here for Easy-to-Grow Vegetables for Beginners.