A Beginner's Guide to Growing Herbs in Pots

Why a Pot Is the Perfect Beginning

You do not need a raised bed, a south-facing walled garden or even much of a garden at all to grow herbs worth cooking with. A few pots on a sunny windowsill, a doorstep or a sheltered patio will do beautifully, and there is something quietly satisfying about stepping out with a pair of scissors while the kettle boils. Herbs are, on the whole, generous plants: cheap to buy, quick to establish, and forgiving of a beginner's mistakes. They also suit the cottage way of growing things, where every spare inch earns its keep.

The trick is to choose varieties that genuinely enjoy life in a pot, rather than the ones that merely tolerate it. Some herbs have deep taproots and resent confinement; others romp away in a modest container and reward you all summer. Get the pairing right and you will be harvesting within weeks.

The Best Herbs to Start With in Pots

If you are new to this, begin with five or six and expand once you know what you actually cook with. Buying a supermarket pot of living herbs and splitting it into three or four smaller pots is a thrifty way to start, though give them a week to settle before you divide them.

• Basil — loves warmth and a sunny sill. Grow one plant per 15cm pot, or three in a 30cm trough. Pinch out the growing tips often.
• Parsley — flat-leaved is the better cook's herb. It has a long taproot, so use a deep pot of at least 20cm and do not try to divide it.
• Mint — always in its own pot, or it will invade everything else. It is happiest in a little shade and slightly damp compost.
• Chives — neat, hardy and happy in a 15cm pot. Cut them hard and they will come back again and again.
• Thyme, rosemary, oregano and sage — the Mediterranean set. They want gritty compost, full sun and far less water than you think.
• Coriander — a short-lived pleasure. Sow seed directly every three weeks from spring to late summer for a steady supply of leaf.

Dill, chervil and French tarragon are lovely too, but they are fussier: dill bolts in heat, chervil sulks in dry air, and tarragon needs sharp drainage and a sheltered spot. Leave them for year two.

Pots, Compost and Drainage

Size matters more than style, though a terracotta pot on a cottage doorstep looks the part. Choose containers of at least 15cm across for individual herbs and 30cm for a mixed trough, and make sure every one has a drainage hole. Herbs drown far more often than they dry out.

Use a peat-free multipurpose compost for leafy herbs such as basil, parsley and coriander. For thyme, rosemary, oregano and sage, mix two parts compost with one part horticultural grit or sharp sand to keep the roots on the dry side. Terracotta dries out faster than glazed ceramic or plastic, which is a help with Mediterranean herbs and a nuisance with mint. A handful of broken crocks or gravel in the base of the pot keeps the drainage hole clear.

Watering and Feeding Through the Season

Watering is the skill that separates a thriving pot from a sad one. In a British summer, most pots need a thorough soak every day or two, and twice a day during a heatwave, preferably in the early morning or at dusk. Water until it runs out of the bottom rather than giving a daily dribble, which encourages shallow roots.

Standing pots in saucers is convenient but dangerous for rosemary and thyme; empty the saucer an hour after watering. Mint, on the other hand, is quite happy to have its feet damp. If a pot dries out completely, plunge it into a bucket of water until the bubbles stop, then let it drain.

Feed leafy herbs with a general liquid feed diluted to half strength every fortnight from spring to late summer. Basil, parsley and coriander are the hungriest. Woody herbs such as rosemary, thyme and oregano prefer lean conditions and will lose flavour if overfed, so give them a feed only once a month or so. A mulch of homemade compost in spring is plenty.

Harvesting for the Best Flavour

The single best thing you can do for flavour is to harvest often. Herbs left to their own devices put their energy into flowers and seed, and the leaves turn tough and bitter. Regular picking keeps them leafy and productive.

• Basil — pinch the stem just above a pair of leaves, never taking more than a third of the plant. Remove flower buds the moment you see them.
• Parsley and coriander — cut the outer stems at the base, leaving the inner ones to grow on.
• Chives — snip to about 2cm from the compost and they will regrow within a fortnight.
• Thyme, rosemary, oregano and sage — take sprigs from the top, and never cut back into old, leafless wood, which rarely reshoots.
• Mint — cut whole stems near the base to keep it bushy and stop it running to flower.

Harvest in the morning, after the dew has dried but before the sun gets strong, when the essential oils are at their most concentrated. Use soft herbs raw or added at the end of cooking, and woody ones earlier so their flavours can mellow.

Keeping Pots Going into Autumn and Beyond

As the nights draw in, bring basil, parsley and mint indoors to a bright windowsill before the first frosts. Rosemary, thyme, sage and chives are hardy enough to stay outside in most of the UK, but move their pots against a sheltered wall and raise them onto feet or bricks so they do not sit in winter wet.

Water far more sparingly from October to March, just enough to stop the compost turning to dust. Cut back watering entirely during cold snaps, and resist the urge to feed. Come spring, top-dress each pot with fresh compost, trim away any dead growth, and your herbs will reward you for years rather than a single season.