Growing Herb Plants in Pots
Fresh herbs, wherever you have room
A porch, patio, balcony, or sunny windowsill is enough room to grow herbs you’ll actually use. Start with a healthy plant from our herb plant collection, a pot with drainage, and a spot with the right light.
Your first herb pot: the simple setup
You don’t need a collection of supplies. One herb, one suitable pot, and a good spot to put it are enough to begin.
Pick a plant you’ll use: Basil and parsley are inviting first choices for cooking; mint is lovely for drinks and deserves its own pot. Choose based on what you like to eat and the light you have.
Choose the right soil: Use a potting mix made for containers. Garden soil can pack down in a pot and leave roots with too little air.
Check the drainage: Make sure water can leave the bottom of the container. You don’t need a layer of rocks beneath the soil—it doesn’t improve drainage.
Find the light: A bright outdoor spot works well for many culinary herbs. Indoors, use your brightest suitable window and watch the plant: weak, stretched growth can be a sign it needs more light.
Choose a pot that works for the plant
Choose a container with a drainage hole so excess water can escape. Give the herb room to grow, but don’t put a small plant into an oversized pot that stays wet for days. Growing several herbs together? Pair plants that like similar conditions. Give spreading mint its own pot.
If you’re choosing which herbs to grow together, start with our herb garden planning guide.
Plant it without burying the stem
Fill the container partway with potting mix. Gently slide the herb out of its nursery pot and loosen tightly circling roots with your fingers. Set it at the same depth it was growing before, fill around the roots, and water until excess runs from the drainage hole
Moving your herbs into a garden bed instead? Read our guide to growing herb plants outdoors
Know When to Water Your Herbs
Check the soil with your finger before watering. When the top inch feels dry, water thoroughly until it runs from the drainage hole. Let the excess drain away. Herbs in sunny, windy spots may need water more often than herbs indoors.
Keeping your pots inside? Our indoor herb growing guide covers the light and care they’ll need.
Greenhouse tip: After watering, lift the pot and notice how heavy it feels. Lift it again when the soil has dried. That difference, along with checking the soil, helps you learn when your herb needs water.
Ready to grow herbs in pots?
Start with herbs you’ll enjoy using, then give each plant the light, drainage, and room it needs to grow.