How to Plant Herbs in a Pot
How to Plant Herbs in a Pot
The Growers Exchange · A hands-on growing guide
Your herb.
Your pot.
A fresh start.
Make a little room for something green. Here's how to move an herb into a container you've chosen, with a few simple supplies and a gentle touch.
Let's get planting →
Did your plants just arrive?Unpack them and let them adjust before repotting. Follow our arrival instructions first.
Read the arrival guide →Before you begin
Gather the basics.
A suitable pot and a good potting mix give your herb a place to settle in.
- Your herb plant
- A pot with drainage holes
- Container potting mix
- Watering can
- Small trowel or scoop
- A place to let water drain
Six simple steps
A good home for growing roots.
Work gently, keep the original soil level, and give excess water a way out.
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Choose the container.
Look for drainage holes and enough room for the roots to grow. Avoid putting a small herb into a much larger pot that stays wet for days.
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Add the potting mix.
Lightly moisten a mix made for containers. Add enough so the plant will sit at its original growing depth, with a little space below the rim for watering. Skip a bottom layer of rocks.
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Slide the plant out.
Support the root ball, gently squeeze the nursery pot if needed, and ease the plant free. Don't pull it out by its stem.
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Check the roots.
If roots are tightly circling the outside, gently loosen the outer ones with your fingers. If the root ball is loose and healthy, keep it intact.
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Settle it into place.
Position the plant at the same soil level as before. Fill around the root ball and firm lightly, leaving watering space below the rim. Don't bury the crown or pack the mix hard.
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Water and let it drain.
Water thoroughly until excess runs from the drainage holes. Let it drain and empty the saucer. Add a little mix if it settles, keeping the original soil level.
Once the planting is done
Give it a good next chapter.
Find the right light.
Match the location to your herb's growing requirements. Introduce plants gradually to stronger outdoor sun; indoor herbs may need a grow light.
Feel the soil first.
Water according to the herb's needs and how quickly its pot dries. Some prefer more moisture than others—don't let every planter dry out completely.
Let it settle in.
Allow your herb to establish before taking a large harvest. Watch its growth, check moisture regularly, and enjoy small snips when it's growing well.
Sharing a container?
Good neighbors
like similar conditions.
Group herbs with similar light and watering needs. Leave space for their mature size, rather than crowding the planter for an instant full look.
Explore our container-growing guide →Find an herb you'll love to grow.
You choose the container. Start with a favorite from our herb collection.