I love growing herbs. It is one of the reasons I got interested in gardening in the first place. There is nothing quite like the taste of food you have cooked using herbs you have grown yourself. There is a joy in it, a sense of satisfaction that you rarely get anywhere else. I often tell people who are new to gardening to start by growing something you can use and eat. I think it helps with the initial attraction, especially when you see friends and family enjoying the fruits of your labour. I remember during lockdown, I had grown way too much ‘Hot and Spicy’ Oregano, more than I could consume, so I took some around to my next door neighbour and they loved it. They used to tell me what they made with it that week and it made me feel good.
When starting out with herbs I would say grow what you like to eat, not what you think you should be growing. You do you. You won't have the energy to see it through unless you are excited about the end result. There is a herb out there for everyone, trust me, whether that’s a sweet Basil, citruses Dill, meaty Sage or a spicy Oregano. Most are pretty easy to grow and you don't need a lot of space, you don't even need a garden. You could grow Mint in a hanging basket outside your front door, Parsley in a cup on the windowsill (see below) or Coriander in a pot on the balcony.
You don't need to spend a fortune or have any fancy equipment to start growing herbs either. I sowed some Parsley in some takeaway coffee cups I got from Poundland for £1.50. I pierced some holes in the bottom for drainage, filled it up with some peat free compost, scattered the seeds on top, covered them with more compost and then gave a light water. I then reused the plastic wrapping the cups came in and put it over the top of the cup to help keep the seeds moist before they germinate. Poundland also does a pack of plant labels for £1, so I used one to remind me of what I was growing. The cup can then sit on the windowsill. You can turn the cup every few days so the seedlings don't lean towards the sun. When the leaves get to a stage where they look like Parsley, I will start cutting and using straightaway, the plant will enjoy having a trim and produce more as a result.
My other top tips for easy herb growing:
Drainage is key - Make sure your pot or container has holes in the bottom to get rid of excess water, also add some gravel to your compost so that water runs freely through it
Water well but don’t sink them - Lots of herbs grow in the mediterranean (Basil, Dill, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage) and if you think about the climate there, it is hot and dry. Therefore your herbs like it warm and sunny so let the soil dry out a bit before moistening them again; they want to be watered but they don't want to be sitting in water.
Trim them regularly - Once you have some nice herbs growing you will want to cut them all the time and eat them. This is good. It helps the plant and encourages new growth to appear. It also helps stop them from ‘bolting’ which is when the plant starts to produce flowers and at that point it won't taste as nice.
Just have a go - You can grow herbs indoors all year round, so you don't have to rely as much on the seasons as you would if growing outside. This means there are more chances to experiment. Give something a go and if it dies try something else.
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