Small Garden Ideas for Growing Herbs in Containers

Why a Few Pots by the Door Beat a Whole Herb Bed

There is something deeply satisfying about stepping out of the kitchen in bare feet, scissors in hand, to snip a handful of chives over a bowl of new potatoes. For anyone renting, short on space, or simply not ready to dig up the lawn, containers are the answer. A modest collection of pots on a doorstep, a windowsill or a sunny patio can supply you with fresh herbs from April right through to the first hard frost, and often beyond.

The trick is not to buy every herb you fancy. It is to choose compact varieties that suit pots, give them compost and drainage they can thrive in, and keep them close enough to the kitchen that you actually use them. Tucked at the end of a long garden, even the healthiest parsley becomes a forgotten ornament.

Pick Compact Varieties That Earn Their Space

Some herbs sulk in containers; others take to them like they were born there. Start with these reliable, space-friendly choices:

• Greek basil — a tight, bushy little plant that stays neat in a 20cm pot and keeps going for months.
• Chives — hardy, happy in shade for part of the day, and they come back year after year.
• Flat-leaf parsley — buy it as a plant rather than seed if you want a head start; it grows slowly from scratch.
• Thyme and oregano — drought-tolerant, low-growing and perfect for a shallow terracotta bowl.
• Mint — wonderful, but always in its own pot, sunk into the compost of a larger planter or stood on paving, because it spreads with alarming enthusiasm.
• Coriander — sow little and often, a pinch every three weeks, as it bolts quickly in heat.

Rosemary and sage are worth growing too, though they need a bigger pot — think 30cm across — and a sunny spot. Avoid tall, lanky varieties such as ordinary dill or fennel unless you have room for something that will flop over by July.

Drainage and Compost: The Two Things That Matter Most

Most herb failures are drowned herbs. Before anything else, check that your pot has a hole in the base. Terracotta is lovely and breathes well, but it dries out fast; glazed or plastic pots hold moisture longer. Both are fine, just adjust your watering.

• Put a couple of crocks or a handful of grit over the drainage hole to stop compost washing out.
• Stand pots on feet or broken tiles so water can escape freely. Never leave them sitting in a full saucer.
• Use a peat-free multipurpose compost mixed with about a fifth horticultural grit. Mediterranean herbs such as thyme, rosemary and oregano want that extra drainage; basil and parsley are happier with a slightly richer mix.
• Fill to about 2cm below the rim so you can water properly without it running straight off.

If you are reusing old pots, scrub them with hot soapy water first. Lingering mould or last year's root debris causes more trouble than it is worth.

Placement: The Kitchen-Door Rule

Almost all culinary herbs want sun — six hours a day is ideal — but not scorching, drying winds. A south- or west-facing spot against a wall gives warmth and shelter, and the wall releases heat overnight, which helps tender herbs like basil.

The most important rule is proximity. Group your pots within a few steps of the back door, on a bench or a sturdy shelf at waist height so you can reach them without bending. A tiered planter or an old wooden crate turned on its side works beautifully. Not only is this convenient, it also means you notice when a plant is wilting or a slug has paid a visit, and you can deal with it that same day rather than a week later.

A Simple Weekly Routine

Container herbs need a little more attention than plants in open ground, but not much. Ten minutes a week is usually enough.

• Water in the morning where you can, checking the top 2cm of compost with your finger. Small pots may need water daily in July.
• Feed leafy herbs such as basil, parsley and chives with a diluted liquid seaweed feed every fortnight from May to August. Go easy on rosemary and thyme — overfeeding makes them soft and tasteless.
• Pinch out the tips of basil and mint regularly to keep plants bushy rather than leggy.
• Check under leaves for greenfly and whitefly; a firm spray with water usually shifts them.

If you are heading away, move pots into shade and stand them in a shallow tray of water — but only for a few days.

Harvesting Well, and Keeping Things Going

Harvest often and gently. Never take more than a third of a plant at once, and always cut just above a pair of leaves so new shoots can form. Snip chives about 2cm from the base; take parsley from the outside stems; pinch basil tips rather than stripping whole branches.

As autumn arrives, bring basil, mint and parsley indoors to a bright windowsill before the first cold nights, and ease off the watering. Thyme, sage, rosemary, chives and oregano will usually overwinter outside if you move their pots against a warm wall and raise them onto feet. Come spring, top-dress with fresh compost, trim away the dead growth, and the whole quiet cycle begins again — a handful of herbs, always within arm's reach.