Growing herbs in containers is an alternative to having herb garden at home. Some reasons can be considered for growing herbs in containers, for example may be you have limited space to make herb garden outdoors, may be your garden soil condition is poor of nutrition, you want to keep the herbs at hand for your kitchen use, may be you are living in apartment and you want have fresh herbs but no yard to grow them, keep invasive herbs at bay, or you want to prolong the growing season. Whatever your reasons that you have, most herbs are well-suited for growing in containers. Growing herbs in containers at home is easy and can be placed anywhere as long as they get enough amount of potting soil, water and sunlight.
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Tips on Growing Herbs in Containers at Home
Below are some tips you can follow for growing herbs in container at home:
1. Choosing Containers for Growing Herbs in Containers
Container is the important thing for growing herbs in container. Depending on whether you are planning to keep your herbs indoors or outdoors and how much space you have available will play a huge part in choosing your containers. Don’t worry, your herbs will grow in almost any type of container as long as the container / pot has good drainage such as plastic, metal, wood but terra cotta pots are the best. Just make sure your container has some holes in the bottom for drainage. If you are keeping potted herbs indoors, don’t forget to provide a drip plate.
But you need to be careful to choose the right container size growing herbs in container since some herbs can become extremely large at maturity.
You can plant several different herb varieties in one large container like a window box planter or you can plant them separately in individual pots. But make sure that each herb plant has enough space to grow so do not to overcrowd the pot.
2. Growing Herbs in Containers
Below are some steps for growing herbs in container after you choose the suitable container.
- Provide a layer of gravel, Styrofoam pellets, or rocks to the bottom about quarter of the container you choose. This will improve the drainage system for growing herbs in containers. You may use the broken chip from terra cotta pots also. Styrofoam pellets is the good choice if you have plan to bring the outdoor potted herbs indoors during the winter. This pellet will keep the weight down.
- Fill your container with a good quality potting soil. Growing herbs in container will require some water so don’t forget to reserve about 2 inches from the top to allow the water.
- Keep your potted herbs well-watered as they will dry out more rapidly than those that have been planted directly into the garden.
- Take care your herbs. Potted herbs will require some fertilizer during the growing season.
3. Growing Invasive Herbs in Containers
Growing herbs in container for invasive herbs like mint is the good choice to avoid your garden is taken over by invasive herbs. Even they are kept in containers, they will still try to invade the territory surrounding them. But keeping them in a container will make us easy to spot and clip back the invasive herbs when necessary.
4. Prolonging the Life of Your Herbs By Growing Herbs in Container
You can prolong your herbs life cycle by removing some herbs from the ground in early autumn and growing herbs in containers so you will have fresh herbs growing on your windowsill all winter. For example coriander, parsley, and chives, you need to dig up strongly growing plants, divide them, and replant them into a container, after that you can keep them in a sunny location.
5. Growing Herbs in a Strawberry Planter
Growing herbs in container such as strawberry planter is best choice if you are short on space. The strawberry planters are usually made of terra cotta and you can purchase them at your local gardening center. They have many small openings around the sides for your smaller herbs and you can plant the larger herbs at the top.
You can plant culinary herb garden such as thyme, oregano, curled-leaf parsley, lemon verbena, basil and chives for growing herbs in container such as strawberry planter and located them right outside your kitchen door. But if you are planting rosemary too, keep in mind to always reserve it at the top of planter since this herb can become larger and bushy.
6. Growing Herbs in Container Outdoors
It will be easier to transport the herbs from outdoors to indoors during the winter months if you grow herbs in containers. Moreover, growing herbs in containers will make your garden looks beautiful and more interesting during the growing season.
You may place herbs that are growing in containers in the center of your lower growing herbs at front or back yard garden.
Growing herbs in containers at home is a fun way to get the fresh herbs right when you need it.