Everything you need to know to start a kitchen herb garden! Yes, you can have fresh basil and other fresh herbs all year long.
Nothing makes a dish look delicious (even though it taste inedible) like fresh herbs! It can turn decent food into a vibrant, mouthwatering cuisine, which is the main reason why you should create your own kitchen herb garden. Herbs can easily be grown indoors even if you have a black thumb. As long as you choose the herbs you eat the most, pick the ideal location, and water them properly.
So if you love using herbs, here’s our step-by-step kitchen herb garden guide that will take your culinary effort to the next level! Plus, it will make your kitchen look and smell amazing.
Suggested Herbs for Beginners
Growing a kitchen herb garden doesn’t require some magical spell, but it’s about choosing the herbs according to your kitchen’s environmental condition, your plant skills, and prioritizing the herbs you eat the most. For beginners, we suggest these easiest herbs grow indoors:
- Basil
- Bay
- Chives
- French Parsley
- Lemongrass
- Mint
- Oregano
- Parsley
- Sage
- Thyme
Choose the Right Location
Pick a southern-facing window for your kitchen herb garden since most herbs need at least 6 to 8 hours of bright, indirect sunlight per day. Remember that the stronger the light, the better your herbs will taste. However, if you can’t get bright, indirect sunlight, we suggest using grow lights to keep your herbs alive and healthy. Additionally, rotate your herbs so that both sides will get the proper amount of sun and grow evenly.
- If you have a kitchen that gets a lot of direct light, we recommend herbs like Oregano, Rosemary, Sage, and Thyme. These are sun-loving herbs that require plenty of water to balance out all the bright, direct light.
- If you have a kitchen that is more in the shade zone, we recommend herbs like Chives, Dill, Mint, and Parsley. Although these are also sun-loving herbs, they can also thrive in the shade.
Loosen the Soil
Loosening the soil prepares the area for planting your kitchen herb garden. It’s best to plant early in the morning or late in the afternoon because this helps the transplants from withering in the midday sun. Also, add some coarse sand, compost, or peat moss to improve drainage.
Create Large Planting Holes
Growing a kitchen herb garden from seeds is absolutely not for beginners because it requires a lot of patience and time. For beginners, we recommend buying a small plant from the garden store. Dig large planting holes about twice the width of the root ball of the herb plant for your kitchen herb garden.
Add Herbs to Soil
Make sure to create a space of about 18 inches apart when planting your herbs. This will give them room to spread out and grow.
Label Your Herbs
Of course, label each of your freshly planted herbs to easily identify them when cooking. Kitchen herb garden plant labels are easy to make! You can either write on the pot or print out herb plant labels.
Water Properly
One of the kitchen herb garden tips is to water your herbs properly. Some herbs require moist soil, but most herbs require water once a week. During summer, water your herbs twice a week in the morning, between 6 AM to 10 AM. Additionally, water only when the top two inches of the soil is dry. Test the soil by using your finger to check if your herbs are thirsty. Herbs don’t like to be kept in standing water, so make sure to discard any excess water after.
Harvest Mature Herbs
To grow a successful kitchen herb garden, you need to learn how to trim. Never remove more than a third of the herb at a time because it will take longer for the herb to recover and produce new leaves. If you want to encourage branching, pinch back the tops of the herbs in early summer. We suggest harvesting before they bloom and in the morning since herbs are most flavorful during this period.
What are you waiting for? Grow a successful kitchen herb garden with our step-by-step kitchen herb garden guide!
Help your houseplants get back in shape with these spring gardening tips from our favorite green thumbs! Check out our Plant Care blog to learn more about different houseplants and tips on how to keep your plants alive and healthy.
Whatever houseplant you choose to transform your home into a lively oasis, you’ll definitely need a stylish planter to display your plant baby in. No matter what your style, there’s an Omysa planter that will be perfect with your garden and home’s décor. From ceramics to fiberstone, check out Omysa’s Shop and add it to your cart!
