By Christine Freeburn, Master Gardener

Many of us would like to use more fresh herbs in our cooking, especially when they are in season. But we often plant them out in the garden instead of having them close to the kitchen door within easy reach. Why not plant a container this season and place it where you will have it accessible.

For best results, plant herbs with similar water requirements in the same container. Be sure your container has drainage. Put holes in the bottom or use a container with drainage and put inside a pretty pot. Make sure the pot is deep enough… at least 8”. Use good organic potting mix that is light, rather than heavy garden soil and mix in some good compost. You can plant herbs closely, about 6”- 9” apart and they will grow up and out. Herbs in containers will do better with some fertilizer.  Use an organic solution which is higher in nitrogen, but weaken the strength and apply every 4 weeks. Fish emulsion is a good choice.

Choose a spot that gets at least 5 hours of sun. Early morning sun is best. If you have west exposure, you may need to water more often.

Many annual herbs like evenly moist soil, like parsley, basil, lemon verbena & dill. You will want a relatively deep pot for parsley as it does develop a tap root. Lemon balm is a perennial that likes it evenly moist. Chives are a perennial that are sweeter when kept evenly moist, but can take it dry.

There are many flavours of mint available including spearmint, strawberry, chocolate & mojito but beware as mint is a perennial that can be invasive. Better to contain it in a pot.

Thyme, winter savoury, oregano are all perennials that like dryer soil. Add rosemary & sage to the list of herbs preferring it dry. Treat rosemary as an annual. You can try to overwinter indoors if you have a spot that is cool and sunny and let the plant dry between waterings. The perennials can go into the ground in a permanent home in the fall. Sage may overwinter, so plant in the garden and watch for growth in spring. Prune down to active growth.

You can also plant herbs in separate pots and have a collection of pretty pots. Smaller pots will dry out quicker, so be aware of soil moisture.

Here are a few suggestions of combinations:

• Lavender, citronella & marigold for aromatics
• Lemon balm, lemon verbena & mint for teas
• Thyme, sage, savoury & oregano for dry rubs or in a marinade for meats
• Summer savoury is the annual version of winter savoury. It prefers evenly moist soil and has a lighter, sweeter flavour. Cilantro is another annual favourite that needs evenly moist soil. It often bolts with hot weather, going to seed and becoming coriander.
• Perennial herbs like french tarragon and lovage are not suited to container gardening as they get too tall and develop deep roots.

Imagine a lovely tomato salad with fresh basil, or barbeque chicken with a savoury/ thyme rub, or fresh mint in your mojito. All organically grown by you!

For more on herbs, check out other articles on own website, by using the search window on the top right of this page.

Resources

https://www.torontomastergardeners.ca/guidecategories/herbs/

https://www.thespruce.com/best-fertilizers-for-awesome-herbs-1761848