This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s spring editorial intern Ky Tanella. Find them on Instagram at @ky.tanella. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
Let’s face it: the prospect of using your home-grown herbs in your cooking sounds amazing and rewarding, and it may just taste better overall. Green thumbs are hard to come by, but herbs are considered to be one of the easier plants to consistently grow for beginners, especially if you’re wanting to build up to fruit or vegetables! This herb garden diy guide might be just what you need! Whether you’re a herb aficionado or a complete beginner, this guide is most helpful for growing an indoor herb garden if you’re in an apartment or just straight up don’t have the backyard space.
What You Need To Know
Perennial vs. Annual Herbs
Annual herbs complete their life cycle in a season and must be replanted by seed after harvest. These include parsley, coriander, basil, dill, and cilantro, which typically require warmer temperatures to flourish. Perennials can grow throughout the year, die, and keep growing from their roots after the weather warms, so re-planting isn’t always necessary. These include rosemary, oregano, thyme, and chives, and they are generally considered a bit easier to grow for beginners!
Easiest Herbs to Grow & How to Start Them
If you want a green thumb but are an expert plant killer (like me), I’d recommend starting with these in small pots. Basil, thyme, and oregano are significantly easier to grow!
Parsley, marigolds, calendula, chamomile, basil, cilantro, or dill are herbs to start by seed. They are generally a bit more delicate, and the flowering ones are quick to germinate (begin to grow and put out shoots after a period of dormancy). My favorite method is propagation; it makes it easier if I have the store-bought herbs (this is when you breed plants from specimens of parent plants)! The easiest to propagate are rosemary, mint, oregano, and thyme! However, there’s no shame in buying these herbs from the store, as it can be a bit easier if you’re a beginner or just starting to get into propagation!
What Do I Grow Them In?
It’s recommended that you find a container about 6-12 inches deep to give your roots plenty of room to grow and not tangle! You can grow individual herbs in separate pots, which might be more tedious, or use a larger container to combine your favorites. Terracotta pots are recommended for indoor growth for budget and absorption reasons, while raised beds or steel planters are recommended for outdoor growth!
Indoor Herb Garden
If you don’t have a space outdoors to plant, there’s no shame in starting your little garden inside! Rosemary is my favorite herb to grow; it’s super valuable for witchcraft, and smells great! Here’s what you need to start your indoor garden:
- A container – You need a planter or a pot! Remember, it should be about 6-12 inches deep! Look for steel containers for larger growth or terracotta pots; they’re best for moisture retention and are untreated for healthy herb growth. Add drainage holes if you’re using yogurt cups or soda cans!
- Multi-purpose compost
- Mini trowel
- Potted herbs (if not growing from seeds) such as mint, oregano, chives, thyme, lavender, lemon balm, or rosemary
- Seeds of basil, parsley, or dill, if growing from seeds
Now, you get to start setting up your little garden! Pay attention to where you place your herbs and how much sun they’re getting (too much sun may kill or dry up a plant). Here’s how to start:
- Add your drainage holes if necessary. It’s best to use a drill when working with steel, but please proceed cautiously!
- Fill your container with the proper soil or compost. If planting with seeds, push the compost down and scatter a few seeds on the surface. If planting in a container or with bought herbs, dig a hole just a bit larger than the rootball and fill it with compost!
- Label your herbs. Some herbs may require more watering, drainage, or sunlight than others, so it’s important not to lose track in the early germination days.
If you want to prevent messes, get a weed cloth or something like it to prevent soil and water from spilling out of the draining holes (paper towels are also okay). Even if your herbs are small, buy a bigger pot than you think necessary, at least depth-wise; these plants need lots of vertical space to flourish. If you’re completely lost when it comes to soil mixes, just look for something peat-free and something that drains well – don’t worry, as long as it has nutrients, the herb can grow!
Also, remember that you may not get it right the first couple of times. You may not place it in the proper sunspot, overwater it, or buy an inadequate container! Don’t kick yourself if you don’t get it right the first time—plants are super picky! The best hack I ever learned was bottom-watering—placing a saucer or container underneath the pot and filling it with water. It drains better and prevents gnats!
Rosemary, mint, oregano, and chives thrive in the sun, while basil and parsley don’t grow as well in direct sunlight. Basil cannot be overwatered, but rosemary loves to be watered weekly or biweekly!
If you’ve grown some herbs/leaves by now, it’s time to harvest!
- Some herbs with lots of leaves (especially outer and lower) should be harvested frequently to encourage the plant to produce even more leaves!
- Use pruners or sharp scissors to avoid traumatizing the plant, and do not harvest too early.
Planting Outdoors
If you have some space outdoors or want to contribute to a community garden, that’s great! I can’t wait for the day that I can afford raised beds and steel containers full of my lavender, tomatoes, and peppers, but I’m getting ahead of myself (it’s the forager instincts in me). You have a bit more freedom when it comes to planting outside, more space-wise, but here are the recommended herbs to start:
- Basil, Calendula, Chamomile, Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Enchinecea, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Marigold, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage (not White), and Thyme!
These herbs are not only great, some (like Lavender, Lemon Balm and Chamomile) also great for their medicinal benefits in tea or balms, and can be great in witchcraft practices! Planting rosemary by the front door is great for protection and abundance, if you’re in to that sort of thing! If you want to plant herbs together outdoors, make sure to leave some more space for mint and lemon balm, as they can easily smother some of the other herbs you grow!
Beginner-friendly indoor gardening products from brands like Modern Sprout can also make it easier to start small with herbs and greenery at home, especially if you live in an apartment or don’t have outdoor space.
Herb gardens are less intimidating than you think, and if you’d like to start your journey in lessening your store-bought herbs, it’s simple! You’ve got this, and remember not to take it as a personal attack if your herbs don’t grow right away!
What do you think about this herb garden diy guide? Let us know in the comments down below, and any hacks you might’ve learned along the way.
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