A herb garden is the best place for a beginner to start growing food. Herbs are forgiving, they grow fast, they need little space, and a handful of fresh leaves can transform a meal the same day you pick them. Unlike a vegetable bed, which demands a season of patience before it feeds you, a pot of basil on a sunny windowsill can be giving you leaves within weeks of sowing, and a rosemary plant bought today can still be producing in five years' time.
The secret to success with herbs is grouping them by what they want. Mediterranean herbs such as rosemary, thyme, sage and oregano come from sunny, dry, rocky hillsides and want poor, free-draining soil and little water. Soft leafy herbs such as basil, parsley, cilantro and dill want richer soil and steadier moisture. Mint wants moisture too, but it spreads so aggressively that it must always be kept in its own pot. Plant the right herb in the right conditions, and most of the work takes care of itself. If you are unsure what suits your garden, check your local extension service — they know which herbs thrive in your climate and which struggle.
The five easiest herbs to start with
Start with five herbs that are hard to kill and useful in the kitchen. Basil is the classic beginner herb: sow it indoors after the last frost, give it sun and steady water, and pinch the tips regularly to keep it bushy. Mint is almost unkillable, but grow it in a pot on its own, because in open ground it will take over the bed within a season. Chives are a hardy perennial that comes back every spring, needs almost no care, and gives you mild onion-flavoured leaves from early in the year. Parsley is a biennial that is slow to germinate but then produces steadily for months, and it tolerates a little shade. And rosemary is a woody perennial that, once established in a sunny, well-drained spot, needs almost nothing from you at all.
Buy small plants for the slow or tricky ones — rosemary, thyme and sage are all easier from a bought plant than from seed in your first year — and sow the easy ones, basil, dill and cilantro, from seed. That combination gives you a productive herb garden in the first season without the frustration of waiting weeks for rosemary seed that may never germinate. Grow the herbs you actually cook with: there is no point growing a herb you never use, however easy it is.
Where to plant herbs
Herbs want sun. Most need at least six hours of direct sun a day, and the Mediterranean herbs want as much as you can give them. A sunny spot by the kitchen door is the traditional place, and it is traditional for a good reason: herbs you can reach in two steps get used, while herbs at the far end of the garden get forgotten. A raised bed, a sunny border, a row of pots on a patio, or a windowsill all work — what matters is sun, drainage, and being close enough to the kitchen that picking a handful of leaves is easier than opening a jar.
Drainage matters more than richness. Herbs hate wet feet, and most herb failures are caused by heavy, waterlogged soil rather than by neglect. If your soil is heavy clay, grow herbs in raised beds or pots with a free-draining mix, and see our guide to clay soil improvement if you want to improve a bed. Keep mint in its own container, sunk into the ground if you like, so its runners cannot escape. And give perennial herbs a permanent spot — rosemary, thyme, sage and chives will be there for years, so do not plant them where you will want to dig next spring.
Soil and feeding for beginners
Most herbs prefer soil that is poorer than vegetable soil. Mediterranean herbs such as rosemary, thyme, lavender and oregano grow best in lean, gritty, free-draining soil, and too much fertiliser or compost makes them grow soft, sappy and flavourless. A handful of grit or coarse sand mixed into the planting hole, and a little compost, is usually enough. Soft herbs such as basil, parsley and cilantro are hungrier and appreciate richer soil with more compost, but even they need far less feeding than vegetables.
The rule for beginners is simple: feed herbs lightly, or not at all. A light dressing of compost in spring is enough for most herbs, and a liquid feed at half strength once a month is plenty for basil and parsley in pots. Over-fed herbs grow fast but taste of little, because the essential oils that give herbs their flavour are concentrated when the plant grows slowly in lean conditions. If your herbs look pale and hungry, a soil test through your local extension service will tell you what is actually missing before you reach for the fertiliser. Our fertilising vegetables guide explains the feeding principles, though herbs need far less than vegetables do.
Watering herbs: less is usually more
Most herbs prefer their soil to dry out a little between waterings. Mediterranean herbs such as rosemary, thyme, sage and lavender will rot in constantly wet soil, and they are far more often killed by overwatering than by drought. Water them deeply but infrequently, and let the top few centimetres of soil dry out before you water again. Soft herbs such as basil, parsley and mint want steadier moisture, especially in pots in summer, but even they should never sit in water — always let pots drain freely and empty the saucer underneath.
The finger test is the most reliable guide: push a finger a few centimetres into the soil, and water only if it feels dry. Water in the morning, at the base of the plant, so the leaves stay dry and the plant faces the day with full roots. Our watering calculator can help you work out how much water your pots and beds need, and our herbs watering guide covers each herb's needs in detail.
Harvesting and using your herbs
Start harvesting as soon as the plant has enough leaves to spare, and harvest little and often — regular picking keeps herbs bushy and productive, while a plant left unpicked grows tall, woody and sparse. Pick in the morning, after the dew has dried but before the heat of the day, when the essential oils are at their most concentrated. For leafy herbs such as basil and mint, pinch or cut just above a pair of leaves, and the plant will branch from that point. Never strip a plant bare: take no more than a third of its leaves at once, and let it recover before you pick again.
Use herbs fresh when you can — that is the whole point of growing them. Woody herbs such as rosemary and thyme can be picked all year, even in winter, while soft herbs such as basil are best used fresh in summer and dried or frozen for winter. To dry herbs, tie small bunches and hang them upside down in a warm, airy, dark place, and use our herb drying calculator to work out drying times. And remember that home-grown herbs are usually far stronger than shop-bought dried herbs, so start with less than a recipe calls for and add more to taste.
Common mistakes
The most common beginner mistake is overwatering, especially for Mediterranean herbs in pots without drainage holes — always check that water can escape. The second is planting mint in open ground, where it will spread through the whole bed within a season. The third is over-feeding, which gives lush, flavourless growth. The fourth is letting herbs flower and go to seed: basil and cilantro that flower stop producing useful leaves, so pinch the flower buds off as soon as they appear. And the fifth is planting herbs too far from the kitchen — put them where you will actually use them, and they will earn their place many times over.
| Herb | Start from | Sun | Water | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basil | Seed indoors | Full sun | Steady moisture | Pinch tips to keep bushy; tender, no frost |
| Mint | Plant or cutting | Full sun to part shade | Moist | Always in its own pot; spreads aggressively |
| Chives | Plant or division | Full sun | Moderate | Hardy perennial; divide every few years |
| Parsley | Seed (slow to germinate) | Full sun to part shade | Steady moisture | Biennial; tolerates light shade |
| Rosemary | Bought plant | Full sun | Drier soil | Woody perennial; never cut to bare wood |
Frequently asked questions
What are the easiest herbs for a beginner?
Basil, mint, chives, parsley and rosemary are the easiest to start with. Basil and mint grow fast, chives and rosemary are hardy perennials that need little care, and parsley produces steadily for months. Buy rosemary and thyme as small plants and sow basil, dill and cilantro from seed.
How much sun do herbs need?
Most herbs need at least six hours of direct sun a day, and Mediterranean herbs such as rosemary, thyme and lavender want as much sun as you can give them. Parsley, chives, mint and cilantro tolerate a little shade, especially in hot climates.
How often should I water herbs?
Let the soil dry a little between waterings — most herbs prefer that to constantly wet soil. Mediterranean herbs need deep but infrequent watering, while basil, parsley and mint want steadier moisture. Push a finger into the soil and water only if it feels dry a few centimetres down.
Should I plant mint in the ground?
No — plant mint in its own pot, because it spreads aggressively through underground runners and will take over a bed within a season. A pot sunk into the ground still lets the runners escape over the rim, so keep it as a free-standing container.
When can I start picking my herbs?
Start picking as soon as the plant has enough leaves to spare, and pick little and often. Harvest in the morning, take no more than a third of the plant at once, and pinch just above a pair of leaves so the plant branches and grows bushier.