How to Start a Kitchen Herb Garden

If you’ve ever wanted to start your own kitchen herb garden, it’s not too late to grow one this year! Imagine stepping outside to clip a sprig of fresh cilantro to top your tacos. Or whipping up a batch of pesto with basil from your backyard. One of the best ways you can upgrade your home cooking is incorporating fresh ingredients from your own herb garden. They bring so much additional flavor and pop to dishes—and for me, it’s a point of pride to tell my guests the ingredients came from my herb garden.

The good news is, you don’t need a bright green thumb or a full garden or big raised beds to grow your own kitchen herb garden. All you need is a sunny spot, a big pot or two, and a willingness to try! With spring right around the corner, it’s the perfect time to start your own kitchen herb garden.

Herbs are easy to grow and maintain, even for people with the brownest of thumbs. They don’t require a lot of attention, just weekly watering and pruning so they don’t get overgrown, and occasional fertilizing. Many herbs (like parsley, thyme, dill, and oregano) are also great plants for partial shade, as they appreciate the cooldown during the hottest part of the day.

Start your kitchen her garden

When it comes to actually planting your herbs, you’ve got some options. I have a raised self-watering planter on wheels, as well as a couple big pots. A self-watering planter or box is ideal; you just have to fill it up once a week. I really like the EarthBox brand, and Vego Garden has self-watering options. There are also plenty of options on Amazon (like this one and this one).

If you’re more of a DIY person, you can make your own herb planter with a big pot or galvanized bucket. Be sure to drill some holes in the bottom and add a layer of small rocks or gravel before filling with potting soil. This will help maintain proper drainage and make sure your herbs don’t get waterlogged and rot. 

Depending on the size of your vessel, you can plant up to six herbs in one pot or planter (except mint, more on this later). If you harvest from them regularly, they won’t get overgrown and will coexist peacefully. 

When you’re starting your first kitchen herb garden, don’t overwhelm yourself! Select a handful of herbs that you know you’ll use often, or that you’re most likely to use. You can always add more herbs later. If you find yourself not using them fresh very often, you can dehydrate them and keep them in your pantry for longer storage—or share with your friends and neighbors!

These are some of my favorite herbs for my kitchen garden:

Basil: An absolute must for pesto, pizza, pasta, and other sauces. Plus it’s a wonderful companion plant for my tomatoes. Last year I made a ton of homemade pesto and froze it to enjoy throughout the winter. 

Rosemary: This is probably my second most used herb, behind basil. Whenever we cook steaks, we always add in rosemary when basting with butter for extra flavor. It’s also my favorite garnish for roasted potatoes.

Thyme: This is a lovely, floral-scented perennial herb and magnificent companion plant. Try adding a couple sprigs of thyme in cocktails or mocktails for a fun twist, or using its tiny leaves as a garnish for chicken dishes. I have English thyme and lemon thyme in my garden. 

Cilantro: I do not have the soap gene, so I love cilantro for pops of freshness. It really takes homemade tacos and guacamole to the next level. 

Dill: This was a recent addition to my herb garden. Dill is essential for homemade ranch dip and refrigerator pickles. Plus, its flowers are quite pretty, and you can save seeds from them.

Lemon balm: I love lemon balm for its calming properties, and its citrusy scent wards off pests and bugs, like mosquitos. It makes a delicious herbal tea, especially when steeped with mint.

Of course, no herb garden is complete without mint. Mint is one of my absolute favorite herbs and an absolute must in my garden! There are many varieties, like orange, chocolate, apple, pineapple, and of course peppermint. I opt for spearmint the most because I prefer its sweetness. However, don’t plant mint in the same vessel as your other herbs. Mint is rhizomatic, meaning its roots will spread vigorously and you’ll have mint everywhere if it’s not controlled. Keep it contained in its own pot.

Last but not least, consider adding some flowers for a pop of color and pest control. Marigolds and borage are my go-to choices. Both flowers are edible and make beautiful, colorful garnishes. They’re also excellent for pest control, as their scents repel harmful bugs and attract pollinators. You can find marigolds at any nursery, and borage is super easy to grow from seed.

Starting your own kitchen herb garden is super easy and so rewarding. If you start today, you can enjoy fresh herbs all spring and summer long. 

What will you grow in your kitchen herb garden?

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