Most culinary herbs fall into two groups: sun-loving Mediterranean shrubs that need sharp drainage, and leafy herbs that prefer moisture and some shade.
Chives, mint, rosemary, thyme and parsley are the most forgiving for a first attempt, and almost all herbs grow well in pots.
Herbs are among the least demanding plants to grow. Most need little feeding, many thrive in pots, and a few square metres or a sunny windowsill supplies a kitchen for much of the year. Success depends mostly on matching each herb to the conditions it comes from.
Rosemary, thyme, sage, oregano, lavender and bay come from dry, stony hillsides around the Mediterranean. They want full sun and sharp drainage, and suffer more from wet winter soil than from cold. On heavy clay they do better in raised beds or in pots of compost mixed with grit. Rich soil and regular feeding produce soft, floppy growth with less flavour.
These are woody perennials or shrubs and stay in the ground for years. Trimming thyme, sage and lavender after flowering keeps the plants compact; cutting back into old bare wood often kills the stem, so light, regular trimming works better than an occasional hard prune. Bay tolerates clipping and is commonly grown as a container shrub, moved to a sheltered spot in severe winters.
Parsley, chives, mint, coriander, dill and chervil prefer moister soil and tolerate light shade. Parsley is a biennial that is usually sown fresh each spring; germination is slow and can take several weeks. Chives are hardy perennials that die back in winter and return in spring, and clumps can be divided every few years.
Coriander and dill run to seed quickly in hot, dry weather. Sowing a short row every few weeks from spring to late summer gives a steadier supply than a single sowing, and plants given some shade and regular water hold their leaves for longer.
Mint spreads by underground runners and takes over a bed within a season or two. It is normally grown in a container, or in a pot sunk into the ground with the rim above soil level.
Basil is a tropical annual and is killed by frost. In Britain and northern Europe it is sown indoors in spring and planted out, if at all, only once nights are reliably mild, usually in June. It often does best on a sunny windowsill or in a greenhouse. Watering in the morning instead of the evening reduces the risk of rot.
Pots of basil, parsley and coriander sold in supermarkets contain many crowded seedlings raised for a short life. Dividing the clump into three or four pots of fresh compost gives the plants room and extends cropping by weeks.
Almost every herb grows well in a pot with drainage holes. Peat-free multipurpose compost suits leafy herbs; Mediterranean herbs prefer a mix with roughly a quarter grit or sharp sand. Pots dry out fast in summer and may need daily watering, while in winter the main risk is waterlogging, which raising pots on feet helps to prevent. Herbs with similar needs can share a large container, but mint is best kept alone.
Regular picking keeps herbs productive. Pinching out the growing tips of basil and mint makes the plants bushier, and removing flower buds from basil prolongs leaf production. No more than about a third of a plant is normally taken at once.
Woody herbs dry well: small bunches hung in a warm, airy place out of direct sun are ready in one to two weeks. Soft herbs such as basil, parsley, chives and coriander lose most of their flavour when dried and keep better frozen, either chopped in bags or in ice-cube trays with a little water or oil.