How to Grow Herbs

I grow Herbs for flavor first, yield second, and everything else gets judged by that yardstick. The plants repay me with cheap luxury on the plate.

Full sun fuels oil production in leaves, which drives aroma and flavor. Aim for 6 to 8 hours daily, or supplement indoors.

RHS: "Most herbs need a sunny, sheltered site with well-drained soil." Royal Horticultural Society

I tuck Mediterranean Herbs like thyme, rosemary, sage, and oregano into the hottest, windiest, most drained spot I have. They came from rocky hills, and they act grumpy in rich, wet beds.

Well drained soil beats rich soil for most Herbs. I mix 40 percent mineral topsoil, 40 percent high quality compost, 20 percent grit or perlite, then mulch with pea gravel to keep crowns dry.

Target soil pH 6.2 to 7.2 for general herb beds, slightly leaner and closer to 7 for rosemary and lavender. Mint, chives, and parsley stay happy from 6.0 to 7.0.

Use breathable fabric pots for balcony Herbs, they dry evenly and prevent sour roots. I run 5 gallon 19 liter for basil, 10 to 15 gallon 38 to 57 liter for rosemary.

Potting mix should feel springy and drain fast. I favor a peat free blend with composted bark, coir, and perlite, plus 10 percent sharp sand for thyme and oregano.

LEDs in the 4000 to 5000 K range grow leafy Herbs with clean flavor. Set the canopy at 200 to 400 μmol m^-2 s^-1 PPFD for 14 to 16 hours daily.

Cornell CEA: "Leafy greens and herbs perform well at 200 to 400 μmol m^-2 s^-1 PPFD under long photoperiods." Cornell University Controlled Environment Agriculture

I hang lights on adjustable ratchets, keep diodes 8 to 16 inches 20 to 40 cm above the tips, and raise them before leaves bleach. A cheap mechanical timer saves more Herbs than fancy fertilizers.

Let the top inch 2.5 cm dry before watering. Then soak to the bottom so salts do not crust near the crown.

Nitrogen pumps foliage but can dilute flavor if overused. I feed a balanced organic liquid at 50 to 75 percent label rate every 10 to 14 days in peak season, then back off as nights cool.

In hydro or soilless setups, keep EC 1.0 to 1.6 mS cm^-1 and pH 5.8 to 6.2 for basil, mint, cilantro, and chives. Woody Herbs prefer the low end of that range.

Basil sulks below 50 F 10 C and takes off between 70 and 90 F 21 to 32 C. I do not set it out until nights stay above 55 F 13 C or I pay the blackened-leaf tax.

Cilantro bolts fast in heat, so I sow every 2 to 3 weeks in spring and again in late summer. Extension guides flag bolting once temps push above 75 F 24 C, which tracks my beds. University of Florida IFAS

I sow basil, dill, cilantro, chervil, and parsley direct or in plugs. Parsley lingers, so I soak seed overnight and expect 14 to 28 days to sprout.

For rosemary, thyme, sage, and oregano, I skip seed and take 3 to 4 inch 8 to 10 cm softwood cuttings in late spring. They root fast in coarse perlite with a dome and a bright window.

I pinch basil above the second true node and harvest every 7 to 10 days. Constant pinching forces branching and delays flowers that flatten flavor.

Never cut woody Herbs into old brown wood. Trim current season growth by a third after bloom, then let plants harden before cold.

Morning, once dew dries, captures peak volatile oils. I harvest just before flowering for concentrated flavor, except for edible blossoms like chives and dill.

RHS: "Pick herbs in the morning, just as the oil content peaks, and before the sun disperses aromas." Royal Horticultural Society

Drying works for thyme, oregano, sage, savory, and rosemary. Keep dehydrators at 95 to 115 F 35 to 46 C, never above 125 F 52 C to protect oils.

NCHFP: "Dry herbs at 95 to 115 F, higher temps can cause flavor loss." National Center for Home Food Preservation

Freezing wins for basil, cilantro, chives, and parsley. I whirl leaves with a splash of oil, freeze in trays, and pop cubes into jars for winter sauces.

• Aphids: curling tips and sticky honeydew, blast with water, release lady beetles, or spray insecticidal soap. UC IPM
• Spider mites: stippled leaves in dry heat, raise humidity, rinse undersides, use horticultural oil between harvests. UC IPM
• Whiteflies: clouds on disturbance, yellow sticky cards, weekly soap rotation. UC IPM
• Basil downy mildew: yellowed panels, dark spores under leaves, grow resistant varieties, space plants, water at soil line, and avoid overhead in the evening. Cornell Plant Pathology
• Root rot: slow, gray plants in heavy soil, fix drainage or shift to raised beds or fabric pots.

Dill, fennel, and cilantro draw lacewings and parasitic wasps that police aphids. I thread these umbels through the veg patch like lanterns for predators. UC ANR

Flower strips of alyssum and calendula run along my herb bed edges. They keep hoverflies on payroll all season.

Basil, mint, and chives cruise in deep water culture or wick systems with low EC and fresh air at the root zone. Keep solution 65 to 70 F 18 to 21 C and swap weekly.

In small countertop rigs, I prune twice a week to prevent canopy shade. Flavor drops if plants idle under weak light or stale solution.

1. Basil: heat lover, pinch young, protect from nights below 55 F 13 C.
2. Parsley: slow germinator, flat leaf carries stronger flavor, deep pot 8 to 10 inches 20 to 25 cm.
3. Cilantro: rapid grower, succession sow, partial shade in hot summers helps.
4. Chives: bulletproof clumps, divide every 2 years, flowers taste like mild onion.
5. Mint: rampant, grow in containers only, bottomless buried pots cage the rhizomes.
6. Thyme: thrives lean and sunny, gravel mulch keeps crowns dry.
7. Oregano: best flavor from Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum, cut after bloom for high oil.
8. Sage: prune lightly after bloom, avoid winter wet.
9. Rosemary: hates wet feet, bigger pot, brighter light, light winter water indoors.
10. Dill: direct sow, hates transplanting, tall varieties need staking.
11. Lemon balm: shade tolerant, container helps manage spread, dry at low heat to keep citrus scent.
12. Tarragon: buy French tarragon as a plant, seed packets are usually the inferior Russian type.

Spring means sow cool Herbs and plant woody perennials. Summer means fast pinching and lean feeding with steady water.

Fall means heavy harvests, drying racks, and potting up tender plants to bring inside. Winter means cut-and-come-again chives under lights and smug pesto from the freezer.

• Grow lights: full spectrum LEDs at 4000 to 5000 K, PAR output listed, 200 to 400 μmol m^-2 s^-1 at working height for indoor Herbs.
• Pots: fabric or ceramic with wide drainage, saucers with ribs to keep pots above runoff.
• Media: peat free mixes with bark fines, coir, and perlite, plus coarse sand for Mediterranean species.
• Fertilizer: balanced organic liquids in the 3-1-2 to 4-1-2 range, slow release prills for big pots, avoid heavy ammoniacal nitrogen that softens growth.
• Tools: spring snips for soft stems, a narrow hori for dividing clumps, a simple pH and EC pen if you run hydro or inert mixes.
• Seed and starts: buy named varieties for known flavor profiles, look for disease resistance in basil, and confirm French tarragon by label and taste.

• Leggy indoor basil: raise PPFD, trim hard to a node, run a clip fan for sturdier stems.
• Bitter cilantro: sow again, provide afternoon shade, harvest smaller, cooler leaves.
• Pale leaves: feed lightly and check pH drift, cold roots can mimic deficiency.
• Woody thyme clumps: layer a stem in spring, root it, then replace the old mound.
• Droopy mint in pots: water deeply, then divide and refresh media each spring.

I rinse Herbs in cool water and spin dry to reduce microbes without bruising. USDA food safety guidance backs cool running water for leafy produce. USDA Food Safety

I keep harvest knives clean and rotate beds to break pest cycles. Extension trials keep repeating the same theme, good hygiene beats most sprays. Multiple Extension Sources

I once lost a rosemary hedge to winter wet, the roots looked like boiled noodles when I pulled the stumps. I rebuilt the bed 10 inches 25 cm higher with rubble and sand, and the next set grew like small cypresses.

I grow two basil blocks, one for aggressive harvests and one I let flower for bees and seed. The pesto block stays sweeter by far, and the bee block keeps the whole garden humming.

Herbs bring flavor, fragrance, and a bit of wildness to any garden. With a handful of sunlight, decent soil, and regular care, you’ll have fresh parsley, basil, thyme, and more right outside your door. Remember, herbs thrive when picked often—snip what you need and let them keep producing. Watch for pests, water deeply but not too often, and don’t be afraid to experiment. Every season, your herbs will teach you something new about patience, taste, and the simple pleasure of growing your own. If you’re hungry for more ways to work with herbs, check out the category page at taim.io/tag.