From peppery oregano to citrusy cilantro, herbs add a fresh burst of flavor to so many dressings, dips, and dishes. Whenever you need a sprinkle of basil to garnish a Caprese salad or a sprig of thyme to doctor up a roast chicken, you probably head to the grocery store. But buying a bunch for one-off recipes can really start to add up. Not to mention, the remaining bits will likely take up space in your fridge until they turn to mush. Instead, by growing herbs at home, you won’t just save time and money, but you’ll also get to enjoy fresher, more fragrant garnishes right outside your door. What could be better than that?
For years, Ree Drummond has been tending to a flourishing herb garden on the ranch in Oklahoma. She prefers growing basil, oregano, dill, sage, rosemary, thyme, and other herbs alongside flowers and vegetables in her garden beds. “I was going for a wild vibe,” she says. “I love the look of a big basil bush alongside a couple of tomato plants and marigolds. Some people call this chaos gardening—no neat rows, just clusters of random stuff. But I think it’s gorgeous.” If you don’t have a wide-open spaces like those at Drummond Ranch to work with, don’t worry—you can easily grow a kitchen herb garden in a small outdoor space like your porch.
For an aromatic culinary garden that’s right at your fingertips, we’ve created a step-by-step guide with everything you need to get started, including the supplies, instructions, and maintenance tips. If you’re ready to strengthen your green thumb and flavor all your homemade dishes, here’s how to grow a kitchen herb garden on your porch.
The Best Types of Herbs to Grow
Before you start your herb garden, you need to know what you’re going to plant. The following herbs are low-maintenance, container-friendly plants and versatile garnishes, which makes them excellent candidates for your porch garden.
Basil
During the summer months, this tender annual grows sweet leaves that taste delicious in so many dishes of Italian cuisine. Planted in pots on a sunny porch, this herb sprouts quickly, which makes it one of the easiest and most rewarding options for beginners.
Parsley
Hardy and versatile, parsley is another beginner-friendly herb to consider for you porch garden. Its resilience allows it to withstand cooler temperatures, and its fresh, earthy taste makes it a tasty addition to sauces, soups, and salads. Parsley thrives in containers with full sun to partial shade and well-drained, nutrient-rich soil.
Chives
Because they come back year after year without much maintenance, chives practically grow themselves. Give them full sun to partial shade in well-draining soil, and you’ll be rewarded with a bountiful harvest that has a mild onion flavor.
Thyme
Thyme is a low-maintenance, drought-tolerant herb that does well in potted plants. Because it prefers dry conditions, it doesn’t need too much moisture once it’s established. In the kitchen, a dash goes a long way, whether you sprinkle it on fish, chicken, soups, or stews.
Rosemary
Including rosemary in your porch herb garden won’t just give you a functional kitchen ingredient for all your rosemary recipes, but it’ll also make your porch look beautiful and smell amazing. This woody herb loves sunshine and good drainage.
Mint
This fast-growing herb will give you fresh, minty flavor in no time for both sweet and savory dishes. Be sure to plant mint in its own container, so it doesn’t overcrowd its neighboring herbs.
How to Plant a Kitchen Herb Garden
Once you’ve identified which herbs you’re most likely to use in the kitchen, it’s time to start your porch garden. Follow these simple steps:
Step 1: Gather Your Materials
Before you get your hands dirty, accumulate all the necessary materials. The most important, of course, is the herbs, but besides that, you’ll need containers with drainage holes (think: pots, railing planters, or hanging baskets) and a well-draining potting mix to plant them.
Step 2: Select a Sunny Spot
Because most herbs (especially basil, rosemary, and thyme) need six hours of direct sunlight every day, choose the sunniest spot on your porch. If your porch gets partial shade, you can always grow herbs like parsley, chives, and mint, which can tolerate less sun.
Step 3: Plan the Layout
Your garden layout is about logistics and aesthetics! If you’re planting more than one kitchen herb, place taller varieties like basil in the back of your setup and trailing herbs like mint in the front. This will create a fuller look.
Step 4: Plant the Herbs
Now, it’s time to plant those herbs. Gently loosen the roots before setting them at the same depth they were growing in their nursery pot. Then, gently pat the soil, leaving enough breathing room to encourage future growth.
Step 5: Water Thoroughly
After planting your herbs, water the soil until it trickles out of the drainage holes. Going forward, you’ll only need to water your plants once the top inch of soil is dry to the touch.
Maintenance Tips for a Kitchen Herb Garden
When your kitchen herb garden is established, proper care will keep them healthy and strong. Keep these stress-free maintenance tips in mind:
Apply Consistent Moisture
Instead of following a stiff schedule, wait to water your herbs until the top layer of soil feels dry. Overwatering can cause yellowing leaves, mushy stems, and root rot. Of course, the watering needs will change throughout the year—container herbs will dry out faster in the summer heat.
Lightly Fertilize Them
Herbs don’t need much fertilizing to function, but applying a diluted liquid fertilizer once a month will keep them healthy—without affecting the taste.
Prune Them Regularly
To encourage bushy growth, not tall and leggy leaves, snip your herbs regularly. While frequently harvesting them will retain their shape, whenever you prune them, be sure to snip stems just above the leaves and avoid removing more than one-third of the plant at a time.
Harvest Them Frequently
By frequently harvesting your herbs, they’ll grow back fuller and healthier. Chop off ready-to-harvest herbs from the top, not the bottom. Again, remember not to cut off more than one-third of the plant in one sitting.
