The easiest herbs to grow for beginners are those that only need a container on your balcony or a little planter box in a sunny kitchen window if you need a dedicated garden area or live in an apartment. Start with these ten simple herbs to grow.
Oregano
Using high-quality seeds ensures that the plants germinate and flourish quickly. Choose a pot that is at least 7 to 8 inches broad and deep, with drainage holes in the bottom. To promote healthy growth, make sure the soil is both losing and fertile. For that user, mix 40% Guardian soil, 30% Cocopeat, and 30% vermicompost or leaf manure. Make sure to wet your soil mix before using it as a seed media. Oregano seeds are dusty, so handle them with caution. Sprinkle the seeds evenly throughout the soil’s surface. They require sunshine to sprout, so loosely cover the seeds with the soil mixture. Press the dirt with your hand and gently water it with a spray.
In eight to twelve days, oregano seeds often sprout. Maintain the moisture level in the soil once the seedlings begin to grow. Fungal infections and root rot are two consequences of overwatering. Make sure the soil dries out in between watering and can drain properly. After 28 days, water plants at their bases rather than at their drops to prevent infections brought on by moisture. Once your oregano plants become established, you’ll see that they spread rather quickly after 38 days. Plants can be picked whenever they reach 5 to 6 inches tall after 70 days. Pinch off the tips of the oregano leaves as they grow for the greatest harvesting results. By doing this, it won’t flower or go to seed.
Additionally, it will promote bushier growth. You can freeze or dry oregano leaves. Whole stalks or dried leaves should be kept out of direct sunlight in airtight containers.
Thyme
Selecting top-quality seeds is the first step to enjoying successful gardening. Pick up a little container that has a bottom drainage hole. Thyme prefers well-drained, sandy, dry soil; mix 50% garden soil, 30% vermicompost, and 20% sand for this type of soil. Before seeding, moisten the soil mixture. Because thyme seeds are tiny, handle them carefully to prevent them from washing or blowing away. Since seeds require light to germinate, scatter them on top of the soil without covering them. To ensure that the seeds have adequate contact with the soil, gently press into the surface.
Spritz the surface with a spray bottle to keep the seeds at the proper moisture level without upsetting them. Keep them wet as they germinate, which should take five to eight days. To avoid fungal illnesses, stop watering the plant’s leaves after 14 days. Make sure they get enough light and moisture after 36 days so they may keep growing. Place your thyme plants in an area where they may receive 6 to 7 hours of full sun per day after they have been planted for 56 days. The production of the aromatic oils that give thyme its unique flavor depends on this.
It should be possible to harvest thyme in about 70 to 90 days. Pinch off the outermost leaves and stems of the plant, leaving some for future growth. Bees will be drawn to the garden by the small blossoms of thyme that bloom throughout the spring and summer in shades of gentle pink, lavender, or white. Thyme blossoms and leaves are both delicious and can be dried and stored or used in recipes.
Lemongrass
Although it is possible to cultivate lemongrass from seed, it is most convenient to start with a fresh stalk. Supermarkets and neighborhood agricultural supply businesses carry them. Verify that none of the stalks’ bases are moldy or rotting and that they are still whole. Don’t touch any that are dried out either. Feed plants with vermicompost or animal manure once they are fully established. For healthy development, repeat this every 18 to 20 days. After thoroughly mixing the fertilizer into the soil, immediately water it to allow the roots to absorb it. Lemongrass is ready for harvesting after 150 days. Cut off 4–6 inches of the top growth to harvest, but leave enough of the plant intact to allow it to grow again.
Celery
Planting celery seeds might be challenging because of their small size. Obtain a seed starting mix or create your own by mixing 30% coco peat, 40% vermicompost, and 40% garden soil. Before using, wet the soil. Sprinkle the celery seeds over the top of the soil mixture to start a new crop. Lightly cover the seeds with the soil mixture. They will struggle to emerge if you cover them with an excessive amount of dirt. Use a light mist of water so as not to disturb the seeds. Celery seeds need 8 to 10 days to sprout.
Grow celery throughout the gentler months of spring or autumn as it dislikes extreme heat or cold. You can put the seedlings in large pots after 50 days when they are 4 to 6 inches tall. Using a small trowel, gently pry the plant out of the container by grasping its base. Celery loves fertile, well-drained soil with lots of organic matter; blend 50% garden soil, 30% cattle manure, and 20% river sand for this kind of soil. It should have a 12-inch broad by 15-inch deep container.
Dig a hole in the ground that is roughly the same diameter as the root ball of the seedling. After inserting the root ball into the hole, cover it with earth. The initial seedling base should still be parallel to the soil’s surface. You can easily grow three celery plants in a 12-inch-wide planter if you space them out 4–6 inches apart. Give the celery seedlings a good soak and make sure they stay damp all the time. For good growth, celery requires 6 to 8 hours of direct sunshine. For optimal growth, add three to four handfuls of cattle manures every fifteen days.
Harvesting Period
The entire celery plant doesn’t have to be harvested at once. Once celery stalks are pencil-thick, you can start trimming them off individually. Using a tugging action that goes down and out of the main plant, harvest as many stalks from its exterior as required. Your crop will be maximized for the entire season if you do this. In comparison to harvesting entire heads at once, you will ultimately end up with considerably better yields. Though chefs are mainly interested in this stalk, you may also eat the flavorful leaves and even the starchy roots.
Chives
Chives are fairly easy to grow from seed. Choose a medium pot around 7 to 8 inches wide and deep with drainage holes at the bottom. Grow your chives in well-draining soil. For that, use a mix of 50% garden soil, 30% cattle manure, and 20% river sand. Make sure to moisten your soil mix so that it’s ready to be a good medium for the seeds.
Cattle manure offers nutrients and aids with drainage when combined with sand. Apply a thin layer of earth to cover the seeds after dispersing them around the surface. Soak the seeds deeply into the soil by gently pressing them into the surface after sowing. To avoid moving the small seeds, irrigate the area lightly now. For a period of seven to eight days, chives require wet soil to germinate.
While they prefer full light, chives may grow in some shade. If you experience hot summers, see if you can give your chives some afternoon shade. Once chive plants are established, they barely require any care at all. It should take 60 to 90 days for the chives to be ready for harvest. The heart of the plant, not the tips, is where new growth will emerge. That’s why a good cutting back can keep your plants healthy throughout the growing season. Chives are at their most flavorful when freshly harvested, so take only as much as you need at a time. Add chopped stems to omelets, baked potatoes, soups, stews, salads, and essentially anything savory that might use a little extra taste.
Arugula
Using a medium pot with appropriate drainage holes at the bottom, measure 10 inches in width and 12 inches in depth. Use 60% garden soil and 40% bovine dung because Rocket prefers fertile soil that holds onto some moisture. Before planting seeds, moisten the soil to supply the moisture required for germination. Most regions allow for the year-round sowing of rocket seeds, while colder temperatures are thought to yield the highest yields. Distribute seeds uniformly across the soil’s surface. After that, just cover them with dirt, give them a gentle firming, and give them plenty of water. Then a little water should be added, and the pot should always be kept damp but never dry. After 8 days, you will notice results pretty quickly because the rocket germinates swiftly.
After 10 days, you can plant seeds too densely but don’t forget to thin the plants once they get overcrowded and use the thinning in salads. When you remove excess plants, you create better-growing conditions for the remaining ones. They call it rocket for a reason. These leafy herbs are fast-growing; you can harvest in as little as 5 to 6 weeks, and they are perfect for adding a spicy, peppery bite to your dishes. After every 12 to 15 days, feed plants with a liquid fertilizer suitable for herbs and vegetables.
Liquid fertilizer will provide fast-acting nutrients to support speedy growth. After 50 days, start picking when leaves are about 2-4 inches big. The younger leaves are milder, more tender, and delicately flavored, and should be picked regularly to keep plants producing more. The fact that it is a cut-and-come-again plant will please you. As a result, you should get around 3 to 4 harvests from the same plants.
Mint
Take some fresh store-bought mint bundles. The main thing is to use a healthy cutting. The stem should be vibrant and green while the leaves shouldn’t be dry or blackened. Take 6 to 8 cuttings that are 5 to 7 inches long so that there is plenty of area on the stem for roots to grow. Clear the bottom leaves from the lower part of the stem. Make sure to clear 2 to 3 nodes, as roots will grow from the node area. Take a 2-liter water bottle and cut it in half with the help of scissors. Fill the container with tap water. Add water as needed to keep the container 60-70% full.
After placing the cuttings in the container, make sure that water covers the bottom two to three nodes. Place the container so that the cuttings are in bright, indirect light. By doing this, you can stop the mint cuttings from drying out or burning in the sun. You’ll see root development and green growth in ten to twelve days. To maintain the stems’ health and freshness, remember to replace the water every five days. After the plants have taken root, move the pot into direct sunlight to promote robust, leafy growth. Regularly harvest leaves by snipping off the tips. Pinching encourages bushier growth, and tender, more delicious new leaves are preferred over older ones.
Dill
Medium-sized to big pots that are at least 8 to 10 inches broad and deep and have sufficient drainage are suitable for growing dill. Plants that grow dill require soil that drains properly and is rich in organic materials. To prepare the soil, combine 20% sand, 30% animal manure, and 50% garden soil. Before planting seeds, moisten the soil to supply the moisture required for germination. After uniformly dispersing the seeds across the area, gently smooth the soil over the seeds. Dill does not transplant well, thus it is preferable to sow the seeds right there at the final position.
Keep them moist while they germinate, which should take 8 to 12 days. Proper watering is essential for growing dill. Then Keep the soil evenly moist for constant growth. After 27 days, when seedlings are 4 to 5 inches tall, reduce the numbers to just the strongest seedlings every 5 to 6 inches.
Although dill doesn’t often require feeding, the plants may benefit from an occasional liquid feed. Dill likes direct sunlight and should be planted where it receives five to seven hours of sunlight per day. Depending on the cultivar, dill takes between 40 and 50 days to attain full maturity. To harvest, cut off the outer leaves of young plants in a cut-and-come manner, making sure that at least one-third of the plant remains in place so that it can continue to grow. The leaves can also be cut and used in soups and salads, as well as utilized to flavor poultry, fish, and egg dishes, in addition to dill pickles. When the seeds of dill begin to ripen and become brown in late summer, they are ready to be picked. Dill can be used whole of ground, cooked in soups and vegetable dishes.
Stevia
Stevia thrives in planters. Select a container with a depth and width of 10 inches. Use a mixture of 60% garden soil and 40% vermicompost for stevia, as it thrives best in soil that is rich in organic matter. Before using your soil mix, wet it. Distribute a tiny amount of seeds thinly across the soil mixture. Gently push down the tiny coating of soil mixture that has been applied to the seeds. Water the area lightly right away after planting to aid in the soil’s settling. When maintained warm and wet, seeds take 14 to 18 days to germinate. Although full light is ideal for stevia growth, it is advisable to situate the pot in a location that gets some afternoon shadow.
In its natural habitat, ponds and lakes are common places for stevia plants to grow. Thus, for optimal effects, make sure to maintain a continually moist soil. To guarantee a nice harvest, replant stevia every year. Despite being a perennial, the plant’s rapid growth slows down after the first year. Stevia plant cuttings can be used for further planting. The stevia plant can have its leaves selected individually or in whole branches at a time, but never take out more than one-third of the plant at once. When the plant’s sugar content is at its peak in the morning, harvest. Usually, the tastiest stevia leaves are those that appear right before the plant blossoms. And this occurs around the end of summer. Fresh stevia leaves are delicious in tea smoothies or as sweet snacks.
Thai Basil
Use fresh seeds whenever possible for optimal germination. Select a small pot with bottom drainage holes for starting your seeds. Either use a seed starting mix or create your own by mixing 20% coco peat, 30% vermicompost, and 50% garden soil. Before sowing the seeds, it is usually advised to hydrate the soil. Hand-spread the seeds evenly over the pot. Give the seeds a little dusting of dry soil mixture. Just enough must be added to cover the seeds; a heavy covering is not necessary. Apply a light pressure with your palm and give it a mild mist.
Before developing genuine leaves, Thai basil seeds have two cotyledons and should sprout in ten days. The optimal growing conditions for Thai basil plants are areas with at least six hours of direct sun each day. Thai basil plants are prepared for transplanting when they are 4–6 inches tall and have 3–4 true leaves that grow nicely in pots. One plant should be placed in a deep, 12-inch-wide container with drainage holes. Plant Thai basil in nutrient-rich, moisture-retaining soil that drains properly. Use 50% garden soil, 30% compost, and 20% sand soil mix for that. Dig a hole, then plant the seedling there. Add soil to the surrounding area, tamp it down gently, and give it plenty of water.
Pinch off the top set of leaves on a new Thai basil plant after it has six or eight sets; this will promote branching and fuller growth. When growing in pots, Thai basil plants need to be fertilized frequently. Your Thai basil plant will grow enormous, luscious green leaves if you meet its high nitrogen needs. After fertilizing, thoroughly mix and moisten the soil right away to aid in the nutrients’ absorption by the roots
