Growing herbs in pots is a very practical option for those who do not have enough garden space and for those living in apartments. It gives you the same holistic high you experience when growing herbs outdoors and also helps you add the additional touch of flavor and good health to your food by being right in your home maybe even next to the kitchen sink.
Herbs suited for growing in pots from seeds
Basil is a culinary herb that grows well indoors in pots, where it is safe from mildew. The compact variety of basil called Ocimum basilicum minimum is the best pick for pots. If you ensure that the pot has sufficient air-flow and you provide the basil plant with enough water the plant will flourish in pots even if grown from seeds.
Thyme is an herb with culinary and ornamental value, and requires very little maintenance and minimum water. Hence it does well in containers and pots.
When mint, a kitchen herb, is grown in an outdoor garden on an open ground it will spread uncontrollably on the landscape. By planting it in pots the herb growth can be kept under control. If you pinch the mint varieties in the pots you can prevent flowering and cross pollination so as to keep intact the purity and taste of each variety.
Italian Oregano that is used for flavoring Mediterranean foods and Italian dishes is widely grown indoors in pots because it is a tough plant that can survive dry phases and needs minimal watering. It will grow in even average soil. Its main need is full sun.
Chives that belong to the onion family are very easy to grow in pots by sowing their seeds. One of the most important needs they have is adequate water. Pruning after the flowers have died helps the potted plant grow back.
Dill, an herb with culinary and ornamental value has long tap roots that make it drought resistant. Hence containers must be large to accommodate such roots. Dill in pots will need enough light; they will also need more water and fertilizer feeding than when grown outside. When dill is grown indoors ensure that the potted soil is well drained.
Herbs suited for growing in pots from cuttings
Sage’s dwarf variety Salvia officinalis 'Compacta' can be grown in pots if its cuttings are sown rather than its seeds. When grown in pots it is easier to pinch the plant and prevent it from growing woody too fast; moreover it is also easier to perform the replanting that is required to be done every 3 years.
Cuttings of the Vietnamese Coriander also have great chances of flourishing in pots.
Other herbs that grow in pots
Other herbs that do well in pots are catnip, chamomile, fennel, lavender, lemon balm, lemon grass, sweet majoram and sweet wood ruff. Rosemary can be grown in pots as it is a hardy plant that remains unaffected by pests and does not need too much water.
