Growing Herbs in a Container

As a city resident, your gardening space may be limited to a few sunny window sills or, if you’re lucky, a small backyard. That doesn’t mean you can’t take a stab at gardening.

A recent workshop on herb container gardening, part of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s free City Gardening Series, demonstrated that growing herbs in a nifty and portable container is a good place to start.

Getting Started

There are at least two advantages to container gardening, says workshop leader Charlotte Kidd, owner of the Wayne, PA-based business, In the Garden Design. First, you don’t need a lot of space, and second, containers are portable. However, because soil in containers dries out faster than that in the ground, containers require regular watering and attention.

There are basically two kinds of herbs: those that need a lot of moisture and those that don’t, Kidd says. Herbs that prefer moisture-rich soil include basil, cilantro, tarragon, and parsley, while herbs that don’t need as much water, or “Mediterranean herbs,” include chives, oregano, sage, rosemary, thyme, bay, marjoram, and lavender.

Plant moisture-loving herbs in plastic containers, which retain water, and put Mediterranean herbs in terra cotta containers, which draw out water. No matter what kind of container, Kidd says to make sure there are drainage holes at the bottom. Otherwise, plants can rot from sitting in water.

Watering
Plant herbs with the same moisture needs together. For variety, try a tall, medium, and cascading plant together in the same pot. Kidd recommends her successful soil blend: two parts good potting soil, one part compost, and one part good gardening soil or humus (organic material). Kidd also likes cedar bark mulch to keep the bugs away.

“How often to water depends on weather, soil, sun exposure, and root mass,” says Kidd. To check soil moisture, insert a sharpened pencil into the soil. If the pencil looks damp, the soil is moist.

Moisture-loving herbs in a sunny window will need watering twice a week. If kept outside in the sun, water once a week—or every 10 to 12 days for herbs that like drier conditions.

Harvesting & More
When harvesting, take the big leaves and leave the small ones. Some herbs, like cilantro, will hold up well through two or three cuttings and then they “bolt,” or go to seed. Once this happens the leaves are not as flavorful. It’s best to pull the plant and start a new crop every few weeks.

Lastly, the fun part: almost anything that holds water and soil can be used as a container. Kidd has used a bamboo purse and an old pair of green shoes. A woman at the workshop said she’s taken to using brightly colored rain boots with drainage holes cut in the bottom. Line the containers with newspaper to keep soil from falling out of drainage holes, Kidd says.

Once you know how to grow herbs, you’ll just have to learn to cook with them. The possibilities are endless.

For more information on the City Gardening Series, contact Marilyn Reynolds at 215-988-8872 or by email.