Basil
Needs the most light of the group, so give it a south-facing window or a grow light. Pinch the flower buds off as they appear or it stops making leaves. One happy plant gives you pesto all summer.
This is the smallest garden you can have, and the best place to start. A windowsill, a pot, tap water. That's it. No yard, no tools, no experience. If you can keep a glass of water on the counter, you can grow herbs.
Fresh herbs are also the thing you reach for most and buy most often, so a pot or two pays for itself fast. Here are the six easiest to grow, what you need, and the handful of mistakes that trip beginners up.
A herb on the counter asks for almost nothing: a little light, a little water, and the occasional snip. You aren't planting a bed or waiting a whole season. You clip what you need for dinner and the plant keeps growing. Start with one pot by the sink and you'll be surprised how quickly it becomes a habit.
Pick one or two to start. All six thrive on a counter or windowsill with a few hours of light.
Needs the most light of the group, so give it a south-facing window or a grow light. Pinch the flower buds off as they appear or it stops making leaves. One happy plant gives you pesto all summer.
Grows in anything, anywhere, in sun or partial shade. Keep it in its own pot, because it will take over any container it shares. Cut it back hard and it comes back harder.
Bolts fast in heat, so keep it cool and in partial shade. Sow a fresh pinch every 2 to 3 weeks for a steady supply. Once it flowers, let it go to seed and harvest the coriander.
Slow to get going, then nearly impossible to kill once established. It wants good drainage and hates wet feet, so let the soil dry out between waterings. Patience early pays off for years.
The set-it-and-forget-it herb. It grows in tidy clumps, you cut what you need, and it regrows without complaint. The purple pom-pom flowers are edible too, mild and oniony.
Happy in partial shade, long-lasting, and it produces more than you'll use. Flat-leaf has more flavor than the curly kind, so grow that one unless you just want a garnish.
Four things, all of which you probably half-own already.
Any container works as long as water can escape the bottom. Herbs sitting in soggy soil is the fastest way to lose them.
Bagged potting mix, not garden soil. It stays light and drains well, which is exactly what herbs want in a pot.
Aim for at least 4 to 6 hours of light a day. A south-facing sill is ideal. A small grow light fills in for a dim kitchen.
Check the soil with a finger. When the top inch is dry, water until it drains through. Most herbs like to dry out a little between drinks.
You don't need a setup to prove this works. A single pot on the sill costs less than a couple of those plastic clamshells of cut herbs, and it lasts all season instead of a week.
A single clamshell of fresh cut herbs at the store runs $3 to $4 and wilts within the week. This pays for itself the first time you would have bought basil.
Once the herb bug bites, the next question is what else grows where you live. Find your growing zone and what thrives in your area.
Mint, chives, and parsley are the most forgiving, since they tolerate lower light and bounce back from hard cutting. Basil is easy too but needs the most light. Start with one or two and add more once you have the watering rhythm down.
At least 4 to 6 hours of direct light a day. A south-facing window is best, an east or west window works for the shade-tolerant herbs, and a small grow light makes up the difference in a dim kitchen.
Grocery herb pots are greenhouse-grown, packed many seedlings to a pot, and forced for quick sale. They crash when they hit normal home light and humidity. Buy a single sturdy start from a nursery or grow from seed for plants that actually last.
Yes, with help. An inexpensive grow light on a timer lets you grow herbs anywhere, even a windowless kitchen. Without one, stick to the shade-tolerant herbs like mint, parsley, and chives.
Ready to grow beyond the counter? Move up to pots on a balcony or patio with container gardening for beginners, or plan a raised bed with square foot gardening. Curious what grows in your climate? Start with the zone calculator.