Key takeaways
- Rosemary, thyme, sage and bay give you leaves to pick all year
- Basil loves warmth, so grow it on a sunny windowsill or in a greenhouse
- Keep mint in its own pot, or it will take over
- Sun-lovers like rosemary want gritty, dry soil, while parsley and chives like it moister
- Pick often to keep herbs bushy and stop them flowering too soon
The secret to growing herbs is putting plants with the same needs together. Sun-loving woody herbs want sharp drainage, while leafy herbs like the soil a bit moister.
The RHS herb-growing guide splits herbs into annuals like basil, coriander and dill, and perennials like mint, sage, oregano and thyme. Quick-flowering herbs do best sown little and often, and strong growers need bigger pots. For a tall perennial with a celery flavour, try lovage.
Here’s how to grow herbs in beds and pots, from seed, and how to pick and keep them. For growing herbs among your veg, see our companion planting guide.
The best herbs for UK gardens
Rosemary
An evergreen shrub for full sun and well-drained soil. Once settled, it copes with dry spells and seaside wind. Trim lightly after flowering to keep it leafy, but don’t cut back into bare old wood. Pick sprigs from the tips. Rosemary dries well: hang small bunches somewhere warm and airy, then keep the dry leaves out of the light. Lovely with lamb, roast potatoes and bread.
Thyme
Low, evergreen and easy. Plant it somewhere sunny with sharp drainage, as thyme hates wet roots. Common thyme has the strongest flavour, and lemon thyme adds a citrus twist. Bees love the flowers in early summer. If an old plant gets woody and gappy, take cuttings in summer. A young replacement is more reliable than cutting hard into bare stems.
Basil
The one herb here that really needs warmth. Basil is a tender annual for a sunny windowsill, greenhouse or sheltered pot outside once the frosts are over. Sow indoors in spring in small pots of moist compost. Pinch out the tips often to make it bushy. Snip off flower buds as they appear, as the leaves lose flavour once it flowers. Pick single leaves or cut stems back to just above a pair of leaves. Basil is the perfect partner for tomatoes, in the garden and the kitchen.
Pinch basil just above a pair of leaves and two new shoots grow from that joint. Do it often and you’ll have a much bushier plant.
Mint
Mint spreads underground, so give it its own pot. Sinking a pot into the ground slows it down, but roots can still sneak out through the holes. Use a wide pot of peat-free multi-purpose compost and keep it evenly moist. Cut old stems back once they die down. Apple mint, spearmint and peppermint all taste a little different.
Parsley
Parsley lives for two years but is usually grown fresh each year. Flat-leaf and curly both taste great. Sow outdoors from spring into summer, or start a few in modules indoors. Keep the compost moist, as it can be slow and patchy to come up.
It copes with light shade, which is handy if you don’t have full sun. It grows well with salad leaves and carrots in a raised bed or pot.
Sun-loving herbs grouped together in a sunny, well-drained border. They like a bit of neglect, as too much water and rich soil dull their flavour.
Chives
Chives make clumps of mild onion-flavoured leaves and pretty purple flowers you can eat, which pollinators love. Cut leaves near the base as you need them, leaving enough for the clump to regrow. When a clump gets crowded, divide it in spring or autumn. Replant the healthy outer bits and compost the old middle.
Coriander
Coriander runs to seed quickly in hot weather. Sow a little every two or three weeks from spring to late summer for a steady supply. Choose slow-bolting varieties like Calypso or Confetti. A bit of shade in summer helps, as full sun makes it bolt faster. The seeds are a spice in their own right. Let a few plants flower, then gather and dry the seeds.
Sage
A woody perennial with soft grey-green leaves. Common sage is best for cooking, while purple and tricolour sage look lovely too. Plant in full sun and well-drained soil. Trim in spring, but don’t cut into bare old wood. Use it fresh or dried with pork, chicken and stuffing. Regular picking keeps it bushy.
Bay
Bay is an evergreen tree that takes clipping well and looks smart in a pot. Give it good drainage, and protect potted bay in hard frosts, as the roots are more exposed in a pot. Pick leaves as you need them and dry any spare ones for soups and stews. Keep dried leaves in a labelled airtight jar.
Growing herbs in containers
Pots are a great way to grow herbs. You can control drainage, picking is easy, and spreading herbs stay put.
Choosing containers
Choose pots big enough for the roots to grow. Terracotta dries out faster than plastic, so water accordingly. Drainage holes are a must, and pot feet help if water collects underneath.
Compost
For sun-loving herbs, use peat-free multi-purpose compost with grit or perlite mixed in. For parsley, chives, coriander and mint, use plain multi-purpose compost that holds more water. Water each herb when it needs it, rather than on a fixed timetable.
Grouping herbs
Group herbs by how much water they like. Rosemary, thyme, sage, oregano and lavender share a pot happily, as they all want sun and sharp drainage. Parsley, chives, coriander and mint are better together in a separate, moister pot.
A wide pot can hold rosemary, thyme, sage and oregano if each has room. Keep mint on its own. Our container vegetable gardening guide has more on growing food in pots.
Herbs grouped in pots by how much water they like: sun-lovers in gritty compost, leafy herbs in a moister mix.
Growing herbs from seed
Seed gives you far more choice than a garden centre. Sow small batches so your quick-growing herbs don’t all come ready at once.
Indoor sowing
Sow basil, parsley and coriander in small pots or modules of peat-free seed compost. Follow the packet for depth and warmth. When seedlings are big enough to handle, move them into their own pots, holding them by a leaf rather than the stem.
Direct sowing
Sow chives, dill, coriander and parsley straight into the ground once the soil warms up. Rake it fine, sow at the depth on the packet, water with a fine rose and thin the seedlings as they grow.
Buying plants
Garden centre herbs give you a quick start. Get indoor-grown plants used to the outdoors gradually, and bring them back in if it turns cold. Supermarket herb pots can be split into a few smaller clumps and repotted in fresh compost. Our guide to starting a vegetable garden has more tips for beginners.
Give bought plants a quick check before putting them near your other herbs. Look under the leaves, at the tips and on the compost for pests, webbing or mould. Keep any doubtful plant apart until you’re sure. Take off decorative sleeves before watering, as trapped water can leave the roots soggy.
Label each sowing with the herb, variety and date. It helps when seedlings look alike, and tells you whether an old sowing has really failed. Sow coriander and dill a pinch at a time rather than the whole packet at once. You’ll get a steady supply of young leaves and less thinning.
Harvesting herbs correctly
Pick shoot tips in dry weather and use or preserve them quickly.
How you pick decides how well the plant grows back. Soft herbs (basil, parsley, coriander, mint): Cut whole stems back to just above a pair of leaves rather than picking single leaves. This makes the plant branch and gives you more. Woody herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage): Snip leafy tips while the plant is growing. Don’t cut into old bare wood, as it may not regrow. Chives: Cut leaves near the base with clean scissors and let the clump regrow before the next big pick. General rule: Pick clean, healthy leaves in dry weather and preserve any extra straight away.
Preserving herbs for winter
Many soft herbs slow down or die back in winter. Saving some of your summer glut keeps the flavour going.
Freezing
Chop basil, parsley, mint, chives and coriander, pack into ice-cube trays, top up with water and freeze. Label the bag with the herb and date.
Drying
Tie rosemary, thyme, sage and oregano in small bunches and hang them somewhere warm, dry and airy. Strip the leaves once they’re completely dry and keep them in labelled airtight jars out of the light.
Growing indoors over winter
Parsley, chives and mint may give a few leaves on a bright, cool windowsill in winter, though they grow slowly. Basil needs more warmth and light, so it’s often easier to sow fresh in spring.
Parsley, basil and chives on a bright kitchen windowsill, each in its own pot with drainage.
Common problems
Leggy growth
Usually too little light or not enough picking. Move the plants somewhere sunnier and cut them back to get fresh, bushy growth.
Yellowing leaves
Usually too much water. Sun-loving herbs rot quickly in wet compost. Water less and add grit to help drainage. Yellow leaves can also mean the plant needs repotting into fresh compost.
Bolting
Coriander and basil run to flower and seed in hot weather. Choose slow-bolting varieties, give some afternoon shade in midsummer and snip off flower stalks as they appear.
Rust on mint
Orange spots on mint leaves are rust, a fungal disease. Cut all affected stems to the ground and bin them, not the compost heap. The new growth is usually clean. If it keeps coming back, start again with a new plant and fresh compost.
Month-by-month herb calendar
| Month | What to do |
|---|---|
| March | Sow parsley and chives under cover. Check pots that spent winter outside. |
| April | Sow basil indoors. Plant out hardy herbs. Divide big chive clumps. |
| May | Plant basil outside once frosts are over. Start picking regularly. |
| June | Pick and freeze any extra. Let some chives and thyme flower for the bees. |
| July to August | Keep sowing coriander. Take cuttings from rosemary and sage. |
| September | Pot up herbs for a winter windowsill. Pick and dry woody herbs. |
| October | Bring tender herbs indoors. Cut back mint. Mulch perennial herbs. |
| November to February | Pick evergreen herbs as you need them. Plan next year’s herb garden. |
| For a year-round plan, see our autumn, winter and spring gardening jobs guides. | |
| Browse the Garden UK growing guides for more seasonal ideas. Next, try a long-lived kitchen favourite with our UK rosemary growing guide. |
Frequently asked questions
What herbs grow well together in a pot?
Put herbs that like the same amount of water together. Rosemary, thyme, sage and oregano share gritty, free-draining compost happily, while parsley and chives prefer something moister.
Can I grow herbs indoors all year?
Some herbs will, if they get plenty of light. Basil and parsley are happy on a bright windowsill, while woody herbs usually do better outside.
When should I plant herbs in the UK?
Plant hardy herbs in spring as the soil warms up. Sow coriander and dill outdoors from spring, and keep basil under cover until the frosts are over.
How do I stop herbs from going leggy?
Pick the shoot tips often so the plants branch out. Give them plenty of light, don’t overfeed, and snip off flower stems when you want more leaves.
How do I preserve herbs for winter?
Dry woody herbs and freeze soft ones. Keep dried leaves in labelled airtight jars, away from heat, damp and sunlight.
Our team produces practical UK gardening guidance from source research, contributor records and established horticultural practice. Editorial standards are overseen by Matt W.
