8 Easy Herbs to Grow at Home during a Lockdown

If you’re a cooking enthusiast or fancy yourself a bit of an at-home chef, then you’ve probably dropped some serious coin on expensive supermarket herbs in the past.

With social distancing in place due to Coronavirus, now is a great time to be thinking about putting in some tasty and nutritious herbs. Not only will your wallet thank you but your isolation-cooking will be so much tastier with the addition of fresh herbs/

The good news is that growing herbs at home is both affordable and easy – you just need to know what to plant and where.

With that in mind, here’s our guide to seven of the easiest herbs to grow at home and some essential things you should know before you get started.

1. Coriander

Summer is not ideal for coriander to grow but spring, winter and autumn should see your coriander plant in full bloom, which means now is a great time for many Australians.

Coriander plants like sunny spots in the garden, well-drained soil, regular watering and fertilising.

When embarking on a journey to learn how to grow herbs in pots, coriander is your go-to. While it also grows well in the ground, coriander makes for an excellent container mate for other plants and herbs. Coriander is a pungent herb that complements Indian and Asian dishes.

Coriander is a great herb to grow in pots. Picture: Getty

2. Basil

Delicious basil is a leafy and fragrant herb that grows beautifully in full sunlight. Basil loves moist but well-drained soil and requires lots of pruning when it’s in full season.

Growing basil is easier than you think once you get the hang of it. When a branch of your basil has seven or eight leaves, it’s time to give it a prune to allow for new growth.

Basil works well in Italian dishes and can be made into pesto pasta sauces or added to salads.

What herbs are easy to grow? Basil! What’s more, fresh basil leaves go brilliantly in a salad or pasta. Picture: Getty

3. Rosemary

Rosemary is arguably the easiest herb to grow. If you plant it in a good spot, it will provide you with more rosemary than you’ll ever be able to cook with.

Rosemary plants can grow quite tall and wide but can still live happily in large pots and containers. It can survive well in hot and dry climates so be careful not to over water or over fertilise it.

Rosemary is a hearty herb that works well with winter foods like soups, stews and baked potatoes.

Read more: How to grow rosemary

Rosemary is one of the easiest herbs to grow, so even black thumbs can get in on the action. Picture: Erinna Giblin

4. Parsley

If you want to discover how to grow herbs inside, or more importantly, what herbs are easy to grow inside, then look no further than parsley. Not unlike other herbs, parsley flourishes in sunny areas, but it’s a hardy, versatile herb making it one of the easiest herbs to grow in the kitchen. There are two basic varieties of parsley – flat-leaf and curly. Both are excellent for cooking, particularly in Italian dishes, and both will grow well in most gardens or containers.

Parsley likes to be planted in spring and needs a moderate to low amount of water and fertilisation.

5. Lavender

While Lavender isn’t technically a herb, it’s still a wonderful plant to grow as a part of an edible garden. You can use it for baking, making your drawers smell sweet and for adding fragrance to bathroom products.

Lavender loves the full sun so make sure you can accommodate its needs before you plant it. Lavender likes a well-drained pot, but give it lots of water at least once a week.

Growing lavender in pots is easy if you know how. Picture: Getty

If your lavender is growing well it will need pruning regularly to keep it under control – lavender thrives under the right conditions so make sure you keep an eye on it.

6. Chives

Chives like the cold weather so winter is when you’ll get the best out of your chive plants.

If you plant chives under the right conditions they can overwhelm your garden so make sure you keep an eye on any neighbouring plants. Chives love full sun, cool weather and moist soil that’s fertile and well-drained.

Chives are a delicious addition to winter soups and are also fantastic when stirred into dips and sauces.

If you’re looking for how to grow herbs inside, chives is not for you. They love full sun, so keep them outside. Picture: Getty

7. Mint

Keen to start growing herbs and seeing your produce flourish fast? Fragrant and fast-growing, mint is an easy-to-grow and very useful addition to an at-home herb garden.

Mint likes a nice mixture of sun and shade and thrives well in gardens, pots and containers. Make sure you place mint plants about 40cm apart to allow for rapid growth and to discourage the roots from overcrowding.

Peppermint tea is a healthy and refreshing drink you can make straight from your garden. Picture: Getty

Mint can be used in a variety of different dishes including salads, stir-frys and even in hot drinks.

8. Sage

Anyone that loves roast chicken or roast pork needs to be growing sage in the garden.

It’s easy to grow in pots and the flowers are bee-attracting so will go a long way in helping not just your garden, but all the gardens in the neighbourhood.

Sage is a fabulous plant to having in the garden for a range of dishes and cooking styles. Picture: Getty

Sage loves full sun and well-drained soil. It goes well in all kinds of dishes from roast pork and chicken dishes to scrambled eggs or gnocchi. You can even try throwing the stunning purple flowers in a salad for a colourful twist.

Not only can you grow this beauty to eat but it’s also great for smudging!

Check out some more of the easiest herbs to grow in our Green Space video…

This article was originally published on 27 Apr 2020 at 9:00am but has been regularly updated to keep the information current.

8 easiest and must-have herbs to grow at home