Fresh herbs make simple food taste special, but buying little packets every week adds up — and half of each one goes slimy in the fridge. A few pots on a windowsill give you herbs whenever you want them.
The easiest herbs to start with
- Basil: loves warmth and sun. Keep it away from cold windows and draughts.
- Parsley: tough and reliable, and it doesn’t mind a bit less light.
- Chives: very easy, and they keep coming back after you cut them.
- Mint: grows vigorously. Give it its own pot, because it takes over.
- Thyme and rosemary: like sun and prefer to dry out between waterings.
- Coriander: trickier, because it quickly runs to seed. Sow a little every few weeks for a steady supply.
Rescue supermarket pots
Supermarket herb pots are packed with far too many seedlings to survive long. Gently split the root ball into three or four clumps and replant each in its own pot of compost. They’ll grow much bigger and last for months.
Light and water
- Choose your brightest windowsill — south- or west-facing is ideal.
- Water when the top of the soil feels dry. Use pots with drainage holes and empty the saucer, because soggy roots kill more herbs than dryness does.
- Turn the pots every few days so they don’t lean towards the light.
Harvest so they keep growing
Pick from the top, just above a pair of leaves, rather than stripping the big leaves at the bottom. This makes the plant bushier. Pinch off any flower buds, because once a herb flowers its leaves become less tasty.
Cooking with herbs
- Soft herbs — basil, parsley, coriander, chives, mint and dill — are best added at the end or used raw.
- Woody herbs — rosemary, thyme, sage and bay — like long cooking in roasts, stews and sauces.
- Don’t throw away the stalks. Coriander and parsley stalks are full of flavour, so chop them into curries and sauces, or add them to stock.
Storing cut herbs
Stand parsley and coriander in a glass of water in the fridge, like flowers. Keep basil at room temperature, because it blackens in the cold. Chop leftover herbs into ice-cube trays with a little oil and freeze them, ready to drop into cooking.