Starting a kitchen herb garden is a rewarding and cost-effective way to enjoy fresh flavours at your fingertips, especially if starting from seed. To get started, choose the right location with at least 4-6 hours of sunlight per day. Select herbs that you use frequently in your cooking and decide on containers or a garden bed. Prepare the soil and sow seeds in shallow pots or trays depending on instructions, some such as coriander can be sown directly in a bed when warm enough. Transplant your herbs if necessary when big enough and weather is reliably warm (end of May usually), and water regularly if needed but do not saturate the soil and try to avoid wetting foliage. Fertilize sparingly and pinch back if necessary to generate new shoots.
Choose herbs that you use in cooking or find attractive in form, colour or fragrance. A herb such as mint can be invasive and is best contained in a large pot or container. Basil requires a warm spot and frequent pinching to prevent leggy growth. Rotate your herbs on your plot if you plan to grow herbs year-round to keep the soil healthy and prevent pest and disease buildup.
If you live in a cold climate, select herbs suitable for indoor growing, such as basil, mint, and thyme. Herbs are easy to grow and a thrifty way to enjoying a thriving kitchen herb garden with attractive ornamental value.