Teach me about herb gardens

[Anonymous]

With my new job (yay!), I have more time and have started cooking more regularly. Regularly enough that I regularly want fresh herbs, not regularly enough to use a whole bunch of ____ [insert herb here] before it goes bad in my refrigerator. So I'm thinking of starting an herb garden so I can avoid wasting so much money and food. I would probably want to grow (at least) parsley, basil, cilantro, and mint, as those are the ones I need most often. I live in an apartment with a balcony that is pretty shaded and doesn't really get direct sunlight. My kitchen is on the interior of the apt and so does not have a window. So, I have no idea what I'm doing and was hoping for some insight:

1. I think I'd prefer to have the plants in a small interior planter in my living room near the sliding glass doors to the balcony. There is not bright, direct sunlight there, but it does get sunlight. Will this work?
2. How likely am I to be able to cultivate these plants if I have never really done gardening before?
3. I live in Arlington. Suggestions for where I should go to buy the seeds, peet/soil, planters, etc.? I'd like a garden center kind of place where they'll actually give me advice if possible.
4. Do the leaves replenish themselves, and do so quickly, after I pluck off a bunch?

Would appreciate any other advice and insight. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Since you don't have direct sunlight, I would suggest an aerogarden or a similar contraption - google it or try amazon. All the herbs except the mint need direct sun but can be easily grown from seed. Search for "culinary mixes. "The mint will do fine on your terrace in a pot. The bigger the pot, the bigger it'll get.

[Anonymous]

Personally, I would avoid doing it from seed. It can be done and is much cheaper, but a packet of seeds gives you way more plants than what you want. You can get pretty good deals on herbs this time of year, but most cilantro and parsley will be sad looking given the heat. My basil grows in part sun, but does get about 2 hours of direct sun/day. You should also consider growing rosemary, since that is often used in cooking. As pp said, mint will take over any space you give it, so keep that in mind when picking out a container. And a tip on growing basil, snip off the spikey flowers as soon as they start. This will encourage your plant to keep growing rather than flower and go dormant. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I just want to reiterate the PPs' point about mint. We made the mistake of planting mint in a container with other herbs and the mint completely took over. Definitely put the mint in its own pot.

[Anonymous]

Just some quick comments -- Italian/flat leaf parsley does well in the heat once established, at least in my large container garden and separate pot, and comes back nicely each year. Cilantro tends to bolt in mid June in this area (as does dill) so I'd advise against doing that outside unless you just want an early crop. Basil does best in full sun. Everything can go in one container except the mint, which must be planted separately. If you opt for rosemary you many want that in a separate pot so you can bring it inside to winter it over and also use a different (sandier) soil mixture for better growth.

[Anonymous]

So glad to see your post!

If you're interested, I do gardening coaching consultations, and because I am still forming a fall roster and you have a super straightforward, simple goal, would be happy to coach you for free.

If this sounds good to you, e-mail me at

[e-mail]

[Anonymous]

Speaking as a long-time apartment dweller who has tried this, you need 5-6 hours of direct sun to grow herbs. Otherwise they just won't thrive.

[Anonymous]

Forget cilantro - needs to be replanted frequently. Likes cooler weather. Basil is an annual - you need to plant every year. Grows very well with lots of sun. Mint takes over everything so plant it in it's own pot as PP said.

Buy them as small plants from a nursery in Spring. You can transplant them in pots. Make sure they get lots of sun.

Good luck. Herbs are very easy to grow outside, but honestly, I haven't had much luck with them inside.

[Anonymous]

we've done a window box and i get new herb plants every year and stick them in there. i figure it only costs $3 for the plant anyway, so we get our money's worth even if we have to replant annually. basil tends to do well and we don't get a huge amount of sun there. it needs daily watering.