Planter Boxes: A Guide to Growing Herbs in Containers

Benefits of Growing Herbs in Planter Boxes

Growing herbs in pots provides several benefits that make it an excellent choice. Herb container gardening is especially effective for those with limited space, like city dwellers. Here's what you can expect:

• Convenience: Herbs grown in planter boxes give you access to fresh ingredients steps away. Imagine snipping a sprig of basil or parsley right when you need it! Plus, think of the money you'll save by harvesting from home.
• Space: Planter boxes are ideal for small spaces like balconies, patios, or sunny windowsills. If you're an urban gardener, you can even enjoy fresh herbs at your fingertips.
• Control: When using gardening containers, you can control the type of potting mix, drainage, and watering. If organic is your pleasure, you can ensure you get that.
• Flexibility: You can move planting boxes easily to optimize sunlight exposure. You can also bring them indoors to protect tender herbs from harsh weather in winter. Think about it—fresh herbs any time you like, 365 days a year!

Choosing the Right Planter Box for Herbs

Selecting the correct planter box is crucial for the success of your herb garden.

Smaller herbs like chives and thyme require less space and can thrive in compact containers as small as 6-8 inches in diameter. That size is ideal for maintaining moisture without overwhelming their root systems. These herbs can also do well in grouped planters, allowing you to mix multiple small herbs in one container. The EarthBox Junior Gardening System makes the perfect herb planter for smaller herbs.

In contrast, larger herbs like rosemary need deeper gardening containers. You'll typically want to use one 10-12 inches in diameter and at least 12 inches deep. The larger size provides support for their extensive root systems and upright growth.

A gardening box also provides stability for these more robust herbs. Given the space, plants like rosemary and basil can grow to impressive heights and widths.

Get more tips for selecting the best planter boxes.

Good Drainage is a Must for Potted Herbs

You can use terra cotta pots, wood, plastic, or ceramic planters. Each has its pluses and minuses. Whichever you select, drainage holes are essential to prevent water from pooling at the bottom, which can lead to root rot.

If your gardening container lacks holes, drill holes in the bottom. Some herbs like lavender prefer drier soils, making good drainage imperative.

Essential Elements for a Thriving Herb Garden

To ensure your herbs thrive, providing the right growing conditions is important. These elements are essential for success:

Quality Potting Soil

A quality potting mix is essential for container herbs. It provides the right balance of nutrients, drainage, and aeration.

Garden soil is too heavy and poorly draining for container gardening. Potting mix, on the other hand, supports healthy root development in a confined space.

Here’s a breakdown of what makes a potting mix suitable for herbs:

1. Good Drainage and Aeration: Potting mixes often contain ingredients like perlite and vermiculite. These promote drainage and create air pockets in the soil, supporting root oxygenation.
2. Lightweight Texture: Unlike heavy garden soil, a good potting mix is lightweight, allowing roots to grow freely. Lighter soil is critical in gardening containers, where compacted or dense soil can lead to poor root development.
3. Nutrient Content: Herbs don’t require extremely nutrient-rich soil. A balanced potting mix with a moderate nutrient profile supports steady growth. Some potting mixes contain a small amount of organic fertilizer, which can provide a nutrient boost for the first few months.
4. pH Balance: Most herbs prefer a slightly neutral to slightly acidic pH, typically between 6.0 and 7.0. A quality potting mix should fall within this range to support various herbs.

Growing Full Sun Herb Varieties

You might think herbs require the typical six-plus hours of sunlight to thrive. That's true for many, but not all, herbs. Certain varieties can adapt to partial shade, making them suitable for less sunny spaces. Knowing your herbs’ sunlight preferences is critical to positioning your containers for optimal growth.

Many culinary herbs prefer full sun and will produce the best flavor and growth with abundant sunlight. Examples include:

• Basil: A sun-loving herb that grows best in bright, direct light.
• Rosemary: Requires full sun to maintain its robust, woody growth.
• Thyme, Sage, and Oregano: These Mediterranean herbs prefer sunny, dry conditions and flourish in full sunlight.

Growing Partial Sun Herb Varieties

Some herbs tolerate and even thrive with less light. They're ideal for indoor settings, shaded balconies, or north-facing windows. Examples include:

• Mint: Does well in partial shade and can grow vigorously even with only 4-6 hours of sunlight.
• Parsley: Grows well in full and partial sun, though partial shade can help retain moisture, especially in hot climates.
• Chervil and Cilantro: These herbs prefer cooler temperatures and can benefit from partial shade. That's especially true during hot summer when intense sun can cause them to bolt.

Grow lights indoors can be a great solution to supplement natural light, especially during shorter winter days.

Watering Needs for Different Herbs

To grow herbs successfully, you must be aware of watering needs. Some herbs require less water, while others thrive in more moist conditions. Knowing where each herb falls can help prevent common issues like root rot and wilting.

Moisture-Loving Herbs

These herbs prefer consistently moist soil, especially in warmer weather. They do best when watered regularly, but it’s important not to let water pool at the base of the container.

• Basil
• Parsley
• Chives

Drought-Tolerant Herbs

Many Mediterranean herbs adapt to dry climates and prefer their soil to dry out between waterings. Overwatering can lead to root rot for these hardy plants.

• Rosemary
• Thyme
• Oregano
• Sage

You can make your life easier by using a self-watering planter box like EarthBox. Plants can access water from the reservoir in the planter's base as needed. So, herbs requiring more moisture can intake water, while those preferring drier conditions will wait until necessary.

Tips for Companion Planting an Herb Garden Planter

As you can see, herbs have different needs for sunlight and watering. Understanding those needs can help you group herbs that thrive together and avoid those that don't. For example, companion plant herbs prefer drier conditions together: thyme, rosemary, and sage.

Here are some popular herbs and companion planting suggestions:

• Basil: This sun-loving, tender annual is a great companion for parsley, chives, and cilantro, as they all prefer moist soil. However, avoid planting basil with rosemary, which needs drier soil and can crowd basil’s growth.
• Mint: Known for its invasive growth, mint is best grown alone in its pot to prevent it from overtaking other herbs. Mint prefers partial shade, making it ideal for less sunny patio or kitchen window spots.
• Thyme and Rosemary: These two hardy herbs are drought-tolerant and love full sun, making them excellent partners in the same planter. Their low water needs make them perfect for a sunny spot with infrequent watering.
• Sage and Oregano: Both herbs enjoy well-draining soil and plenty of sunlight, making them good companions. Avoid pairing them with herbs that need frequent watering, like basil or parsley.
• Chives: This herb is fairly adaptable and can grow in moist or well-drained soil. Chives pair well with basil and parsley and enjoy similar light and water needs.

Learn more about growing tender vs. hardy herbs to see how it might impact companion planting.

EarthBox - The Smart Choice for Container Gardening

Growing herbs in containers offers flexibility and the joy of fresh, homegrown herbs year-round. Anyone can enjoy an herb garden with the right planter boxes, good soil, and a little care.

EarthBox ensures your success with its proven growing system backed by lab testing. You can even pick up an herb garden kit for only $34. It has everything you need to grow herbs in containers:

• Planter box
• Fertilizer
• Dolomite lime
• Aeration screen
• Mulch covers
• Fill tube

EarthBox is your green thumb solution for container gardening.