11 Easiest Herbs To Grow At Home

The satisfaction of cooking with herbs you grow in your garden is unparalleled. However, it can be hard to find the best herbs to thrive in your garden. So, what are the easiest herbs to grow at home?

The easiest herbs to grow at home are lavender, chives, cilantro, and basil because they require little water and pruning. Other low-maintenance herbs, like thyme, mint, parsley, and fennel thrive in full sunlight. It’s easy to grow oregano, sage, dill, and basil as long as you maintain damp soil.

Each of these herbs add flavour to your food and has many practical uses in the kitchen. Follow along as we explore the easiest herbs to grow at home and highlight the ideal growing conditions.

What Are the Best Low-Maintenance Herbs?

1. Lavender

Lavender is an enduring herb that’s easy to grow if you provide enough sunlight. Plant lavender in an unobstructed area where it can get up to 8 hours of sunlight each day. That said, lavender can handle partial shade in hot climates, as that stops the soil from drying out.

It grows well in pots and flowerbeds, but it may need more water in a small pot. Otherwise, you only need to water it twice per week, unless you live in a dry climate. Overwatering can kill lavender, so simply make sure the top layer of soil is damp.

2. Chives

Chives is a resilient, low-maintenance herb that loves full sunlight but can handle partial shade. Many people grow chives in big pots, so it doesn’t spread throughout the garden. However, you can also stop it from spreading if you prune chives before flowering, so the seeds don’t disperse.

Look for organic soil that drains well and doesn’t exceed 7.0 on the pH scale. The results come quickly, as you can pick from the plant within 30-60 days. Chives go great with seafood, omelettes, and soup, especially when you grow the herb yourself.

3. Cilantro

Cilantro is easy to grow no matter where you live, but the growing conditions change slightly between climates. For example, cilantro does well with full sunlight in moderate climates but needs partial shade in hot climates. Part of why it’s so easy to grow cilantro is that it can endure and bounce back from problems, such as light frosts.

Granted, such problems can stunt the herb’s growth, but it won’t always kill it. You only need to water cilantro 1-2 times per week unless you grow it in a small pot. Use well-draining soil and avoid oversaturation, so the soil doesn’t become too soggy.

4. Basil

Basil is a timeless herb, and anybody can grow it at home. Ideally, you should plant basil after the final frost of the year going into spring or early summer. The perfect soil temperature during the germination phase is 70 to 80 degrees.

Basil needs up to 8 hours of sunlight in most climates, but some afternoon shade is okay. Prune the herb once per month to make sure it doesn’t flower. That helps preserve the flavor, but it’s unnecessary if you don’t plan to eat it.

5. Dill

Delicious and healthy, dill is a simple herb to grow at home when the weather is warm and fairly dry. Dill thrives in most climate zones, but timing is important, as it doesn’t do well in cold weather. It doesn’t do as well in rainy climates, as sogginess can hinder growth.

Otherwise, it’s easy to grow dill and you only need to water it 1-2 times per week totaling up to 2”. You can prune dill if you want it to become bushier, but that’s not required in many cases. The satisfaction of making some homemade dill pickles with the dill you harvested from your garden is worth the wait.

6. Sage

Sage is a low-maintenance, full-sun herb that needs well-draining soil to thrive. You can plant sage in both spring and fall, so it’s not restrictive. It’s also easy to grow sage indoors throughout the year if the soil is rich with nutrients.

Make sure the soil’s pH level is 6.5 to 7.0, and avoid overwatering it. You only need to water sage once or twice per week to keep the soil damp. Simply make sure the top inch of soil never becomes too dry, and your sage will thrive.

7. Oregano

The ideal growing conditions for oregano vary based on your climate zone, but it’s always easy to grow. For example, it thrives in full sunlight on the West Coast but does well in partial shade in the south. Either way, oregano isn’t a shade plant, so you need to give it at least 6 hours of sunlight each day.

You only need to give oregano 1” of water per week, but you must check the soil each day. Ideally, you should simply maintain a damp top layer of soil, as deep watering isn’t usually necessary. Once harvested, you can season and garnish meats, fish, soup, pasta, and protein bowls with oregano to add flavor.

8. Fennel

Fennel is an amazing herb that you can plant throughout the year with great results, depending on the climate. It thrives in summer and autumn, and fennel does quite well in rich soil. Ideally, fennel must get 6-8 hours of sunlight per day, and it relies on well-draining soil.

Keep in mind that fennel can hurt plants within the nightshade family if they’re too close. Make sure to plant your fennel far away from nightshades, like tomatoes, and legumes as well. Otherwise, it’s a low-maintenance herb that grows quickly.

9. Parsley

Not only is parsley easy to grow, but you can also harvest it within 90 days or less. However, the quick turnaround of parsley is only possible if you use nutrient-dense soil. Well-drained soil with nutrients like potassium and nitrogen can ensure your parsley grows healthy.

Find a spot in your garden with full sunlight, so the parsley gets at least 6 hours of light per day. A key benefit of parsley is that it helps keep harmful bugs out of the garden. It’s aromatic enough to scare away ticks and even ants.

10. Mint

Mint is easy to grow at home, and it grows abundantly. That’s because mint spreads quickly depending on where you position it in your garden. Because of that, you must be mindful of what plants are around it so you don’t disrupt them.

You can avoid that altogether if you simply plant mint in a pot. This lets you easily harvest mint without worrying about having too much. Mint does well in partial to full sunlight, and you can often harvest it 2 months after you plant it.

11. Thyme

Thyme is a delicious herb that makes any soup or cut of meat taste better. Luckily, you can easily grow it at home as long as the soil drains well. Thyme needs plenty of sunlight to thrive, so choose a spot that gets 6-8 hours of light per day.

You only need to water thyme every 2-3 days, that is unless the soil is dry. Luckily, you can harvest thyme leaves all year, but it’s most abundant during the summer.

Summing It Up

Lavender, basil, dill, sage, and oregano are among the easiest herbs to grow at home. It’s also easy to grow chives, cilantro, thyme, and mint because they are low-maintenance. Each of these herbs requires well-draining soil, and none of them require a lot of water.

Related Guides:

• What Herbs Can Survive Indoors During The Winter?
• How To Dry Herbs From Y​​our Garden For Later Use