Growing your own herbs at home is a great way to save money, decorate your space, and reduce your environmental impact.

Once planted, growing herbs is very easy—the most difficult part will probably be remembering to water them!

Containers

Start by finding a container that suits you and your living space. You can use one long container or a few small ones. If you are creative, you might want to buy simple clay pots and decorate them yourself.

If you have thinner windowsills, it might be tricky to find a container that will fit properly. You may just have to settle on placing your container on your kitchen counter or table.

Seeds or small plants?

Depending on your level of experience, you may choose to grow your herbs directly from a seed or buy small plants from your local nursery. Either method will work, but starting with a smaller plant speeds up the process, while starting from seeds requires a lot more care and attention.

Remember: If you start with seeds, place them in a wet paper towel until they start to sprout, and then plant them in pots.

Location, location, location

When choosing your herbs, remember to take into consideration where the container will be placed. Knowing whether your windows provide you with full sun or partial sun will prevent your herbs from wilting away (and save your wallet in the process!).

The majority of common herbs require full sun—about six hours of direct sunlight—so if your living space doesn’t provide this, you may have to do some searching and experimenting to find the right herbs for you. You will want to group herbs that have similar sun requirements together, so if your favorite herb requires partial sun, make sure the other herbs you choose require that as well.

Common herbs

Basil requires full sun, but can tolerate partial sun. Basil is frequently used in tomato sauces and is also the main ingredient in pesto.

Parsley is another herb that requires full sun. It has a wide variety of uses in cooking and is also an attractive garnish.

Oregano also requires full sun and from August to October it will bloom a purple flower. Only the leaves are used as a herb, not the flowers. Use oregano in tomato sauces, poultry stuffings, and with your cooked vegetables.

Thyme is best grown in full sun and will also bloom during the months of June, July and August. Thyme is a great herb to use with other herbs because its flavour is complementary but not overpowering.

Cilantro will require only partial sun and is a good herb for windows that only receive morning or afternoon light. The best thing about cilantro? The entire plant can be eaten, so use both the leaves and stems when flavouring your sauces.

Chamomile requires partial sun as well. You can dry your chamomile flowers and use them in tea—simply use a french press or buy a tea infuser. You can also add chamomile to bowls to use as potpourri to give your house a calming smell.

Pruning

Once the plants have reached a mature stage, start pruning and using your fresh herbs. You will want to prune your plants more often to encourage growth.

Using your herbs

Now that your herbs are ready to use, try them in all your favourite recipes. You can also use your herbs as a garnish on your meals for those special occasions.

If you find you are not able to use up all the herbs while fresh, hang them upside down to dry them out then store in spice containers. Remember that the flavour of dry herbs comes out when used in hot foods.

Now that your windowsill herb garden is planted, there’s only one more important thing to remember: water your herbs!