Why Containers Are a Great Choice for Growing Herbs
Whether you’re short on gardening space or just trying to make care and harvesting easier, containers offer a great way to grow edibles. Herbs are a natural in pots. You can make a pretty mosaic by mixing the various leaf textures. And because you’ll be snipping plants regularly, they seldom outgrow their confines.
Repeating Identical Containers
For a pleasing look that also increases the amount of produce available, double up on your containers. Simply repeat the combo and set both next to each other for effect. These containers include oregano, parsley, chives and basil surrounding tomato plants. The tomato plants are determinate, meaning they’ll only grow so tall before ripening a crop — perfect for containers.
Using the Compact Growing Space
This mix of herbs adds subtle textural beauty to a patio planter. You can cram lots of plants into a relatively small area because herbs will be snipped back to flavor recipes. This group includes basil, parsley, sage, rosemary and oregano.
Growing in a Portable Elevated Planter
An elevated planter makes it convenient to grow and harvest edibles right outside the kitchen door. With a depth of more than a foot, there’s plenty of room in the planter for the roots of larger plants, such as peppers and kale. Sorrel and basil fill in around their larger companions, while thyme spills over the sides to maximize growing space.
Planting in a Large Raised Bed
Those lacking space for a traditional garden bed will appreciate a raised patio planter. This sizeable unit, made of rot-resistant cedar and lined with heavy-duty plastic, can hold an impressive array of plants, including tomatoes, peppers, dill, basil, chives, oregano, sorrel, Agastache and marigolds. It also offers hidden storage underneath.
Herb Gardening in a Window Box
If you’ve got a sunny windowsill, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to see how many herbs you can raise in a window box. This mix of thyme, purpleleaf basil, variegated basil, Cuban oregano, sage and lavender is ornamental enough to earn a spot in the front yard.
Mixing Edibles With Ornamentals
Some edibles are pretty enough to hold their own with ornamental plants. The bright red stems of Swiss chard (also available with gold or pink stems) pair well with the chartreuse foliage of coral bells. Who could imagine so much color without flowers?
More on Mixing Edibles With Ornamentals
There's no rule against growing ornamental plants alongside edibles. It's a good way to augment hardworking plants with color and beauty. Here, with its gray-green foliage, rosemary makes an attractive backdrop for colorful annuals, such as calibrachoa and a small-leafed coleus. Regular pinching will keep the rosemary from overpowering its companions.