If you’re a new gardener, one of the best (and easiest) ways to get planting is with an herb garden. And it’s even easier with an herb growing kit. Fresh herbs on demand? Yes, please!
In this guide, you’ll learn why herb gardens are a perfect fit for aspiring gardeners, why it’s a great idea to grow your own herbs, and how to use them. We’ll also share a list of the top benefits for growing herbs as well as some of the best herbs to grow. Before you know it, you’ll be ready to start your very own herb garden.
Why an Herb Garden?
Herb gardens are perfect for gardeners of all skill levels, but they’re a perfect match for beginners. Here are a few reasons why we recommend getting started with them.
Easy Peasy Gardening
Unlike some fruits and veggies, herbs tend to be low maintenance and can grow quickly, which means you can harvest your herbs in a matter of weeks not months.
As long as your herbs get enough sunlight and are planted in the right soil conditions, you can expect to see a reward for your efforts. It’s worth noting that herbs can have different moisture requirements, especially if you plant them in the same container. Some like a moist environment while others thrive in more arid conditions.
Herb growing kits make an already simple gardening project even more beginner-friendly. Back to the Roots Kitchen Herb Garden gives you everything you need to grow organic herbs inside your home. This indoor herb garden kit includes mint, basil, and cilantro seeds that are ready to go in individual containers complete with nutrient-rich organic soil.
What’s more, Back to the Roots only uses high-quality non-GMO seeds that are 100% organic and grown domestically in the United States, so you always know where your seeds are coming from.
Pro tip: If you’re looking for another way to add greenery inside and work on your gardening skills, check out our Back to the Roots Organic Microgreens Kit. These mini greens are packed full of nutrition and offer a delicious complement to fresh herbs in a salad or garnish on soup.
Always a Perfect Fit
Whether you’d like to set up a patio garden or only have a bit of room on a windowsill, you can make an herb garden work for you.
Container gardening works just as well indoors as it does outdoors. It also makes moving your herbs around a simple task. If you’re worried about forgetting to water your herbs (hey — it happens to the best of us), think about going with a hydroponic system. They’re self-watering and ideal for keeping a garden when you’re short on space.
Some grow kits have a control panel, so you can choose specific settings for your plants. An LED grow light can make all the difference in helping your herbs thrive if you don’t have a lot of natural light indoors. You can pick up grow lights at your local garden center. Some hydroponic gardens use soil disks or seed pods, but you can always go with your choice of herb seed and plant them yourself.
Pro tip: If you’re going to use a container garden indoors, don’t forget a drip tray to catch water drainage. Drip trays will protect your countertop and floor.
Build Your Confidence
An herb growing kit might be just what you need to develop your green thumb and build your confidence. With an herb garden, you’re choosing seeds and getting an idea of what it takes for proper germination, indoors or out.
All the lessons you learn with your herb garden apply to future gardening projects, whether it’s planting heirloom tomatoes, bushels of cucumbers, or fragrant lavender in your garden.
You can always expand your herb garden too. Just because you start small doesn’t mean you need to keep it that way. If you’d like to test the waters with outdoor gardening, try expanding your herb garden with a Back to the Root’s Fabric Raised Garden Bed. It’s portable, easy to move around, and gives you the room you need to experiment with growing different herbs It’s also durable enough to last several gardening seasons and is easy to fold and stash away when not in use.
5 Benefits of Growing Fresh Herbs
Aside from being the perfect way to bring a bit of nature indoors, there are countless reasons to plant herbs in your garden. From upping your creativity in the kitchen to saving money, you can’t grow wrong with an herb garden. Check out some of the benefits of fresh herbs you can enjoy every day:
- Swap Dried Herbs for Fresh Herbs: If you love cooking, you know how nice it is to have a spice cabinet full of delicious herbs. While they aren’t perfect for all culinary applications, swapping dried herbs for fresh ones can be a game-changer in your kitchen and enhance the flavor of every dish you make.
- Save Money, Time, and Cut Back on Waste: When you keep an herb garden, you can skip last-minute grocery runs, save a little extra cash, and avoid waste. It’s so much easier to walk over to your windowsill for a quick snip of fresh herbs. And if you’re only harvesting what you need, you never have to worry about using up leftover herbs before they go bad.
- Add Extra Nutrition to Every Meal: Adding fresh herbs to your meals is an easy and flavorful way to take advantage of their health benefits. Herbs are terrific sources of antioxidants and polyphenols that may have anti-inflammatory effects on the body.
- Say See Ya to Pesticides and Chemicals: Tending your own garden means you’re in control of how pesticides and chemicals are used, if at all. If you want to grow truly organic herbs (starting with organic seeds), you can. There are plenty of eco-friendly ways of keeping pests at bay and maintaining soil quality.
- Always Grow Exactly What You Want: Depending on where you live, it might be a challenge finding certain herbs, let alone fresh ones. A home herb garden means you can grow your favorite variety of herbs, from lemon thyme to Mexican oregano.
Remember, an herb starter kit makes it a cinch to get started, but you can always pick up a mix of organic seed packets, potting soil, and plant food if you’d like to DIY your herb garden from the ground up.
Plant markers (Etsy has a great selection) identify what you’ve got in each container, and a stainless steel watering will help you keep your herbs happy and hydrated. It doesn’t take much to have a thriving herb garden.
7 Herbs for Your Herb Growing Kit and Garden
With so many different herbs available, we know decision making can be daunting (can’t we just plant them all?). In case you’re still deciding what should be in your garden, we rounded up our favorite gourmet herbs to give you some inspiration. Even better? Each herb on our list is easy to grow!
- Cilantro: While few salsas are complete without cilantro, this flavorful herb goes way beyond chips and guacamole. This herb is perfecting for juicing and adding to smoothies, salads, and curries alike. Feel free to plant it outdoors in your garden or keep it inside — it grows well in both environments.
- Basil: Basil is a lovely herb and can be used in several different dishes. Genovese basil is a type of sweet basil and makes a delicious pesto and pizza topping. Lemon basil would be delightful here too. Try exploring Thai basil in curries and pad Thai.
- Oregano: Equally at home in spaghetti sauce or on roasted chicken, this flavorful herb grows well in container gardens with full sun. Keep your eyes open for Mexican oregano too as it’s delicious in pozole.
- Chives: Chives are a member of the allium family (like garlic and onions) and a must-have in any kitchen. The delicate flavor is unbeatable in a morning scramble, potato dishes, as a garnish, and more.
- Mint: Like basil, there are a few different varieties of mint you can plant. Spearmint, chocolate mint, peppermint, and even pineapple mint are all fantastic choices. Use mint to garnish desserts, sauces, smoothies, and other beverages.
- Rosemary: Rosemary is a resilient herb and one you can enjoy in a winter vegetable garden, depending on where you live. If it gets too chilly, you’ll definitely want to bring it inside. Add rosemary to potatoes, roasted vegetables, soup, and stews.
- Sage: There are more than 900 different kinds of sage. (Who knew?) While not all are culinary herbs, you can definitely keep it simple and start with regular garden sage. Like rosemary, it does well in cooler temperatures and pairs beautifully with roasted butternut squash and root vegetables.
Pro tip: There’s so much more you can do with your herbs once you harvest them. Try infusing some of your favorite cooking oils with them, or make a delicious compound butter with chives, sage, thyme, and extra rosemary.
Get Your Garden Started With an Herb Growing Kit
It’s hard to beat the ease of an herb growing kit. In practically no time at all, your starter kit will have you set up and well on your way to having a green thumb and a flourishing garden to match. For more info on making your herb garden successful, check out our step-by-step guide to growing an herb garden.
