With spring on the horizon, the world is thawing. We all know what that means—gardening season is upon us. 

Not everyone has a green thumb, but we could all benefit from growing a few leafy greens on our windowsills or in our back yards. If you’re a novice gardener, an easy way to dip your spade into the craft for the first time is to cultivate your own mini-herb garden.

There are so many great reasons to grow herbs at home. For starters, it’s cheaper than buying cut herbs from the grocery store each time you wish to use them in a recipe. And you can’t beat the convenience! The ability to snip off a clipping from your herbs at any time is extremely handy.

Best of all, they smell and look great. No matter which herbs you grow, they’re sure to make your home or garden more beautiful and more fragrant too.

Interested in getting your own herb garden started? We have you covered. Here’s how to grow your first plants. They likely won’t be your last!

First, choose your herbs. You’ll want to select options that you will enjoy using regularly, so consider what would be most useful for your favourite recipes. If you are a big pesto fan, you’ll love having a towering basil plant. Do you love to sip mojitos all summer long? A mint plant might be perfect for you. Rosemary and thyme are richer, earthier herbs, whereas parsley and cilantro add a fresher, lighter finish to dishes. 

Next, choose a spot for your little garden. When you’re selecting the location, be sure to consider the growing conditions and ensure they will be appropriate for the herbs you’ve chosen. Will your little garden be in the shade or sun? If the herbs will be planters, how is the drainage? If they are to be planted in the ground, what is the soil quality like? Some quick internet research will help you find the best locations and planting instructions for your little garden. This is also a great time to look up care instructions for your plants of choice. Most are quite low maintenance, but you’ll want to know when to water, fertilize, and harvest your herbs.

Now you’re ready for the perennial question—seedling or seed? Buying a living plant is easier than growing your herbs from seeds but doesn’t provide quite the same satisfaction as growing your very own plant from scratch. If you go the seed route, just remember that you must start earlier if you want your herbs to be ready for peak patio season. 

After your herbs are planted, all that’s left is to care for them and reap the rewards of your work. Herb gardens are considered entry-level gardening for a reason. Most herbs are resilient, grow quickly, and require only basic care. Rather than worrying about your plants dying, you will likely find that they are growing faster than you can eat them. All things considered, it’s a pretty great problem to have.