The best pots for herbs
Herbs are the most useful plants in the house and the most often killed. Nearly always, the pot is the reason - too small, too wet, or no drainage at all.
What size pot do herbs need?
Most kitchen herbs are happy in a 12 to 18cm pot with drainage holes. Basil, parsley and coriander want moisture and a deeper pot. Rosemary, thyme and sage prefer terracotta, which dries fast. A window trough suits a whole herb garden in a single planter.
- 12 to 18cm suits most single herbs
- Terracotta for rosemary, thyme, sage and oregano
- Deeper, moisture-holding pots for basil, parsley and coriander
- Mint needs its own pot - it will strangle anything sharing one
What we would use
Pots and kit for herbs
How to choose
- Never plant supermarket herbs straight into a big pot
- Split a crowded supermarket pot into two or three smaller ones
- Drainage holes and a saucer, always, on a kitchen windowsill
- Pick a trough if you want several herbs within arm's reach
Questions
Herbs pots - FAQs
Can I keep several herbs in one pot?
Only if they want the same conditions. Rosemary, thyme and sage share happily because all three like dry compost. Basil and mint want far more water and should be potted separately.
Why do supermarket herbs die so quickly?
They are sold as dozens of seedlings crammed into one small pot, competing for the same water. Split the clump into two or three pots and most of them recover within a fortnight.
Do herb pots need drainage holes?
Yes. Herbs are the plants most often lost to soggy compost, and a pot with no drainage on a sunny windowsill is the fastest way to lose one.
What size pot does mint need?
At least 18cm, and always on its own. Mint spreads by runners and will take over any pot it shares.