Container gardening has become a practical option for people who want fresh plants without giving up a large part of their yard. With more than 55% of the global population living in urban areas in 2022, according to the United Nations, growing food in pots has become especially useful for apartment dwellers, balcony gardeners, and home cooks who want fresh ingredients close at hand.
Herbs are a natural fit for containers. Most don’t need much room, many grow quickly, and having them outside the kitchen makes it easy to snip what you need for dinner. Still, not every herb is happy in a pot. Some have aggressive roots, grow much larger than expected, or need more room than a typical container can provide.
Here are 12 herbs that are well suited to containers, followed by five that are better choices for an in-ground garden.
Thyme
Thyme is a great pick if you’re working with limited space. It stays relatively small, handles dry conditions once established, and doesn’t need constant watering.
Give it plenty of sunlight and use a pot with good drainage. Letting the soil dry a little between waterings is usually better than keeping it constantly wet. Its small leaves pack plenty of flavor into roasted vegetables, meats, soups, and sauces.
Because thyme stays compact, it works well on a sunny patio, balcony, or kitchen windowsill.
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Cilantro
Cilantro grows quickly, making it a fun herb for containers. It does best in cooler weather and needs regular moisture while it’s getting established.
One thing to know about cilantro is that it doesn’t stick around forever. Once temperatures rise, it can bolt and produce flowers and seeds. Planting a fresh batch every few weeks can help keep a steady supply of young leaves.
Let some plants go to seed and you can collect coriander, giving you another useful ingredient from the same plant.
Chives
Chives are about as easy as herbs get. They grow in containers, come back year after year, and don’t require much attention once established.
Their mild onion flavor works with eggs, potatoes, soups, salads, dips, and countless other dishes. In spring and summer, their purple flowers also add some color to the pot.
Give chives well-draining soil and plenty of sunlight. Snip the leaves regularly to encourage fresh growth and keep the plant looking tidy.
Related: 15 Vegetables That Bring Helpful Pollinators to Your Garden
Rosemary
Rosemary is especially well suited to container growing because it prefers conditions that can be difficult for other herbs: plenty of sun and soil that isn’t constantly wet.
Its woody stems and needle-like leaves add a strong, savory flavor to roasted potatoes, chicken, breads, and vegetables. The plant also smells wonderful after being brushed against.
The biggest mistake with rosemary is overwatering. Let the soil dry between waterings and use a container with drainage holes. A sunny patio or windowsill can be an ideal spot.
Oregano
Oregano is another Mediterranean herb that doesn’t ask for much. Give it plenty of sunlight, good drainage, and occasional watering, and it can provide leaves throughout the growing season.
Its earthy flavor works especially well in tomato sauces, pizza, roasted vegetables, soups, and grilled foods.
Pinching the stems from time to time helps keep the plant compact and encourages more leaves. If flowers begin appearing, removing some of them can also direct more of the plant’s energy toward leaf growth.
Related: 12 Perennial Vegetables for an Easy, Low-Maintenance Garden
Dill
Dill can grow surprisingly tall, so choose a deep container rather than a shallow pot. It enjoys plenty of sunlight and needs regular moisture while growing.
Both the feathery leaves and seeds can be used in cooking. Fresh dill is a natural match for pickles, potatoes, fish, salads, and sauces.
Because the stems can become tall and delicate, place the container somewhere protected from strong winds. It’s also worth planting dill in a pot where you plan to leave it rather than moving it around, since it develops a long root.
Sage
Sage is another herb that handles container life well. It prefers plenty of sunlight and soil that drains freely, and established plants can tolerate periods without frequent watering.
Its slightly earthy, savory flavor is especially popular in stuffing, roasted meats, pasta dishes, and holiday recipes. Market Trends notes the herb’s popularity during the winter holiday season.
Trim sage regularly to keep the plant from becoming too tall and woody. A sunny container with good drainage is usually all it needs.
Lemongrass
Lemongrass needs more room than many of the herbs on this list, but it still performs well in a large container. Its tall, grassy leaves and strong citrus scent make it an attractive addition to a patio garden.
It’s particularly useful in teas, soups, curries, marinades, and other dishes that benefit from a fresh citrus flavor.
Lemongrass likes warmth, sunlight, and consistently moist soil without standing water. The USDA notes its cultivation in warmer parts of the United States, where its heat tolerance makes it a natural fit.
Use a large, sturdy pot because the plant can become quite substantial as it matures.
Tarragon
French tarragon is a good candidate for containers, especially if you enjoy cooking with its distinctive sweet and slightly peppery flavor.
It prefers loose, well-draining soil and plenty of sunlight. The herb works particularly well with chicken, fish, eggs, sauces, and salad dressings.
Tarragon can become crowded as it grows, so dividing the plant every few years can give the roots more room. The Spruce offers more information about growing and using tarragon.
A medium-to-large pot gives this herb enough room without taking over your garden.
Basil
Basil practically begs to be grown in a container. It loves warmth and sunlight, grows quickly, and responds well to frequent harvesting.
Keep the soil moderately moist and use a pot with drainage holes. Picking leaves regularly also encourages the plant to produce more growth.
Basil is useful for pesto, pasta, salads, sandwiches, pizza, and plenty of other summer dishes. According to the USDA, basil ranks among the most commonly grown herbs in U.S. households.
A container that’s slightly larger than a basic starter pot gives basil enough room to keep producing throughout the growing season.
Mint
Mint is almost too good at growing, which is exactly why a container can be such a good home for it. Planted directly in the ground, mint can spread aggressively and become difficult to contain.
A pot keeps its roots confined while giving you plenty of leaves for tea, desserts, sauces, drinks, and salads.
Mint likes regular moisture but doesn’t want to sit in waterlogged soil. Trim it often to encourage fresh leaves and keep the plant from becoming unruly.
According to Medical News Today, mint is a popular herb that may have potential health benefits.
Parsley
Parsley grows well in containers as long as you give its roots enough room. Both curly parsley and flat-leaf parsley can thrive in pots, making them useful choices for patios, balconies, and small kitchen gardens.
Keep the soil consistently moist without making it soggy. Parsley grows from a long taproot, so a deeper container is a better choice than a wide, shallow one.
It can be used as a garnish, but there’s no reason to stop there. Add it to soups, sauces, salads, pasta, potatoes, and meat dishes for a fresh herbal flavor.
Healthline covers parsley’s nutritional profile, including its vitamin content.
5 Herbs That Are Better in the Ground
Some herbs can technically survive in containers but become difficult to manage because of their root systems or eventual size. If you have garden space available, these five are often easier to grow in the ground.
Horseradish
Horseradish develops substantial roots, which is the main reason it can be frustrating in a small pot. The part most gardeners want to harvest needs room to grow, and a cramped container can limit the size of the roots.
If a container is your only option, choose a very large, deep one. For a bigger harvest, though, an in-ground planting gives horseradish much more room to develop.
Bay Laurel
Bay laurel can live in a container, but it isn’t necessarily the easiest long-term arrangement. The plant can eventually become a small tree, which means its pot will need to become larger over time.
A container can still work if you want to keep the plant compact and are willing to repot it as it grows. For gardeners who want a mature bay tree, planting it in the ground is usually more practical.
Good drainage remains important either way.
Lavender
Lavender can certainly be grown in pots, but it needs a container large enough to accommodate its roots and soil that drains extremely well.
The plant dislikes sitting in wet soil, so a heavy or poorly draining pot can cause trouble. In the ground, lavender often has more room to spread its roots and establish itself.
If you prefer growing it in a container, choose a large pot with drainage holes and a loose, gritty soil mix. Keep it in a sunny location.
Fennel
Fennel develops a deep root system and can become quite large. That makes a small container a poor match for the plant.
A deep, roomy pot can work, but fennel usually has an easier time in open garden soil where its roots can grow without hitting the bottom of a container.
If you have enough garden space, planting fennel directly in the ground can save you from dealing with a cramped root system.
Turmeric
Turmeric grows from rhizomes that need room to spread. A small pot can restrict that growth and leave you with a disappointing harvest.
If you want to grow turmeric in a container, go for a wide, deep pot with plenty of room for the rhizomes. It also needs warmth, moisture, and a long growing season.
Garden beds give the rhizomes more space, which can make them a better choice for anyone hoping to harvest a larger amount of turmeric.
Container gardening doesn’t have to mean limiting yourself to tiny plants. With the right pot, sunlight, soil, and watering routine, many herbs can produce a steady supply of fresh leaves right outside your door.
For small spaces, herbs such as thyme, chives, rosemary, basil, oregano, mint, and parsley are especially convenient. Plants with large or deep root systems are a different story. Giving them room in the garden can save you a lot of frustration later.
