Use and Care Manual

USE & CARE MANUAL: POTTED HERBS

Most!herb!plants!stay!small!and!compact,!making!them!the!perfect!choice!for!a!small!container!

garden.!You!can!grow!the!herbs!indoors!or!outdoors!depending!on!the!season!and!needs!of!the!

plant.!Most!potted!herb!varieties!thrive!outdoors!in!summer!in!all!climates,!and!the!hardier!

varieties!can!remain!outside!year-round!in!U.S.!Department!of!Agriculture!hardiness!zones!9!

and!10.!Using!the!best!ways!to!take!care!of!the!potted!herbs!ensures!maximum!productivity!

from!a!small!container!garden.!

Containers and Soil

Most!herb!varieties!require!good!soil!drainage!and!they!won't!grow!in!dry!or!overly!wet!soils.!

Using!pots!that!have!a!bottom!drainage!hole!allows!the!excess!moisture!to!drain!away.!A!well-

drained!pot!combined!with!a!peat-based!potting!soil!further!ensures!proper!soil!drainage!and!

moisture!retention.!Avoid!heavy!soils!or!regular!garden!soil!since!these!tend!to!compact!in!the!

confines!of!a!pot.!The!size!of!the!container!depends!on!the!herb!variety.!Most!small!annual!

herbs!do!well!in!pots!as!small!as!8!inches!in!diameter,!while!larger!perennials,!like!rosemary,!

may!require!a!gallon!pot!or!larger.!

Location

The!sun!and!temperature!requirements!of!the!specific!herb!determines!the!best!location.!Most!

herbs!can!grow!inside!in!a!sunny!windowsill,!although!the!sun-loving!varieties!may!not!

produce!foliage!as!lush!as!they!would!outdoors.!The!majority!of!herbs!grown!for!foliage!

tolerate!some!shade,!especially!in!the!afternoon.!Too!much!direct!sunlight!or!heat!can!shorten!

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USE & CARE MANUAL: POTTED HERBS Most herb plants stay small and compact, making them the perfect choice for a small container garden. You can grow the herbs indoors or outdoors depending on the season and needs of the plant. Most potted herb varieties thrive outdoors in summer in all climates, and the hardier varieties can remain outside year-round in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 9 and 10.
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the productive life of cool season herbs like cilantro, so it's best to always refer to the plant care tag for the specific variety to determine the prime container location. Temperature needs also vary between plants, with cilantro (coriandrum sativum), for instance, preferring cool spring and fall weather and basil (ocimum basilicum) growing best during the warmer days of summer. You can keep the containers indoors until the outdoor temperature reaches the optimum range for the herb variety.