Top Tips for Homegrown Herbs

For novice gardeners a few herbs grown in pots can be the perfect introduction to the joys of ‘growing your own’. For those more experienced gardeners, get inspired in the kitchen and try growing different herbs that suit your culinary style.

Most herbs in pots can be grown indoors and outdoors – choose a sunny windowsill when growing indoors, and a spot that is close to your kitchen for easy access when growing outdoors.
Plant herbs in Tui Herb Mix, a free draining planting mix, rich in nitrogen to promote green, leafy growth and continuous harvesting.
Herbs come in all shapes, sizes and flavours. When planting herbs pick varieties that will flourish in the current climate. Some of the hardier herbs can be grown all year including parsley, coriander, thyme, rosemary and sage. Other herbs such as basil, lemongrass and dill can't cope with the cold and flourish only in the warmest months.
Pick fresh herbs and add to your salad or stir-fry.
If you want to try something different, plant a combination of Vietnamese mint, Thai basil and lemongrass – all wonderful additions to Asian cooking.
If you have an excess of herbs, chop them up and freeze them in ice cubes – these can then be used in drinks and meals later in the year. Mint is especially good for this.

Hyssop deters white butterfly from brassicas like cabbages and Brussels sprouts.
Over summer some herbs like coriander, parsley and basil are prone to go to seed. To avoid, water your herbs consistently, regularly pick, remove flowers and remove parts of the plant that go to seed. If your herbs do go to seed there is an upside – the flowers are great for beneficial insects like bees, and if you let them fully dry out you can collect the seeds for next season!
Basil improves the flavour of tomatoes when planted alongside.
Fertilise herb gardens and pots with Tui NovaTec Premium fertiliser in spring and autumn.
Take care not to overwater your herbs as they don’t like to sit in soggy soil.
Some herbs tend to take over the garden once planted like mint. To avoid, plant in pots rather than garden beds.

Click here for our Herb Growing Guide

Get creative and create a herb ladder - click here for our Herb Ladder Guide

Have trouble growing basil looks to be doing great and the next thing its broken off at ground level had the same problem with lettuces two years in a row. Any ideas

Anne Horrell
Hi Anne, the symptoms you are talking about seem similar, plants breaking off at ground level indicates rot, often caused by the soil being saturated for periods of time, too much water causes the stems to lose their strength. Inconsistent watering and poor drainage can be factors as well. If you are growing your plants in pots, change the potting mix and check your drainage holes. All the best ^Tui Team

jenna