How to Grow Herbs in the City

Grow plants with similar needs together in a single container. Moisture-loving herbs, such as basil, parsley and cilantro, work well together while chives, oregano, sage and thyme need less water in their diets and thrive together in the same container. Peruse your cookbooks to see which flavorful spices you need for seasoning your favorite recipes.

Select containers small enough to fit in your windowsill, but large enough to hold several plants. When in doubt, go bigger. Favor terra-cotta pots for herbs that like drier conditions and plastic containers for those who like moist soil. All containers need a drainage hole preventing water from pooling up and rotting away roots. Drainage holes on the container's sides work best. If you have a container with drainage holes on the bottom, elevate the container so the water can run off.

Fill your containers with a porous soil that drains well. All-purpose potting soils containing a combination of peat moss, vermiculite or perlite are generally recommended, according to the Cornell Cooperative Extension.

Add compost or soil containing high levels of organic matter to your potting soil in a 3:1 ratio before planting. Fertilizing already-planted herbs with water-soluble fertilizer according to the package directions is a second option providing extra nutrients.

Plant your seeds in fresh soil at the depth recommended on the seed packets. When transplanting, your plants should be short and stocky. Do not to damage the root ball when transferring from one pot to another.

Water your herbs one to two times a week for those that like moisture and every 10 to 12 days for those that don't. In the hot summer months, you may need to water every one to two days. To check, stick a sharpened pencil into the soil. If it comes out dry, water your herbs until the water runs out the drainage hole.

Place your containers in areas that receive at least six hours of direct sunlight during the day.

Weed out herbs that become too overgrown and crowd other plants. When the leaves have grown large and full, pick the biggest leaves for use and leave the rest to finish growing. Use the leaves when they are fresh.