How to Make Herbs Stay Fresher for Longer
Grocery-bought potted herbs have limited lifespans, so help them thrive longer with these top tips
Fresh herbs bring fantastic flavour to food and growing them in the home means they are easily on hand for cooking. Many of us buy our herbs from supermarkets and may spend a little extra on plants potted in compost rather than those snipped and stuffed into a bag. They look lush and healthy, but they often don’t stay that way. So how can we help them to live a long and delicious life? Start with these green-fingered tips…
Consider the container
Terracotta pots help with drainage, but they can allow the soil to dry out quickly. If your home is particularly hot, try a glazed or plastic container that will help to keep the soil moist for longer.
Terracotta pots help with drainage, but they can allow the soil to dry out quickly. If your home is particularly hot, try a glazed or plastic container that will help to keep the soil moist for longer.
Change location
Once you’ve potted your herb into a bigger container, you could try moving it outside. Most herbs prefer sun, and woody herbs such as sage, oregano and rosemary, in particular, are hardy enough to grow well in spring and summer gardens.
Once you’ve potted your herb into a bigger container, you could try moving it outside. Most herbs prefer sun, and woody herbs such as sage, oregano and rosemary, in particular, are hardy enough to grow well in spring and summer gardens.
Pick hard
Most herbs respond well to having their leaves thoroughly picked, although basil needs a more considered approach (see below). Picking hard encourages growth and lets light through to the lower leaves. Parsley, especially, can stand being picked down to short stems, making way for new growth, so don’t discard the plant once you’ve used all its leaves.
Most herbs respond well to having their leaves thoroughly picked, although basil needs a more considered approach (see below). Picking hard encourages growth and lets light through to the lower leaves. Parsley, especially, can stand being picked down to short stems, making way for new growth, so don’t discard the plant once you’ve used all its leaves.
Treat basil with care
A much-prized culinary herb, basil is not as hardy as many other herbs and needs careful treatment. If you have plenty of sunshine and warmth indoors, basil should thrive, but don’t keep it on a cool windowsill – basil leaves will droop and fade after a short time in cool air.
When it comes to harvesting, don’t be tempted to pick the biggest leaves first. Pinch out the smaller leaves at the top of the stem instead to encourage growth.
A much-prized culinary herb, basil is not as hardy as many other herbs and needs careful treatment. If you have plenty of sunshine and warmth indoors, basil should thrive, but don’t keep it on a cool windowsill – basil leaves will droop and fade after a short time in cool air.
When it comes to harvesting, don’t be tempted to pick the biggest leaves first. Pinch out the smaller leaves at the top of the stem instead to encourage growth.
Max the light
Herbs need plenty of natural light to thrive. If you can, position them in a sunny spot, such as a windowsill, where they can grab many hours of direct sunlight daily. North-facing windows are best; south-facing windows are less bright.
This clever design of rails and hanging pots keeps herbs and other houseplants off the surfaces, but ensures they get plenty of light.
Herbs need plenty of natural light to thrive. If you can, position them in a sunny spot, such as a windowsill, where they can grab many hours of direct sunlight daily. North-facing windows are best; south-facing windows are less bright.
This clever design of rails and hanging pots keeps herbs and other houseplants off the surfaces, but ensures they get plenty of light.
Water wisely
Drenching herbs with water can kill them, so instead sit the pot on a saucer of water and let it suck up what it needs. You can tell this has happened when the surface of the soil is moist, but not wet. Let the soil dry out before repeating and do not let the herb sit in water for any length of time as this will rot the roots.
Drenching herbs with water can kill them, so instead sit the pot on a saucer of water and let it suck up what it needs. You can tell this has happened when the surface of the soil is moist, but not wet. Let the soil dry out before repeating and do not let the herb sit in water for any length of time as this will rot the roots.
Feed well
If you are picking leaves from your herb regularly to eat, boost and support its growth by feeding it with a houseplant food every month.
If you are picking leaves from your herb regularly to eat, boost and support its growth by feeding it with a houseplant food every month.
Keep a steady temperature …
Indoor herbs prefer the same temperatures as most people do – around 18 degrees Celsius to 22 degrees Celsius – so if you feel comfortable, they probably do, too. At night, temperatures near a window may drop, but most herbs like that, too. Just be sure the foliage doesn’t touch the glass to protect it from getting nipped by cold.
Indoor herbs prefer the same temperatures as most people do – around 18 degrees Celsius to 22 degrees Celsius – so if you feel comfortable, they probably do, too. At night, temperatures near a window may drop, but most herbs like that, too. Just be sure the foliage doesn’t touch the glass to protect it from getting nipped by cold.
… but factor in fluctuations
Remember that the air next to a window will be cooler in winter and hotter in summer than your average indoor temperature, so move your plants around accordingly.
Too much dry air is hard on most herbs, so during a dry summer, treat your herbs to a weekly shower in the sink to refresh them. Use a watering can with a fine rose, but be careful not to totally drench the soil. You could also use a mist spray, which will humidify the air and refresh the plant without watering it too heavily.
TELL US
Do you have any tips for helping grocery store herbs live longer? Please share them in the Comments.
MORE
Home Grown: Create Your Own Kitchen Garden
10 Easy Edibles to Put Into Pots
Healthy Home: 8 Fresh Ways to Plant Herbs
Remember that the air next to a window will be cooler in winter and hotter in summer than your average indoor temperature, so move your plants around accordingly.
Too much dry air is hard on most herbs, so during a dry summer, treat your herbs to a weekly shower in the sink to refresh them. Use a watering can with a fine rose, but be careful not to totally drench the soil. You could also use a mist spray, which will humidify the air and refresh the plant without watering it too heavily.
TELL US
Do you have any tips for helping grocery store herbs live longer? Please share them in the Comments.
MORE
Home Grown: Create Your Own Kitchen Garden
10 Easy Edibles to Put Into Pots
Healthy Home: 8 Fresh Ways to Plant Herbs
Supermarket herbs are grown for value, so there’s a lot of plant crammed into a little pot, causing overcrowding and competition for nutrients. The supermarkets want you to pick the leaves quickly and then start again with a new pot, but you can prolong your herb’s life to avoid this.
Potting it on into a bigger container will give the plant room to grow. You can even gently divide the plant into two or three smaller specimens before you do this. Make sure you use a potting mix designed to suit cuttings, seedlings and herbs.