If you've ever used fresh herbs, you know there is a huge difference between them and their dried cousins. Fresh herbs bring remarkable flavor to any dish, and they're quite easy to grow even if all you have is a windowsill or a small apartment porch. You only need a little space for each of these herbs to grow as well, so you'll have plenty of room for a variety of different plants.
Here are some herbs that are easy to grow and wonderful to have on hand. All you have to do is put them in the sunniest part of your living space, preferably outside with maximum sunshine.
1. Basil
Basil is a great starter plant for any newbies out there. It does great in well-lit areas inside or outside in the full sun. The best part about basil is its versatility. You can put it in salads, soups, and tomato sauces, make pesto out of it or put it in a sandwiches or pasta. The possibilities for basil are almost endless! Tip: cut the flowering portions off as they appear to keep your plant growing.
2. Garlic
Planting garlic is a double win, as you can harvest the green scapes from the top as well as the garlic bulb from the soil once it's grown. The scapes are excellent for adding a little garlic flavor to anything, and let's be honest, what doesn’t go with garlic? These grow just fine in full or partial sun.
3. Scallions
Extremely versatile and fast growing, scallions will grow continuously even as you cut them, sometimes shooting up inches in a single day! They're super easy to grow as well, simply save the ends of the last bunch you bought at the supermarket (make sure it has the roots still), and stick them into the soil.
You can even grow these in a simple cup of water by placing the roots down and leaving them be. Scallions go good with tons of different recipes, from salads and tacos to mashed potatoes and soups.
4. Rosemary
Hardy and difficult to kill, rosemary is another excellent herb that can sit in the full sun and provide you with delicious leaves all year long. Rosemary is great for flavoring soups, teas, roasts, and drinks, and you can even dry the leaves to make sachets of fragrance to sneak into your clothes drawers.
5. Lemongrass
Though not as common as the other herbs on this list, the fact that it's actually a grass makes it super easy to grow. You can cut lemongrass from the base and use it to give a lemony citrus flavor to roasts, soups, stir-fries and more!
6. Mint
This herb will take over your garden if you're not careful! Quick growing, keep this one confined to a pot and use its fragrant leaves for alcoholic drinks (mojitos, anyone?), teas, recipes, desserts and more.
7. Thyme
Hardy and flavorful, this plant does best with maximum light. This plant grows close to the ground and doesn't take a lot of effort to grow. Add it to soups, roasts, or use its medicinal properties to cure common ailments.
There are many other herbs out there to keep you busy if this list doesn't suit you! Think oregano, dill or parsley. Any of these herbs are also hardy and easy to grow. All you have to do is assess your light and space availability, then get digging!
