I have lost count the number of times my housemate has bought potted parsley from the supermarket and let it succumb to a slow and painful death on our kitchen windowsill.

The last time got me thinking – where is the best place to grow and store your own herbs at home? The thought of having your own herb garden right at your fingertips sounds rather lush if not a little ambitious for a household of sleep-deprived health workers, so I’ve done my research to find some of the best tips for growing and storing some of our favourites.

Note that some of these herbs have ‘companion’ herbs that they grow really well with, while some have a tendency to spread like wildfire (I’m looking at you, mint!).

Here’s hoping the next batch survive!

Herb	Growing	Storing (if not using fresh)
Parsley	Moist soil Mostly sunny environment but can tolerate a little shade	Upright with stems in water (with a paper towel or plastic around the leaves)
Basil	Moist soil Needs LOTS of sun	Upright with stems in water (with a paper towel or plastic around the leaves) but best method is actually freezing in an airtight container
Oregano	Only water when soil is dry Needs LOTS of sun	Dried in an airtight container
Thyme	Moist soil please Also LOTS of sun	Dried in an airtight container
Mint	Moist soil Grow this one in the shade	Upright with stems in water
Sage	Lots of water Full sunlight!	Freeze in an airtight bag or in oil in an ice-cube container
Rosemary	Lots of water Grow indoors with lots of natural light (it hates the cold outside) Also grows well with sage	Dried in an airtight container
Tarragon	Likes well drained soil Needs lots of sun Also grows well with thyme	Dried in an airtight container
Chives	Moist soil LOTS of sun When you prune it, cut it short to 1cm away from the base	Freeze in an airtight bag

You’ll note that coriander is missing. That’s because I like ~ 50% of the population have the taste bud phenotype that makes coriander taste like soap. It’s one of the very few foods I cannot stand! If you are genetically blessed otherwise, try growing coriander in the cooler months (it goes bitter in summer), in well-drained soil with lots of sunlight. Store frozen or dried in an airtight container if not using fresh.

Update: HERB GARDEN ALIVE AND WELL!!