Growing your own herbs Where to buy herbs

Supermarket herbs

Supermarket herbs are easy to buy but hard to keep going

Many common kitchen herbs are now available from supermarkets as potted plants, but they can be tricky to keep going.

However, the majority of these, such as basil, coriander and parsley, are actually a collection of seedlings crammed into the pot rather than a single established plant. You can use this to your advantage and it can be an easy, convenient way to get a lot of herb plants.

Growing from seed

Growing from seed is the cheapest method for annual herbs. Cut parsley, coriander and chives to within 5cm of the base before repotting. Separate the individual plantlets and repot each one in its own container.

Take care when dividing coriander, parsley and basil, as they all resent having their roots disturbed. If basil has become leggy, you can replant it more deeply to encourage stronger growth.

Contacts

Plants

• Arne Herbs 01275 333399
• The Herbary 01985 844442
• Iden Croft Herbs 01580 891432
• Jekka’s Herb Farm 01454 418878

Seeds

• Chiltern Seeds 01229 581137
• The Organic Gardening Catalogue0845 130 1304
• Thompson and Morgan 01473 695225 

Want to grow other edible plants? Read our guides to growing soft fruit or growing your own winter salad.

More on this...

• Find out more about growing your own herbs
• Learn how to grow your own vegetables
• Subscribe to Which? Gardening magazine