How to Plant Herbs in Pots Outdoors

Growing your own herbs for culinary use doesn't require a large garden bed or a lot of space. Create your own kitchen herb garden outdoors by planting your most used herbs in pots. Arrange the pots on a shelf outside to take advantage of vertical space, or plant in window boxes and other decorative plant containers. The herbs grow and produce well in a planter or pot, but they are easily moved to a new location when necessary.

Potting soil
Slow-release fertilizer
Soluble fertilizer

Instructions

- 1
  Determine your pot size. Grow single plants in 6-inch containers. Use 12- to 16-inch, 5-gallon and larger planters for three to six plants.
- 2
  Combine a slow-release balanced fertilizer with the potting soil. Use the lowest amount of fertilizer recommended on the package label for your pot size.
- 3
  Fill the pot with the prepared soil to within 1 inch of the top. Water the soil so it's moist and add more soil if the water causes the level to settle.
- 4
  Plant the herbs in the pots at the same depth they were at in their seedling pots. Space multiple plants at an equal distance from each other in the planter.
- 5
  Set the pots in an area that receives at least six hours of sunlight. Choose a location that is easy to access for harvesting and watering.
- 6
  Water the herbs every one to two days, as potted plants dry out quickly when grown outdoors. Most herbs require watering when the top 2 to 3 inches of soil feels dry. Smaller pots require more frequent watering than large pots.
- 7
  Apply a soluble fertilizer two months after planting, at the lowest recommended package rate. Reapply the fertilizer monthly until the end of the growing season.

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