Brancho Learn
Herbs & Spices
Grow herbs and spices you'll use in the kitchen, in beds or pots. These guides cover planting, picking, flowering and growing through different seasons.
Browse herbs & spices guides
Herbs & Spices Growing Guides
4 guides
Growing Notes
Regular picking keeps many leafy herbs productive, while leaving selected stems allows flowers and seed to develop. Annual herbs need replacing or resowing; perennial herbs need enough room and a position that suits them year after year.
Pots are useful for kitchen access and containing spreaders such as mint. They also dry faster, so group herbs by compatible light and water needs rather than treating them as one type of plant.
Common Questions
Should herbs be allowed to flower?
Flowering may reduce tender leaf growth in some herbs, but flowers support insects and can produce useful seed. Leave some stems when those benefits are wanted.
Which herbs are suited to pots?
Many herbs grow well in pots when the pot suits their mature root system. Parsley, thyme, chives and mint are common choices, but small pots need frequent watering in heat.
Are tropical herbs perennial everywhere in Australia?
No. Lemongrass and other tropical herbs may remain perennial in warm districts but can be damaged or killed by frost in cooler climates.