The simple answer is yes! Herbs are great in gardens and plots but they can go equally well in the right pot or container, with the right soil and the right heat and light conditions.
Some herbs will actually do better in pots than gardens.
There are also some types of herbs such as mint which will go crazy in a garden and end up taking over your whole yard! Best we contain those sorts of domineering herbs in pots! From palm trees to delicate flowers, all living plants need the essentials of water, good soil and the right amount of sunlight in order to survive and flourish.
Herbs are no exception to this rule and if you follow the tips listed below your potted herbs will thrive.
Firstly make sure the soil is not too rich and is well draining.
It is a good idea to line the bottom of your pot or container about an inch thick with gravel which will assist drainage.
Herb enthusiasts have also had good success with adding lime to the soil.
Not too much though, a good ratio is half a teaspoon of lime per every 2.
5 inches of pot.
When watering your potted herbs, be aware that they will generally need more water than if they were planted in the ground.
Be careful not to overdo it though because the roots can get saturated and soggy and this will dramatically affect growth.
This is another reason why it is best to set up the gravel base which will help draw excess water away from the roots.
Your herbs should follow the sunlight just like all plants but if you want to give them a helping hand, place them in a position facing south or west for their best opportunity to sun bake! Generally, most varieties of herbs love the sun so keep them in the sunlight to keep them happy! If you are finding it hard to get good amounts of sun on your herbs while inside, you can use specially made grow lamps and other types of fluorescent tubes to provide artificial light.
There are some fantastic advantages about growing your home herb garden in pots and not the least of these is the fact that you can move them very easily.
If the space and conditions exist, you can place your pots on windowsills in the kitchen, in decorative pots on your kitchen bench tops or even less pretty but equally effective, just a simple pot or two by the back door! Having your herbs in handy positions right there in your kitchen not only adds the wonderful smells and aromas they produce to your house all year round but they are so handy to just reach out and grab what you need.
Growing your herbs in pots also means you can easily take them out of bad weather and frosts or move them outside on a lovely day so they too can enjoy it! Some things to note here is that annuals can happily spend their whole life indoors whereas perennials go better having some outside time in summer.
Apart from herbs such as tarragon, chives and mint, most herbs should definitely be brought inside to avoid frosts.
This will stop the loss of foliage.
The three mentioned above actually have a mini hibernation phase when exposed to frost and then when they "wake up" they often come back firmer and thicker.
So to summarize, all herbs can be grown in containers or pots.
Some varieties just do better than others.
As with all plants, it simply comes down to the age old formula of the right amount of light and water, good well drained soil and care.
Regular pruning will actually make your herbs grow thicker and encourage foliage growth so don't be afraid to use them and use them regularly.
It is after all, what you have grown them for!