Roasted Rosemary Potatoes, Basil Vinaigrette, Roasted Corn with Oregano Butter, Orange and Thyme Grilled Shrimp. What do these recipes have in common? Fresh herbs. Save time and money this summer by growing your own herb garden.

  Kirsten

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Step 1

Buy a pot that is at least 6” deep. Make sure there is at least one small hole in the bottom for drainage. Some come with a hole, but if not, you can drill a few small holes yourself. If you have easy access to some stones or gravel, put a few inches of stones at the bottom of the pot to promote drainage. Also make sure you buy a plastic or ceramic tray for under the pot to keep drained water from dripping on the floor.

Step 2

Choose your herbs. Pick a variety, but don’t overcrowd your pot. We chose cooking herbs we knew we’d use regularly for summer BBQ season: rosemary, basil, oregano, and mint.

Step 3

Fill the pot up with soil, stopping about 3 inches from the top. Moisten the soil lightly but thoroughly with water and mix it until evenly wet. It shouldn't be dripping wet, just loosely muddy.

Step 4

Dig a small hole, a few inches down and deep enough to hold the roots. Remove one of the plants from its container.

Step 5

Gently loosen the soil around its roots. Be careful not to tear the roots, you just want to loosen the soil. Put the plant in the shallow hole, and pack about an inch of dirt over top of the root ball. Repeat for the other plants, giving them several inches of room between each other. Water again when finished.

Step 6

Let the sun do its thing! Put the pot on its drainage tray, and place anywhere it can get full sun. You'll need as much weak winter sun as you can get. Make sure you don't overwater, either. Pour in a cup of water wherever and whenever leaves start to look droopy.