Best Outdoor Herb Garden Planters: Which One Fits the Way You Use It?

For most cooks, an elevated planter or a set of fabric grow bags near the kitchen is the right choice. These three cover the main needs.

Best self watering: the Keter Urban Bloomer, around $92, holds 12.7 gallons of soil at a comfortable 30.7 inch height, with a built in water gauge that shows when plants need water and a drainage system you can open or close.

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Best standing wood planter: the Yaheetech herb garden planter, around $70, is a standing wooden bed that keeps herbs at waist height on patios and decks.

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Best budget: the FEED GARDEN 5 gallon grow bags four pack, around $13, use thick 300 g fabric that air prunes roots and drains through the walls, with double stitched handles for moving.

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The right planter depends on your experience, climate and space.

For Weekend Beginners

Beginners should start with a self watering elevated planter or a few fabric grow bags. Self watering planters like the Keter Urban Bloomer show when to water, which removes the biggest beginner mistake, and elevated heights save bending. Start with easy herbs such as basil, chives, parsley and mint.

For Bad Weather and Tough Conditions

Gardeners in hot, windy or rainy climates need planters with good drainage, UV resistant materials and enough soil volume to buffer temperature swings. Fabric bags breathe and prevent waterlogging in rain, while larger elevated beds hold moisture longer in heat. Move small planters under cover in storms.

For Frequent or Serious Users

Keen cooks who harvest daily benefit from elevated beds or long planter boxes with room for six to twelve herb varieties. Choose cedar or durable resin that lasts many seasons, and group herbs by water needs: Mediterranean herbs like rosemary and thyme together, moisture lovers like basil and parsley together.

For Small Spaces and Easy Storage

Balcony and apartment gardeners should choose railing planters, vertical planters or fabric bags that fold flat for winter storage. Stackable or wall mounted planters fit more herbs into a few square feet.

The features that matter most are drainage, soil volume, height and material.

Value and Coverage per Dollar

Fabric grow bags cost a few dollars each and suit single herbs, while elevated planters cost $60 to $150 but hold many plants at a comfortable height. Compare price per gallon of soil capacity.

Safety (Drinking Water Safe, Organic, Pet Safe)

Since you will eat what you grow, choose untreated wood such as cedar, food safe plastics or fabric bags. Avoid planters made from pressure treated lumber with unknown preservatives, and use organic potting mix.

Ease of Use and Storage

Elevated planters reduce bending, water gauges simplify watering and drainage plugs give control. Fabric bags fold flat in winter, while heavy beds stay put year round.

Match the Product to Your Garden Size and Layout

Most herbs need at least 6 to 8 inches of soil depth, with rosemary and sage happier in 10 to 12 inches. Place planters where they get six or more hours of sun and are close enough to the kitchen to harvest easily.

• Choosing pots without drainage, which drowns herb roots.
• Buying planters too shallow for woody herbs.
• Planting mint with other herbs; it spreads and takes over.
• Using garden soil, which compacts in containers.
• Placing planters in shade; most herbs need full sun.

Basil, parsley, chives, cilantro, oregano, thyme, rosemary, sage and mint all grow well in containers. Mediterranean herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, oregano and sage, prefer drier, gritty soil and full sun, so plant them together. Basil, parsley and cilantro like steady moisture and richer soil. Give mint its own pot, since its runners take over shared beds. Harvest regularly by pinching stems just above a pair of leaves, which keeps plants bushy and productive.

Fill the planter with a light potting mix blended with a few handfuls of compost, leaving about an inch below the rim. For Mediterranean herbs, mix in a little coarse sand or perlite for extra drainage. Space plants about 6 to 12 inches apart, with taller herbs such as rosemary and sage at the back or center and low growers such as thyme and oregano at the edges where they can spill over. Water thoroughly after planting, then water whenever the top inch of soil feels dry, which may be daily in hot weather for small pots. Feed lightly once a month with a diluted organic fertilizer, since heavy feeding reduces the flavor oils in herbs.

Many herbs are perennials that can survive winter with a little help. Thyme, oregano, sage and chives are hardy in most of the country and can stay outdoors in large planters, especially if you move pots against a sheltered wall. Rosemary and bay are tender in cold climates, so bring them indoors to a bright window before the first hard frost. Basil and cilantro are annuals that die with frost; take cuttings of basil to root indoors or start new seeds in spring. Empty fabric grow bags and store them dry so they last several seasons.

• Water early in the morning so leaves dry during the day.
• Refresh the potting mix with compost each spring.
• Empty and clean fabric bags before winter storage.
• Seal or oil wooden planters with a food safe finish every year or two.

Group herbs with similar needs so one watering routine suits the whole planter. Rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage and lavender all like full sun and dry soil between waterings. Basil, parsley, chives and cilantro prefer richer, evenly moist soil and partial afternoon shade in hot climates.

These are the questions gardeners ask most about outdoor herb planters.

How deep should an herb planter be?

Most herbs grow well in 6 to 8 inches of soil, while woody herbs such as rosemary and sage prefer 10 to 12 inches. Deeper soil holds moisture longer in hot weather.

Is organic worth it?

For herbs you eat, organic potting mix and fertilizer are worth considering, since they avoid synthetic chemicals on leaves you harvest. Choose untreated or food safe planter materials too.

What's the difference between garden soil and potting mix?

Garden soil is dense and compacts in containers, starving roots of air. Potting mix is light and drains well, making it the right choice for herb planters; add sand or perlite for Mediterranean herbs.

How much do I need for my garden?

A family that cooks often does well with six to ten herb plants, which fit in one elevated planter or four to six 5 gallon grow bags. Each 5 gallon bag needs about 0.7 cubic feet of potting mix.

The three things that matter most are drainage, enough soil depth and a sunny spot near the kitchen. Beginners will love self watering elevated planters, budget gardeners can start with fabric grow bags and keen cooks benefit from larger standing beds with room for many varieties. Use this guide to choose the best outdoor herb garden planters, then check the product table above for current prices. Feed them with the right fertilizer for raised garden beds.