Spring is in full bloom! Farmers markets and grocery stores are packed with plant starts. Whether you have never gardened before or are a seasoned pro, growing your own herbs is easy, enjoyable and allows you to affordably add some greens and most importantly FLAVOR to your meals. Container gardening is manageable, no matter how much or how little space you have - making it the perfect way to get started with a garden.

Follow these simple steps to start your own herb container garden!

1. Get Starts.

Visit your local market, garden center or best of all – Farmers Market! Pick out a couple herbs that you like and try a few that you've never had before. A few of my favorites are Basil, Rosemary, Dill, Parsley, Sage, Thyme and Chives.

2. Prep your gardening supplies.

You’ll need some good quality potting soil (try Ocean Forest Potting Soil), containers and a watering can. Get creative with your containers! Up-cycle old bins, buckets or even wine barrels! Just make sure your containers have drainage holes to allow excess water to get out.

3. Get to planting!

Fill each container about half way with potting soil. Gently remove the plant from the container you purchased it in. Nestle the plant down in the soil then add some more soil to cover all of the roots. Lastly pack the soil down a bit with your hands and give the plant a good watering.

4. Pick a sunny spot.

My favorite spots are on sunny windowsills, near my front door and on the back porch – where I can quickly snip some herbs to add to my meals.

5. Keep plants nourished.

Check your plants daily for watering. A good way to tell if your herbs are thirsty is if they look wilted. Or poke your finger a few inches into the pot – if the soil is dry it’s time to water, if it feels damp you can leave them alone for another day.

Keep in mind that the plants won’t have the benefit of all the nutrients from the ground so you will have to feed them every so often to keep them thriving in the containers. Invest in an organic feed like Big Bloom.

A few tips and tricks:

Pinch off the top of your basil plants to keep them from getting too leggy. Leave the leaves at the bottom as they are what I like to call the plant’s solar panels.

When there is no danger of frost, water your plants in the evening.

Questions? Leave them in the comments!