Why Herbs Love a Balcony

A balcony is one of the best spots in the country for growing herbs, and it is usually the one piece of outdoor space we overlook. Even a modest south- or west-facing balcony gives you hours of direct sun, warmth reflected off brickwork, and shelter from the worst of the wind — exactly the conditions Mediterranean herbs evolved for. Thyme, rosemary, oregano and sage will look after themselves once settled. If your balcony faces north or sits in shade for much of the day, don't despair: mint, chives, parsley and coriander all crop happily in a few hours of gentle sun.

The trick is to stop thinking of it as a collection of pots and start treating it as a tiny kitchen garden. A metre of railing space can hold four or five herbs, which is plenty for regular snipping. Everything below assumes you have nothing more than a few containers, a watering can and a windowsill for the thirsty days.

Choosing Compact Varieties That Earn Their Keep

Not every herb suits a container, and not every variety suits a small one. Choose compact, slow-bolting types and you will get months of flavour rather than a fortnight of disappointment.

• Basil — 'Greek' or bush basil stays neat and bushy, while 'Genovese' gives the classic sweet leaves for pesto. Pinch out the growing tips regularly or it will run to flower and turn bitter.
• Mint — spearmint and Moroccan mint are the most useful in the kitchen. Always give mint its own pot, as it spreads by underground runners and will smother anything sharing its compost.
• Chives — a clump-forming bulb that regrows after every cut. The violet flowers are edible and lovely scattered over salads.
• Thyme — lemon thyme and 'Silver Posie' are naturally compact. Let the compost dry between waterings and it will reward you for years.
• Rosemary — choose a prostrate or dwarf form for smaller pots. It is a shrub, so it needs the largest container you can spare.
• Flat-leaf parsley — slower to germinate but generous once established, and far better flavoured than the curly kind.
• Coriander — quick, thirsty and prone to bolting in heat, so sow a small pinch every three weeks for a rolling supply.

If space is tight, stick to four pots: basil, mint, chives and thyme. Between them they cover most of what a home cook reaches for.

Pots, Compost and Drainage

Size matters more than style. Basil, chives and parsley are happy in pots around 15–20cm across; rosemary, thyme and sage want 25–30cm to develop proper roots. Terracotta looks handsome but dries out quickly in sun, so glazed or plastic containers are the practical choice for a hot balcony.

Every pot needs drainage holes, and a layer of broken crocks or coarse grit at the base helps water escape freely. Stand pots on feet or small bricks so they are not sitting flush against a wet saucer, and empty saucers after heavy rain.

For compost, a peat-free multi-purpose works well for leafy herbs such as basil, parsley and chives. For the woody Mediterranean types, mix in around a third by volume of horticultural grit or perlite to improve drainage and stop the roots rotting. A loam-based compost suits rosemary and thyme particularly well.

Watering and Feeding Through the Season

Containers dry out far faster than borders, so check your pots daily from late spring to early autumn — twice on hot days. Push a finger about 2cm into the compost; if it feels dry at that depth, water until it runs from the base. Water in the morning where possible, straight onto the compost rather than over the leaves, which helps prevent mildew.

Feeding is a balancing act. Woody herbs such as thyme, rosemary and oregano come from poor, stony ground and produce their best flavour when kept lean — a half-strength liquid tomato feed every three weeks is ample. Leafy herbs, especially basil and parsley, appreciate a little more nitrogen and can be fed fortnightly with the same dilution. Stop feeding by early September so plants harden off before winter.

Harvest Often for Fresh Flavour

Regular picking is what keeps a herb plant productive. Every snip tells the plant to branch, so a well-harvested basil bush becomes fuller and more generous, while a neglected one stretches upwards and flowers.

• Basil — pinch the stem just above a pair of leaves. Never strip more than a third of the plant at once.
• Chives — snip with scissors about 5cm from the base. They regrow within a couple of weeks.
• Mint — cut whole stems from the top down. The plant will bush out below the cut.
• Thyme and rosemary — take individual sprigs rather than shearing, and avoid cutting into old, leafless wood.
• Parsley and coriander — cut outer stems at the base, leaving the crown to produce more.

Pick in the morning, just after the dew has dried, when the oils are at their most concentrated. A quick rinse and they are ready for the pan.

Wind, Pests and Getting Them Through Winter

Balcony wind dries compost and snaps brittle stems, so group pots together for mutual shelter and weight, and consider a lightweight screen of bamboo canes tied to the railing. Grouping also raises humidity, which suits basil and mint.

Watch for aphids, whitefly and red spider mite in hot, still spells. A firm jet of water knocks most of them off, and a dilute soap spray deals with the rest. Inspect the undersides of leaves weekly.

Tender herbs such as basil are best treated as annuals — bring one indoors to a bright windowsill before the first frost. Mint will die back naturally; cut the stems down and it will return in spring. Rosemary, thyme and sage are hardy, but their roots are not, so move pots against a sheltered wall, raise them off cold paving and water sparingly. As long as the compost never sits soggy, they will come through to give you another year of clippings.