6 Must-Grow Plants in Your Kitchen Garden

Up the wall and in small pots, these low-maintenance plants decorate your kitchen and plate of food too

Rashmi Haralalka 3 July 2017

Houzz India Contributor. I am a blogger who's passionate about not just home decor but little things around that to the aesthetic appeal. It could be your own kitchen garden or even just sprucing up the lights in the doorway. And it's amazing how these minuscule items add up to the bigger picture. Writing and sharing these is my idea of rejuvenation therapy!

Houzz India Contributor. I am a blogger who's passionate about not just home decor... More

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Having fresh produce, especially herbs, at your beck and call is every home chef’s dream. There is lots you can grow – from aromatic curry leaves for your tadkas and refreshing mint for coolers for those hot summer days to basil for fresh pesto and coriander for spicy chutneys. Here are some easy-to-grow plants and herbs that are packed with flavour.

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Cilantro (Coriander)
Cilantro (genus Coriandrum sativum) is the Spanish word for coriander or dhaniya. Botanically speaking, once the cilantro plant flowers develop seeds, the entire plant is then known as coriander. Often used as a garnish, coriander has a sharp and strong flavour, especially in the stem. Use the herb generously in chutneys, dals, rajma, curries and salads.

Water: Enough to keep the soil moist
Sun: Requires full sun

Read how to grow coriander

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Mint
Add pudina (Mentha arvensis) to your recipe garden; it can grow very well indoors too. Along with regular mint, experiment with variations like chocolate mint (Mentha x piperata ‘Chocolate’) and spearmint (Mentha spicata).

Water: Water once a day
Sun: Full sun to partial shade

Find out how to grow mint

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Known for its natural cooling properties, mint can be added to iced teas, sherbets, pudina lassi and soothing raitas. Mix it up with coriander and chillies for spicy chutneys and dips.

Tip: Give your plating an added edge by sprinkling some mint leaves over salads or add a sprig or two to cocktails or on cake frosting.

Curry tree
The curry tree (Murraya koenigii or Bergera koenigii) is a small tree, often found in Indian homes. It grows well both indoors and outdoors. Use well-drained pots, which generally have a small hole at the base to let out excess moisture. Curry leaves are an integral part of everyday cooking and are mostly used in tadkas, often mixed with mustard seeds, chillies and bay leaves.

Water: Once a day to moisten the soil without making it soggy
Sun: Full sun to partial shade

Tip: The more you harvest (read: pick the leaves), the bushier the plant gets. Break off an entire stalk of leaves from its base, not individual leaves. Pluck the leaves right before you cook to retain the strong and aromatic flavour. They can be harvested, dried and stored for later use, as well.

Read how to grow the curry plant

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Basil
Basil (Ocimum basilicum or Saint Joseph’s Wort or sweet basil) is a close cousin of the tulsi (O. tenuiflorum) found commonly in Indian homes. While tulsi is used in limited ways like in prayer offerings or in tea, the Thai (O. basilicum var. thyrsiflora) or Italian (Genovese basil, a cultivar of O. basilicum) or even Greek basil (O. basilicum minimum) variations can bring oodles of flavour to the simplest of dishes.

Water: Regular watering every 1-2 days to prevent soil from drying out
Sun: Full sun

Find out how to grow basil

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Puree basil leaves to make a classic pesto or curry paste; generously sprinkle the leaves over pastas, pizzas and salads.

Tip: Chopping basil leaves with a knife makes them lose their natural green colour. Use the full leaves or simply tear them roughly to retain both colour and flavour, advise chefs like Jamie Oliver.

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Parsley
Grown all year round, parsley (Petroselinum crispum) is very similar in shape and texture to the desi dhaniya patti (cilantro),though a bit thicker and coarser. The two common varieties are the Italian or flat leaf parsley and the curly leaf kind. Parsley has a distinctive, vibrant flavour and is frequently used in European and Middle Eastern dishes, dips and chutneys. It can easily be grown indoors. The flat leaf variety is particularly hardy.

Water: Regular watering to prevent the soil from drying
Sun: Full sun to partial shade

Read how to grow parsley

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Chillies
Chillies or chilli peppers come under the variety Capsicum frutescens and some reasonably good soil, a bit of water and sunshine is all they need to grow. Chillies are an indispensable part of Indian cuisine. Whether used in a powder form or whole, green or smoking red, we love our chillies, don’t we?

Water: Moderately moist soil
Sun: Full sun

Read how to grow hot peppers

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You can grow an assortment of resilient herbs and plants in the kitchen. If you have space constraints, consider growing them vertically in containers or small pots (as shown here).

Tip: Label the pots so you don’t pick the wrong herbs when in a rush.

Disclaimer: The responsibility lies with the reader to make sure that the species of these plants that they grow are safe for consumption and that they do not carry any adverse health effects.

Read more: How to Grow a Green Thumb
7 Steps to a Kitchen Garden in a Small Apartment

Tell us:
What are the other must-have plants for a kitchen garden? Share in Comments.