10 Best Herbs to Grow on a Balcony

If you’re looking to add a little more flavor to your home-cooked meals, growing your own herbs on your balcony is a fantastic way to do it! Fresh herbs can take any dish to the next level, and the best part? You really don’t need a lot of space to start a mini herb garden.

From hanging baskets to vertical planters, there are plenty of efficient, space-saving ways to grow herbs right outside your door. In this post, we’ll go over some of the best herbs to grow on a balcony, so you can enjoy fresh, homegrown flavors all year round!

Related Read | How to Create a Vertical Vegetable Garden

Whether you have a sun-filled balcony, a window planter, or a rooftop terrace, these 10 herbs will thrive in containers and small spaces. Plus, most of them can be brought indoors in winter to keep the flavors going through winter.

The Best Herbs to Grow in a Balcony Garden

Let’s dive into the best herbs for your balcony garden, their best uses and also how to help them thrive!

1. Basil

If you’re into Italian food (who isn’t!?) then basil needs to be included in your balcony herb garden lineup. It thrives in sunny spots and does well in any container you might have on hand, making it perfect for small spaces and urban gardeners!

Basil can easily be grown indoors during the winter too. Just place it by a sunny window, and you’ll have fresh basil leaves to throw into pasta dishes year-round.

Benefits: Fresh basil leaves add a nutritional boost to meals (they contain antioxidants and other polyphenols) and bring a fresh, slightly sweet flavor to dishes like pasta, pizza, and salads!

Growing Conditions: Basil thrives in full sun and prefers warm weather, making it perfect for sunny balconies. Keep the soil moist, and it will reward you with plenty of fragrant leaves.

2. Mint

There Mint is a useful herb to grow on a balcony because it’s hardy, easy to care for, and grows well in containers, making it ideal for small spaces. Its refreshing leaves can be used in teas, salads, and even for natural remedies, adding value to your daily routine.

If you have a shady spot mint will happily thrive there. It’s one of the best crops that will grow in shade!

Mint is easy to bring indoors too and will thrive in cooler months, as long as it gets enough indirect light. So you can enjoy soothing mint teas all through the winter!

Benefits: Mint aids digestion and adds a refreshing taste to teas, salads, and even cocktails. Plus, it repels pests like mosquitoes!

Growing Conditions: Mint does well in partial shade and is highly adaptable to different climates. It’s a fast grower, so a small pot will quickly fill up with fragrant leaves. Keep the soil slightly moist.

3. Thyme

Thyme is a perfect herb to grow on a balcony because it thrives in containers, loves sunny spots, and requires minimal care. Its fragrant, hardy leaves are great for seasoning dishes and offer year-round harvests, making it a versatile and practical choice for a small space!

Benefits: Thyme is an immune-boosting herb rich in vitamins and antioxidants. It’s a versatile addition to roasted vegetables, soups, and marinades.
Growing Conditions: This hardy herb loves the sun and well-drained soil. Once established, it’s drought-tolerant, making it low-maintenance for busy gardeners.

4. Parsley

Parsley is an excellent herb to grow on a balcony because it thrives in pots and tolerates partial shade, making it ideal for small outdoor spaces. It’s also a versatile herb, adding a fresh, earthy flavor to many dishes, and can be harvested almost year-round with minimal effort.

Move parsley inside in the winter months, and it will continue to grow happily with indirect sunlight.

Benefits: High in vitamin C and iron, parsley is a nutritional powerhouse. It adds freshness to almost any dish, from tabbouleh to sauces.

Growing Conditions: Parsley prefers a mix of sun and shade, making it suitable for various balcony conditions. Water regularly, and it’ll keep producing tender, flavorful leaves.

5. Chives

Two great reasons to grow chives on a balcony are that they thrive in small containers and need minimal care, making them perfect for compact spaces. Additionally, chives offer a fresh, mild onion flavor to a variety of dishes, and their attractive purple flowers can brighten up your balcony garden.

When winter rolls around you can also grow chives on a bright windowsill too!

Benefits: Chives are rich in vitamins A and C, and their mild onion flavor complements eggs, potatoes, and salads perfectly.

Growing Conditions: Chives prefer full sun but can tolerate partial shade. They do well in small pots and require regular watering to stay lush.

6. Cilantro (Coriander)

Cilantro — whether you love it or hate it — it’s a great culinary herb to have on hand on your balcony! Did you know there’s even an “I Hate Coriander” Facebook page?

If you like adding it to curries or salsa add a small plant into a mixed herb planter. Or if you LOVE it, sow some seeds in a container so you can have a decent supply of cilantro to snip as and when you want to add some to your meals!

Not everyone enjoys cilantro due to a genetic difference that makes it taste soapy to some, but it’s easy to grow and provides a quick harvest for those who love its unique flavor! You can also grow it indoors during the cooler months, although it may need a bit of extra care to prevent it from bolting.

Benefits: Cilantro has a unique flavor that brightens salsas, curries, and salads. It’s also known for its detoxifying properties.

Growing Conditions: Cilantro likes cooler weather and can tolerate partial shade. Keep the soil moist, but make sure it’s well-drained.

7. Oregano

Oregano is a fantastic herb to grow on your balcony because its bold flavor adds a delicious touch to everything from pasta to pizza. It’s also a tough little plant that loves containers, making it perfect for small spaces while its pretty flowers attract pollinators.

Plus, you can bring it indoors during winter, and it’ll happily keep growing on a sunny windowsill!

Benefits: Oregano is known for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. It’s a very important herb in Mediterranean cooking, great in pizza sauces, soups, and roasted veggies.

Growing Conditions: This sun-loving herb thrives in dry, well-drained soil and can handle full sun on your balcony.

8. Rosemary

Rosemary is a lovely herb to have on hand on a balcony because its fragrant leaves can elevate the flavors of a variety of dishes, from roasted meats to hearty soups. It’s also a drought-tolerant herb that thrives in containers and requires minimal maintenance, making it a perfect choice for urban gardeners looking to enhance their culinary creations!

You can easily grow rosemary indoors in a pot during winter months too, as long as it receives plenty of light.

Benefits: Rosemary is an aromatic herb that has been linked to improved memory! It’s one of the best healing herbs to grow on a balcony. Its aromatic, woody flavor complements roasted meats, breads, and stews.

Growing Conditions: Another sun-loving herb that needs well-drained soil and a sunny spot, making it perfect for sunny balconies. It doesn’t require frequent watering and is relatively low-maintenance.

9. Sage

Sage is a lovely herb to have on hand in your balcony garden because its aromatic leaves add a wonderful flavor to dishes like roasted vegetables and meats, enhancing your culinary creations. Additionally, sage is a hardy plant that thrives in containers, making it easy to grow while attracting pollinators like bees with its beautiful purple flowers.

Like rosemary, you can keep sage indoors for winter. Just make sure to keep it on the sunniest windowsill (or sunniest spot) you have.

Benefits: Sage is rich in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory benefits. It’s fantastic in stuffings, meats, and soups.

Growing Conditions: Sage prefers full sun and well-drained soil. Once established, it’s very drought-tolerant, making it easy to care for.

10. Lavender

Herbs don’t always need to be used in the kitchen! Lavender is a perfect addition to your balcony garden with its lovely scent and vibrant purple blooms that can brighten up any space. It’s also super easy to care for, thriving in containers with minimal water. It’s also pollinator-friendly!

Of course you can still always use lavender in the kitchen! It can be used in herbal teas and even adds a floral touch to baked goods.

Benefits: Known for its calming scent, lavender is often used in teas, soaps, and essential oils. It also attracts pollinators like bees to your balcony.

Growing Conditions: Lavender loves full sun and dry, well-drained soil. Be careful not to overwater, as it thrives best when it’s a bit on the dry side. Unlike the other herbs, lavender prefers to stay outdoors, but it can handle cooler temperatures better than most herbs.

By growing these herbs on your balcony, you’ll have a constant supply of fresh flavors for your cooking, along with beautiful plants to enhance your space. Plus, since most of these herbs can be grown indoors during winter, you can enjoy fresh herbs all year long!

You may also like to read…

If you’re looking for more inspiration on growing herbs in a small space, we’ve got you covered! Check out our latest blog posts full of tips, tricks, and creative ways to make the most of your tiny garden — no matter the size.

• 14 Healing Herbs to Grow in a Balcony Garden
• 9 Indoor Herbs to Grow on a Windowsill This Winter