Feeding herbs: when, how & best herb plant food - Plantura (2024)

Fertilising herbs from time to time will help to create the perfect flavour. Discover when and how to feed herbs properly and the best fertiliser for herb plants.

Herbs are indispensable for preparing delicious food. In order to fully develop their aroma, they need an appropriate supply of nutrients. Too much can damage the aroma, too little can reduce growth. So, the right amount is crucial here.

Which herbs need feeding?

As with all plants, there are some herbs that are particularly hungry for nutrients and others that can be harmed by too many nutrients.

Sun-loving Mediterranean herbs thrive in dry and nutrient-poor locations. So, they will need to be planted in a well-drained, nutrient-poor soil in a bed or pot and not given too much fertiliser. In the worst case, not only the aroma of the herbs suffers from overfeeding but also their frost hardiness and resistance to pests and diseases. Mediterranean herbs are therefore best planted in nutrient-poor permeable soil, such as our . Many herbs even benefit from adding more sand or crushed expanded clay to the sowing compost.

Herbs with low nutrient requirements include:

• Garden cress (Lepidium sativum)
• Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)
• Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
• Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis)
• Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)
• Oregano (Origanum vulgare)
• Rue (Ruta graveolens)
• Sage (Salvia officinalis)
• Savory (Satureja spec.)
• Sweet marjoram (Origanum majorana)
• Thyme (Thymus spec.)

Tip: herbs with low water and nutrient requirements grow best at the top of a herb spiral.

Herbs that grow in moist and nutrient-rich places in their natural habitat and prefer more shade and moisture need more generous fertilisation. In addition, the potting soil used will need to store water and nutrients effectively. For these herbs, a nutrient-rich vegetable soil, such as our , is very suitable. Not only can it store many nutrients and water very well due to its high compost content, but its high potassium content also ensures stable cell walls and thus sturdy and healthy plants.

Herbs with high nutrient requirements include:

• Borage (Borago officinalis)
• Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
• Lemon verbena (Aloysia citrodora)
• Lovage (Levisticum officinale)
• Mint (Mentha)
• Parsley (Petroselinum crispum ssp. crispum)
• Sweet basil (Ocimum basil)
• Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus)
• Wild garlic (Allium ursinum)

Feeding herbs: when and how often?

Sufficient nutrients are extremely important for the lush growth of many plants. It is important to fertilise nutrient-loving herbs regularly, but “less is more” is the rule here. If herbs are given too many nutrients, their aroma will suffer. The strength of the shoots and resistance to many pathogens also decreases significantly with moderate overfertilisation. Therefore, fertilise your herbs sparingly.

Apply fertiliser once to max. twice a year to herbs with high nutrient requirements. Apply the first dose of fertiliser in spring at the beginning of growth and a second dose in early summer.Herbs with low nutrient requirements can often thrive very well in the bed for years without fertiliser. In pots, regular repotting provides sufficient replenishment. If frequent repotting is not possible or desirable, fertiliser can also be applied sparingly in spring.

The best plant food for herbs

Nutrient-hungry herbs only provide tasty foliage when well fertilised.

For a natural long-term effect without compromising the flavour, a primarily organic fertiliser, such as our Plantura All Purpose Plant Food, is an excellent choice. For a quick start in spring, our animal-free fertiliser can be soaked in water for a day and then applied with a watering can – this way the fertilising effect starts even faster.

Herbs with low nutrient requirements can be fertilised once a year with a smaller amount of our primarily organic Plantura All Purpose Plant Food or a plant food for herbs, for example, nettle tea feed.

Summary – feeding herbs:

• Fertilise nutrient-loving herbs 1 -2 a year
• Fertilise herbs with a low nutrient requirement very rarely, at most once a year
• First fertiliser application in spring
• Use organic fertilisers such as our primarily organic Plantura All Purpose Plant Food to avoid compromising the flavour and health of the plants.

Many herbs are easy to grow in pots or on the balcony. If you would like to find out more, check out our dedicated article on growing herbs in pots.