Growing your own spices at home is not only rewarding but also surprisingly easy, even if you don’t have a garden. Many common spices can thrive in pots, making them perfect for small spaces like balconies, patios, or even windowsills. In this article, we’ll explore 10 common spices that you can easily grow in pots, ensuring you have fresh, flavorful ingredients right at your fingertips.
1. Ginger
Ginger is a popular ingredient in many cuisines around the world, not just for its spicy flavor but also for its impressive health benefits. It’s good for both your body and mind, packed with nutrients and various beneficial compounds. You can use ginger either fresh or dried.
Ginger can be grown in garden beds or pots and can be harvested all year. Since it spreads out horizontally, it’s best to use a pot that’s wide rather than deep. Make sure the pot has proper drainage at the bottom to avoid waterlogging, which can cause the ginger to rot. Water the plant every 2-3 days to keep the soil moist. Plant the ginger with the eye bud facing up, and use loose, rich, well-draining soil, as compacted soil can slow down its growth. Place the pot in a warm area, out of direct sunlight.
2. Garlic
Ginger is closely related to onions and can be used as both a spice and a vegetable. It also has medicinal properties that help with various health issues like the common cold, heart disease, and blood pressure problems.
Ginger can be grown both indoors and outdoors, making it versatile for any home. Growing garlic at home is also very easy, all you need is a small space for a pot, and you’re ready to start. Whether the spot gets sunlight or not, you can still grow garlic. If it gets sunlight, you can harvest garlic cloves, and if it only gets indirect light, you can grow fresh garlic greens for your dishes.
Choose a pot that is at least 8-10 inches deep and has good drainage holes at the bottom. Using a well-draining soil mix is ideal. Garlic thrives in sandy, loamy soil, but it’s not too picky and will grow well in most conditions. Water your garlic enough to keep the soil slightly moist, but be careful not to overwater.
3. Onion
Growing onions in containers lets you harvest green leaves indoors or in a small backyard space. While onions are vegetables, their dried form is often used as a spice. They are a great addition to many dishes, low in fat and calories, and commonly used to season foods like pizza, pasta, and grilled chicken.
Growing onions in pots is really easy! Just give them good soil, proper drainage, fertilizer, and plenty of light. Choose a wide pot that is at least 10 inches (25 cm) deep, though it should be a few feet (1 m) wide. Be sure to add drainage holes at the bottom to prevent water from accumulating.
Whether you grow onions in a large container or smaller pots, it’s important to place them where they can get six to seven hours of sunlight. A window box or deep container would work well. If you’re growing onions indoors and don’t have enough natural light, you can use fluorescent bulbs placed close to the plants. Check your onions daily, and if the top of the soil feels dry, water them.
4. Indian Bay Leaf
Dried Indian bay leaf is a well-known spice in many South Asian countries and is also appreciated as an ornamental plant by gardeners. In Europe, the leaves are used for medicinal purposes. The bay leaf has a pleasant spicy aroma with strong hints of cinnamon and clove, and a peppery flavor. It’s commonly used to flavor dishes like biryani, soups, gravies, and curries.
While bay trees can grow up to 60 feet (18 m) tall in the wild, they can also be grown in containers! A potted bay tree is attractive, responds well to pruning, and stays much smaller than those in the wild. To start growing bay leaves in containers, it’s faster to purchase small seedlings rather than planting seeds, which take a long time to sprout.
Choose a pot with good drainage holes and use well-draining container soil. Place the pot in a partially shaded area with protection from strong winds. If you bring the bay tree indoors during cold weather, place it in a cool spot. The tree will go dormant, requiring minimal water and sunlight. If the tree is kept in a warmer location, it won’t go dormant, so be sure to provide it with some sunlight and regular watering.
5. Coriander
Coriander is a versatile herb that is widely used in Asian cooking, including curries, Chinese, and Thai dishes. Both the seeds and leaves of the plant are used, offering two different flavors. The seeds have a mild lemony taste and are often ground into a spice, while the leaves (also known as cilantro) have a slightly bitter flavor and can be chopped and added to dishes, breads, or used as a garnish.
If you plant new seeds every three weeks, you can enjoy fresh coriander leaves throughout the summer to enhance your salads and Asian dishes.
Coriander prefers a sunny spot but benefits from some shade during the hottest part of the day. This is important for leaf varieties because hot weather can cause the plants to go to seed faster.
Sow the seeds directly into well-drained, fertile soil, or you can grow coriander in pots or trays with good multipurpose compost. Since coriander plants have deep taproots, make sure the pots are at least 25 cm deep. Scatter the seeds on the surface of the compost, cover them lightly, and water well. In a pot with a 25 cm diameter, you can plant about 5 seeds per pot. Water regularly, especially during dry spells, and ensure the soil stays moist. If the plants seem to be struggling, give them a boost with a liquid organic feed.
6. Peppers
Don’t let limited space stop you from enjoying a bountiful pepper harvest, as peppers are perfect for growing in pots. They are not only colorful and eye-catching, making them great ornamental plants, but they also add tons of flavor to your favorite dishes. Whether you prefer spicy or sweet varieties, peppers grow well in containers.
This spice lives up to its name by adding heat to dishes. It’s made by grinding dried chili peppers, tomato peppers, or cayenne peppers. Growing peppers in pots is easy, and you can even grow different varieties to create a unique blend.
It’s important to water peppers consistently; don’t let the soil dry out completely. Keep the soil evenly moist but not soaked. Peppers do best in nutrient-rich soil and with regular fertilization, helping them produce large, colorful fruits.
7. Turmeric
When it comes to spices, turmeric is at the top due to its numerous benefits. Turmeric can be used fresh, dried, or powdered to add a peppery flavor to a variety of dishes and is especially popular in Indian cuisine. It’s also highly valued for its medicinal properties, being anti-inflammatory and rich in antioxidants. It can even be applied topically to treat wounds. It’s mainly used in Asian cooking, particularly in Indian curries. Whether you use it for cooking or as a dye, learning how to grow turmeric guarantees a continuous supply.
If you live in a cold climate, plant turmeric rhizomes in the spring or early summer. In tropical and subtropical climates, you can plant them year-round, except during hot summers. Turmeric needs fertile, well-drained soil, plenty of sunlight, and regular watering. Make sure the soil stays moist but not waterlogged, and occasionally fertilize the plant. You can start with rhizomes from the grocery store or purchase them from specialty seed suppliers or nurseries that focus on tropical plants.
8. Black Pepper
Black pepper is a flowering vine known for its fragrant and spicy peppercorns, which are among the most popular spices worldwide, commonly found in kitchens and used in various cuisines for their heat and spiciness.
You can grow black pepper in pots, but it prefers warm and humid conditions. While it thrives in tropical climates, it can adapt to drier or cooler environments. As long as the plant is kept in a warm place with partial shade and has room for its vines to spread, it will do well. It also makes a great indoor climbing or hanging plant.
The plant needs 6 to 8 hours of indirect sunlight daily. Choose a spot in your garden that gets a mix of shade and sunlight throughout the day, or place the plant near a window with occasional sunlight. It’s best to grow black pepper on a supporting structure like a fence or trellis. Use well-draining soil, as black pepper thrives in rich soil that drains easily.
9. Fennel Seeds
Fennel is an aromatic herb that belongs to the carrot family and is commonly grown for its unique anise-like flavor, used in cooking. The plant produces fruits that resemble seeds, known as fennel seeds, which are flavorful, aromatic, sweet, and warm. These seeds are widely used in Middle Eastern, Italian, and Indian cuisines. In many Asian countries, they are also chewed after meals to freshen breath and aid digestion. Bulb fennel, in particular, is valued for its large white bulbs, which pair well with fish.
You can grow fennel in pots as long as the pots are large enough. Due to its long taproot, the container should be at least 12-14 inches deep. Use a light potting mix and water frequently, but be careful not to overwater.
Fennel thrives in warm weather and doesn’t like having its roots disturbed, so it’s best to sow it directly into the soil after the danger of frost or cool nighttime temperatures has passed. When growing fennel in containers, keep the soil moist but not waterlogged by using well-draining soil and watering regularly. Harvest the bulb before it starts to flower for the best flavor. You can harvest fennel leaves as needed and wait for the fragrant seeds to ripen before collecting them.
10. Mustard
Mustard greens are one of the easiest leafy vegetables to grow in tropical climates. They can be eaten raw as a substitute for lettuce or spinach in salads or cooked with other vegetables. These leaves are rich in nutrients, especially vitamins, selenium, and magnesium, and are known to help lower cholesterol levels. They can also reduce the severity of asthma, alleviate arthritis symptoms, and lower blood pressure.
Mustard seeds, whether black, brown, or yellow, are classified as spices and are used whole or ground in many cuisines around the world. You can harvest the seeds to make mustard sauces, curries, and snacks. The seeds can be used fresh or dried for longer storage.
Mustard greens are very easy to grow in pots, making them perfect for urban gardeners with limited space. They can be grown in full or partial sunlight, and they are well-suited for almost any season—except winter in cooler climates, and fall and winter in hotter regions. You can use the leaves in salads and allow the plant to go to seed to collect the spice. Mustard greens thrive in containers with loose, well-draining soil and are ready to harvest in just 6-8 weeks.
