Planting a basket of herbs is much the same as planting a hanging container filled with annual flowering plants. Use a good potting soil mix that drains well but also contains organic material that will hold moisture. Adding a time-released fertilizer at the time of planting is a good idea, but herbs do not require as much feeding as ornamental flowering plants, so fertilize lightly. Line your basket with moss or a piece of landscape fabric before adding potting soil. This will both protect the basket and prevent soil from washing through the basket when you water. The larger the hanging basket you use, the more types of herbs you can grow in it. The same principles used for creating ornamental flowering baskets apply to an herb basket. Include an upright specimen, such as lady’s mantle; filler herbs such as savory; and herbs that will spill over the sides of the basket, such as creeping thyme. When planted in a hanging basket, herbs can dry out quickly unless you are careful. Not every herb is suited for growing in a hanging basket, so it is important to choose your herbs carefully. Here are five plants that are heat-tolerant and can tolerate dryness between waterings. While this plant is not grown for its flowers, the blooms do attract butterflies and other pollinators, so you might want to leave some of the blooms intact rather than snipping them away. This variety of thyme is used more often as an ornamental not as a culinary herb, but its flavor is similar to the more common culinary variety, Thymus vulgaris.
USDA Hardiness Zone: 5 to 8; often grown as an annualColor Varieties: Pale lilac; not normally grown for flowersSun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Dry to medium moisture, general-purpose potting mix
USDA Hardiness Zone: 6 to 8; usually grown as an annualColor Varieties: White, lilac (not grown for flowers)Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shadeSoil Needs: Dry to medium moisture, general-purpose potting mix
USDA Hardiness Zone: 8 to 10; usually grown as an annualColor Varieties: White, pale blue (not grown for flowers)Sun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Dry to medium moisture, general-purpose potting mix
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 to 8Color Varieties: Blue (not grown for flowers)Sun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Dry to medium moisture, general-purpose potting mix
