10 Errors for Beginner Herb Gardeners to Avoid

Cooking with fresh herbs is the best and healthiest way to elevate the taste of your meals, whether you’re tossing them in a vibrant salad, roasting them alongside meat and vegetables, or blending them into sauces. While pre-packaged herbs are available year-round, growing your own provides unmatched satisfaction, flavor, and freshness. Whether you live in a house in the suburbs or an apartment in the city, herb gardening is easily accessible—provided you avoid a few common beginner errors.

For those who are feeling baffled about where to start, mastering a few practical techniques will set you up for success and ensure your windowsill or garden bed is bountiful.

In this Jim’s Mowing blog, you’ll learn:

  • Why starting with seedlings (not seeds) is often safer for novices.
  • The critical role of your herb’s oldest leaves (the “solar panels”).
  • How to prune for thick, lush growth instead of tall, spindly stems.
  • Which aggressive herbs need careful containment in the garden.

The 10 Most Common Herb Gardening Mistakes

Error 1: Growing Straight from Seed

As a beginner, it is highly recommended to start with a seedling rather than planting your own seeds. There are little starter plants available from most nurseries and garden shops for a similar price to a packet of supermarket herbs.

Many things can go wrong in the delicate seed-to-seedling transition, especially around germination time, temperature consistency, and light requirements. Skipping this complex task avoids ending your herb garden dreams before they even begin. Starting with established seedlings provides an immediate, sturdy plant, allowing you to focus on care and maintenance instead of finicky germination science.

Error 2: Starting with the Wrong Varieties

Basil is the perfect trainer herb and is highly recommended as a starting point.

  • Rapid Growth

Basil grows rapidly, allowing you to witness the immediate effects of your care and pruning techniques more easily.

  • Clear Signals

When not watered enough, basil leaves wilt noticeably, like a dramatic curtain drop. Crucially, they recover well when you water the wilted plant, making it a safe way to figure out how much water is truly enough for your environment.

Once comfortable with basil, the following herbs are recommended as your next step: oregano, mint, rosemary, and thyme. All are regularly useful herbs in the kitchen and are relatively simple to grow.

Error 3: Watering Herbs Like Pot Plants

While many traditional indoor pot plants flourish with one heavy, solid watering per week, most delicate herbs need moderate and regular watering. This is predominantly true during the hotter summer months when evaporation is high.

  • Avoid Overwatering

Ensure your pot has excellent drainage and that the pot itself is lifted slightly (rocks beneath the soil don’t help as much as proper drainage holes). Overwatering is a leading cause of death for herbs, as it can suffocate the roots and lead to root rot.

  • Feel the Soil

Always check the top inch of soil with your finger before watering. If it feels dry, it’s time to water thoroughly until you see water drain from the bottom.

Error 4: Hesitating on the Pruning Shear

Although it may seem like the tiny herb isn’t ready for a haircut to a novice gardener, it is essential to prune while the herbs are young to ensure full, thick, bushy growth.

  • The V-Shape Trick

When pruning all herbs, it is best to cut the stem directly above a set of growing leaves. The original pruned stem will no longer grow vertically. Instead, the two new stems directly beneath the cut will begin to grow, creating a “V” shape.

  • The Basil Rule

If basil is not regularly pruned, it will become too tall and top-heavy. It is advised that your first trim is approximately 3–4 inches above the soil to ensure a nice, sturdy base. As the plant continues to grow, continue to prune it approximately every 3–4 inches higher, always leaving a few durable leaves on the plant.

Error 5: Picking the Wrong Leaves

This is a common beginner mistake: most novices pick the largest, oldest leaves from the bottom and think it’s best to leave the tender little leaves at the top to grow. This is incorrect and counterproductive to the plant’s health!

  • The Solar Panels

Those large, tough leaves at the bottom and middle are the plant’s primary energy source—the solar panels that power all new growth. Removing them starves the plant of energy.

  • Harvest from the Top

Once your plant has grown adequately, continue harvesting from the top, just as you do when pruning. This ensures you get those tender, most flavourful new herbs while allowing the plant to keep its vital, well-built solar power system in place for strong regrowth.

Error 6: Letting Your Plants Get Out of Control (Bolting)

Regular pruning is a must unless you are growing something specifically for its edible flower. Otherwise, be sure to cut back herbs before they start growing flowers, a process known as bolting.

If you allow it, an herb will focus all its energy on procreation (seed production) and neglect leaf growth. This quickly drains the plant, often leading to tough, bitter leaves. If you want healthy, thick leaves, be sure to clip off the little flower buds whenever you find them. This immediately redirects the plant’s focus back to developing more foliage.

Error 7: Using Old Soil with Zero Nutrients

You literally reap what you sow, so don’t ever use tired, compacted soil that has been sitting around forever. You need to spoil your herbs with a dose of the good stuff.

  • Soil Mixture

A combination of fresh, high-quality potting soil and organic compost is best if you have some on hand. Crushed egg shells can also provide minor calcium benefits.

  • Fertilisation

Those without access to quality organic compost may want to invest in a balanced liquid fertiliser specifically designed for herbs to help them flourish throughout the season. Remember, herbs still need nutrients to maintain growth.

Error 8: Branching Out Too Slowly

Don’t stick too long with just one or two herbs. Once you are comfortable with basil, branch out to a few other basic herbs that you will use regularly in your kitchen: oregano, mint, rosemary, and thyme. All are simple to grow and highly useful.

You will notice that rosemary cleaves after cutting in a similar way to basil but grows considerably slower, so the effect of pruning is more challenging to notice.

Error 9: Confusing Different Varieties

There are many different varieties of each herb, so when choosing seedlings, be sure to read the label carefully.

For instance:

  • Oregano

There are two main assortments: Mediterranean and Mexican. Mediterranean oregano is the more common variety you likely store in your cupboard. Mexican oregano has a stronger, spicier profile and is often used in rich or tomato-based dishes.

  • Mint

The spearmint plant is highly pungent, whereas apple mint is much more subtle and fruity. Do your research to get the required flavours for your individual tastes.

Error 10: Allowing Aggressive Plants to Dominate the Garden

Planting aggressive herbs directly into the ground can enable them to quickly dominate the rest of your garden. Be aware that oregano and mint are both insatiable growers and their root systems can take over a garden bed and strangle nearby, less vigorous plants.

If you are considering planting these herbs directly in the garden, you must use a containment method:

  • Pot-in-Ground

Plant these herbs in a plastic or terracotta pot and then bury the pot in the ground. This will add a measure of control to the root system, preventing the runners from spreading aggressively into the surrounding soil. If in doubt, do the relevant research on individual herbs to eliminate the threat of devastating your garden.

Need Expert Help with Your Garden Beds?

While growing herbs is a fun DIY project, achieving a beautiful, thriving garden bed or a perfect lawn can require more specialized knowledge. If you are struggling with poor soil health, complex pest issues, or simply don’t have the time to dedicate to regular pruning and soil maintenance, it’s time to call in the professionals.

Our team at Jim’s Mowing NZ offers comprehensive Gardening Services that cover everything from garden bed renovation and soil preparation to detailed pruning and scheduled plant health checks. We also provide expert Lawn Care Services to ensure your entire property is maintained to the highest standard.

Ready for a perfectly maintained garden? Call Jim’s Mowing on 0800 454 654 for your free no-obligation quote or Book Online Today.

Conclusion

Mastering a few fundamental techniques can transform your herb gardening experience from frustrating to incredibly rewarding. By avoiding these 10 common mistakes—from knowing when to prune to understanding the power of your soil—you empower your plants to thrive. Focus on starting with established seedlings, pruning regularly, harvesting correctly from the top, and giving your herbs fresh, nutrient-rich soil. With consistent care and attention to detail, you will quickly enjoy the unparalleled satisfaction of cooking with the freshest herbs harvested right from your own home.