Growing Spices at home is possible! There’re 16 spices that you can grow in the garden or in your apartment balcony in pots.
If it ever crossed in your mind to grow spices at home in pots or in your garden, this post is for you. Even if you live in a small condo, you can plant any of these spices and create a Container Spice Garden.
1. Turmeric
Botanical Name: Curcuma longa
The part that is Used as Spice: Roots and Rhizomes
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
When it comes to spices, turmeric tops the list because of its innumerate benefits. It’s anti-inflammatory and is also rich in antioxidants. Apart from that, it can also be used topically for treating wounds. It is mainly used in Asian, more specifically in Indian curries.
How to Grow: Plant turmeric rhizomes in spring and early summer if you live in a cold climate. In tropical and subtropical climates, you can plant it throughout the year, except in hot summers. Growing turmeric is not much different from growing ginger. Learn more here. Find out 10 Health Benefits of Turmeric!
Also Read: Using Turmeric in the Garden
2. Ginger
Botanical Name: Zingiber officinale
The part that is Used as Spice: Rhizomes
Difficulty: Easy
Ginger is beneficial for both body and brain as it’s rich in nutrients and various bioactive compounds. It can be used in fresh or dried form and is surprisingly easy to grow indoors. One great thing about ginger is that you can harvest it year around.
How to Grow: Plant the overnight soaked ginger rhizomes in a shallow and wide pot and make sure that the eye bud is facing upwards. Keep the pot away from bright light but in a warm spot. Water every 2-3 days so that the soil remains moist. Do not overwater!
Also Read: How to Grow Ginger in Pot
3. Cumin
Botanical Name: Cuminum cyminum
The part that is Used as Spice: Seeds
Difficulty: Easy
Cuminum cyminum plant seeds are used as a spice. It’s commonly used in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and South Asian cooking. Apart from seeds, leaves are also edible but don’t have a valuable taste. Cumin improves digestion, helps in weight loss, and detoxifies the body.
How to Grow: Cumin belongs to the parsley family. It prefers frost-free climates. You can understand this by checking out the list of producers–70% of cumin is produced in India, followed by Syria, Turkey, and China. Grow the cumin plant in spring so that it’ll be ready for harvest until mid to late summer. If you live in a hot climate, plant it in winter. Choose at least 8-10 inches deep pot to grow it.
4. Onion
Botanical Name: Allium cepa
The part that is Used as Spice: Bulbs
Difficulty: Easy
You must be wondering what this vegetable is doing in this list of spices. Well, you’ll be surprised to know that although onion is a vegetable, its dried powder is considered a spice. It goes well in many recipes and is also low in fat and calories. Mainly it’s used for seasoning dishes and food products such as pizza, pasta, and grilled chicken.
How to Grow: Growing onions in pots is really easy. You’ll need a minimum of 10 inches deep but wide planters. A window box or tub with a recommended depth would be best. You can leave 3 inches of space between each onion.
5. Garlic
Botanical Name: Allium sativum
The part that is Used as Spice: Bulbs
Difficulty: Easy
This close cousin of onion is adaptive to both indoor and outdoor conditions. Garlic falls in the category of both spice and vegetable. It also has medicinal benefits that can prevent or provide relief for various ailments such as the common cold, heart diseases, and high or low blood pressure. *There’s evidence that garlic intake reduces the risk of cancer.
How to Grow: Check out our article to learn everything about growing garlic in pots.
6. Coriander
Botanical Name: Coriandrum sativum
The part that is Used as Spice: Seeds
Difficulty: Easy
It also goes by the name cilantro. The dried seeds of this herb are called Coriander seeds. This spice is commonly used in Pakistani, Indian, Mexican, and Latin American cooking, either whole or powdered. Their spicy aroma is very rich and citrusy.
How to Grow: Like the way you grow cilantro. Let it flower and seed, and collect them to use fresh. Fresh coriander seeds are very aromatic. Learn how to grow cilantro here.
7. Paprika
Botanical Name: Capsicum annuum
The part that is Used as Spice: Fruits
Difficulty: Easy
This ground spice is true to its nature and is used to spice up dishes. Made by grounding the dried chili pepper, tomato pepper, or cayenne pepper. Peppers are easy to grow in pots, and you can even grow several varieties for a blend. Keep in mind that *bell peppers are not suitable for this spice.
How to Grow: Growing them is similar to bell peppers. Check out our article to learn more.
8. Saffron
Botanical Name: Crocus sativus
The part that is Used as Spice: Stigma of the flower
Difficulty: Moderate to Hard
The price of this most expensive spice can go up to $10 per gram; how about growing saffron at home? It’s obtained from the stigmas of saffron flowers, one plant only bears one flower, and one flower has just 3 stigmas. Everything about saffron is special and amazing: The flavor, scent, rarity, and innumerable health benefits.
How to Grow: Saffron grows best in a cool and dry climate, usually in USDA Zones 6-9. Iran is the largest producer of Saffron. To grow, you’ll need to buy only and only Crocus sativas corms and plant them in the fall, 6 weeks before your first expected frost date. You could also start in the spring. The wikiHow has an informative article on it here.
9. Mustard
Botanical Name: Brassica juncea
The part that is Used as Spice: Seeds
Difficulty: Easy
Mustard seeds from any black, brown, or yellow mustard come in the category of spices and are used ground or whole in many parts of the world. You can harvest the seeds and use them to prepare mustard sauces, curries, and snacks. The seeds can be used fresh or dried if you want to store them for further use.
How to Grow: Mustard greens are one of the easiest leafy greens to grow in pots. You can grow mustard anytime except winter in a cool climate and in fall and winter in a hot climate. You can use mustard leaves in salads and let the plant to seed to collect this spice.
10. Fennel Seeds
Botanical Name: Foeniculum vulgare
The part that is Used as Spice: Fruits
Difficulty: Easy
Fennel is an aromatic herb and belongs to the carrot family. Its fruits, which look like seeds, make the spice “fennel seeds.” Fennel seeds are flavorful, aromatic, sweet, and warm in taste and are used very much in Middle Eastern, Italian, and Indian cooking. They’re also chewed up after meals in many Asian countries to freshen up the breath and aid digestion.
How to Grow: Because of the length of the taproot, the container must be at least 12-14 inches in depth. Use a light potting medium and water frequently but do not overwater. Harvest fennel leaves as you need and wait for the fragrant fruits to ripe before picking them.
11. Star Anise
Botanical Name: Illicium verum
The part that is Used as Spice:
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
This exotic spice is commonly used in Indian and Chinese cooking. Star anise with fennel seeds, cloves, cinnamon, and peppercorns is powdered to make the famous “Five Chinese Spice.” It’s also an ingredient of the well-known “Garam Masala” condiment used in Indian curries.
How to Grow: It grows well in subtropical climates. Check our article to learn how to grow it.
Also Read: Amazing Clove Uses In The Garden
12. Cardamom
Botanical Name: Elettaria cardamomum
The part that is Used as Spice: Fruits or pods
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Who doesn’t know about this famous intensely fragrant spice? The best part is you can grow cardamom in pots in your home. It’s an ingredient in many sweet and savory dishes and is widely used in Middle Eastern, Arabic, Indian, and Swedish cuisine.
How to Grow: Check out our article on how to grow cardamom here.
13. Asafoetida (Hing) Plant
Botanical Name: Ferula foetida
The part that is Used as Spice: Latex
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
The highly potent aroma and flavor of asafoetida make it a great addition to curries, soups, daal, and lentil recipes. The anti-bacterial, carminative, diuretic, antiviral, sedative, and anti-inflammatory nature of this spice makes it unparalleled when it comes to health benefits. Plus, it can also be applied topically to treat calluses and corns. It’s no wonder that it has been named Food of Gods!
This spice is obtained from the sap of stems and roots of the Ferula foetida plant, and it can be costly to buy.
How to Grow: First of all, you’ll need to buy the seeds of Ferula foetida. It grows best in moderate climates (USDA Zones 7-9). The main producers are Afghanistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, etc. This herb can grow up to 5-6 feet tall, which means you can grow it in pots.
14. Indian Bay Leaf (Tej Patta)
Botanical Name: Cinnamomum tamala
The part that is Used as Spice: Leaves
Difficulty: Easy
Dried Indian bay leaf is a popular spice in many countries of South Asia. Its taste and aroma are completely different from “Bay Laurel.” The pleasant spicy smell has strong notes of cinnamon and clove, plus it’s very peppery in taste. This bay leaf is used to flavor rice dishes like biryani, gravies, soups, and curries.
How to Grow: Indian bay leaf is a tree, but you can easily grow it in pots and restrict the height. It grows best in the warm subtropical and tropical climates. You can also plant it in a container in a cold climate and keep it indoors during winter. To grow, buy a plant from the nearby nursery and plant it in a pot that is one size bigger than the root ball of the plant. Keep repotting in every year or two.
15. Curry Tree
Botanical Name: Murraya koenigii
The part that is Used as Spice: Leaves
Difficulty: Easy
Curry tree leaves are used in curries, chutneys, and uttapam. Most extensively in South Indian and Sri Lankan recipes. You can add them in both the category of herb and spice. The leaves can be dried under shade and stored for long use if fresh leaves are not available. The aroma of curry tree leaves is distinct, very sweet, and lingering.
How to Grow: Check out our growing guide to learn more.
16. Black Pepper
Botanical Name: Piper nigrum
The part that is Used as Spice: Fruits
Difficulty: Moderate
Black pepper fruits or peppercorns are one of the most popular spices in the world, available in most kitchens and used in a variety of cuisines for their heat and spiciness. You can even grow it in pots, but it prefers warm and humid climates.
How to Grow: This spice plant is finicky about its climatic requirements; you can learn how to grow it here.
where can I buy the seeds
Very very informative yet instrestingly deliberated articles about the most common and precious spices. One would love have these spices in garden but rather BIG BUT that the viable seeds of these spices is very difficult to source.
I will request the admin /moderator of site to plz give links to some good seeds suppliers.
Thanks.
Lots of good ideas here. I also like to grow Sechuan Peppercorns at home. It’s my favorite spice for Chinese cooking and the plants are remarkably hardy here in Washington State. I just wish some of these were more easily available to buy.
Very informative
Is there any thing for cats that won’t harm the garden