Everywhere I go, I see tiny plastic packets of miniscule amounts of fresh herbs selling at outrageous prices. I don't care how good it is, there is no such thing as basil worth more per pound than filet mignon. These herb farmers may be the smartest people in the world. They're sitting in their mansions built from easy to grow herbs laughing at us poor, dumb folks that buy them. Well, no more! I will deftly walk you through how to cultivate your own easy to grow herbs, and you can liberate yourself from your herb-farming overlords.
Rosemary
This is, by far, the easiest plant in the world to grow. I have pulled rosemary plants from the dirt, thrown them in my trunk, planted them two days later in soil that could only be described as pulverized concrete, and had them grow to a massive size with little to no effort whatsoever. (Note: I am not advocating rosemary theft.) They do seem to do better with morning sun, though, and I can't recommend them for container gardening, despite that several people I know seem to do fine with rosemary in pots. I'd recommend buying a small living plant and sticking it in the ground where it gets plenty of sun. They need barely any water, though it helps, and will grow in almost any conditions. Once it gets big enough, there's no way to run out of this delicious herb. It goes great on potatoes, as well as meat of all kinds.
Oregano
The flavor and smell of fresh oregano is much, much better than the dried version. Fresh oregano breathes life into tomato sauces and italian foods in general, and it is super-easy to grow.
I grew my oregano from seed, which was easy enough, though it takes longer. Lots of sun, lots of water does the trick with this herb, and if you take care of it, it will completely take over your garden, bushing out into a massive plant.
Neat trick: If you grow one for a season, then half bury the bush in fresh dirt, the bush will firm up, grow taller and wider and become more established.
Basil
The big daddy of all herbs, basil is a crucial element in everything that is delicious. Pesto, caprese, salads, all of it.
Unfortunately, it's also a bit trickier to grow. Basil likes lots of sun, lots of water, and lots of room. These things can be harder to come by, particularly if you're growing in a container. But a nice big pot will yield a bushy basil plant if you treat it right.
Sadly, the most important lesson I have learned growing basil is that you simply can't eat off of it. Stems that have leaves plucked off will turn to harder wood, and will grow no more delicious leaves. So leave the damn thing alone for a while. Once it gets big, don't pluck leaves off, but cut entire stems from the base. This will encourage further growth.
Also, as pretty as the flowers are, cut them off at the first sign. If they blossom, this is a sign to the plant that it has finished its reproductive cycle, and that it's time to die. Chop those lovely flowers off and use them as garnish on your plate. This will ensure that your basil will continue to produce all season.
Bon Gardening!
-MikeDub
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