REVEALED: The Kitchen Herb Plants We Most Struggle to Keep Alive!

Many plant lovers share the struggle of attempting to keep their kitchen herbs alive and the confusion that arises when they begin to wilt. According to EndOfTenancyCleaningNearMe.co.uk 2 in 3 ‘plant parents’ are guilty of greenery fails!

MyJobQuote.co.uk found that there has been a 1,610% increase in herb garden related searches over the past 12 months and 302,980 of us turn to Google each month with concerns about our wilting plants!

This left them wondering, which herb plants do we struggle to maintain the most? Using search analytics tool SEMrush, they analysed Google search volumes from around the world to discover which we are most concerned and confused about.

Which kitchen herb plants are hardest to keep alive?

MyJobQuote.co.uk discovered that lavender plants leave owners with the most worries! Every month 10,410 people search for solutions to their wilting and dying lavender plants. Lavender can be used in cakes, tea and aromatherapy, but when it begins to die it’s likely from a lack of sunlight, overwatering or the incorrect soil acidity!

The second hardest kitchen herb to keep alive is basil, according to plant parents. One of the most popular herbs, commonly used in pesto, pizza and salad, results in 9,620 online searches each month from people wondering how to revive their dying or wilting plant.

Unlike many others, this viral Tweet showed that a user and his flatmate managed to keep their basil plant alive for an entire year!

The title of third most difficult kitchen herb plant goes to rosemary. Frequently used in stews, soups and Mediterranean cuisine, the herb leaves 4,040 people concerned each month.

Following as the fourth, fifth and sixth hardest herb plants are cilantro/coriander, mint and dill with 2,770, 2,600, and 1,640 searches per month from concerned owners respectively.

Completing the top ten list of hardest kitchen herb plants to keep alive include:
7. Parsley: 970 monthly searches
8. Oregano: 730 monthly searches
9. Sage: 410 monthly searches
10. Lemongrass: 370 monthly searches

Which kitchen herbs plants are we most confused about?
MyJobQuote.co.uk found that, once again, lavender plants leave people with the most questions! The plant receives 78,580 Google queries from plant-lovers looking for answers each month; some of the most commonly asked questions include ‘When to plant lavender?’ and ‘How to plant lavender?’.

In second place, basil plants have resulted in 54,040 people turning to Google for help with maintaining the herb. The most frequently asked questions include ‘How to care for basil plants?’ and ‘How to cut basil plants?’.

The third most confusing kitchen herb plant is mint – each month there are 31,340 questions asked from people wondering how to look after their plant. Commonly asked questions include ‘How to prune mint plants?’ and ‘How often to water mint plants?’.

Rosemary and cilantro/coriander are the fourth and fifth most confusing kitchen herb plants, as 18,330 and 15,640 people respectively turn to Google each month for answers to their plant-related questions.

How can you keep your supermarket herb plants alive?
There are a few steps you can take to keep your supermarket herb plants alive, so MyJobQuote.co.uk spoke to OnBuy’s plant team to uncover how to do so!
“If you’ve ever purchased a supermarket herb plant, it’s very likely that you have been met with the disappointment of a dead plant just a few weeks later.

One of the most important steps is to choose the correct plant when purchasing; ensure that you pick a good quality plant. They often come in plastic sleeves, but feel free to remove the sleeve in order to get a good look. Avoid any plants that look like they are already to wilting, have damaged stems or have been squashed between shelves or surrounding plants – if your plant ticks any of these boxes, it’s likely to cause issues in the future.

Make sure that the plant you’re choosing is suitable for the space you have. If you aren’t able to place your plant in a warm spot with good sunlight, maybe basil, thyme and rosemary plants aren’t the best options – try mint or parsley instead!

Once you have taken the plant home, having a good-sized pot will make a world of difference; splitting and repotting your kitchen herb plants is key. Due to the small space that a plastic supermarket pot provides, overcrowding in the soil is a common issue and it is advised to carefully split your plant into two so that they don’t get tangled up further and eventually die.

Following this, make sure to read up about your chosen plant, a simple Google search will provide thousands of solutions to any questions you may have. Not all kitchen herb plants require the same care. For example a new lavender plant needs lots of sunlight and you must not let the soil go dry, however sage doesn’t need as much watering and a dry soil will not kill the plant.”