Herbs need to be watered like other plants. But not every herb is equally thirsty, so always do the finger test.
If you have laid out a small bed of herbs on the balcony or in the garden, then you must keep a watchful eye on it. If the herbs start to wither due to lack of water, they hardly recover from it. The problem: most herbs prefer to grow in a sunny spot and therefore need a lot of water.
Herbs on the balcony
The problem when you plant herbs on the balcony is that there is usually not enough soil in the pots and tubs. This means that the irrigation water does not have a good basis. You can remedy this by scattering a 2-4 cm thick layer of gravel or sand on the bottom of the flower box. This stores the water and ensures more moisture in your herb box even on dry days.
Bark mulch retains moisture
A second trick to keep the soil in the herb box or pot evenly moist is to put some bark mulch on the box. Also, you can add some mulch to the soil to keep it loose and moist. However, the repeated watering in summer is part of the care of the herbs. Otherwise they will quickly droop.
The easy watering trick with your finger
There is no general rule as to when herbs need to be watered. The plants are just too different for that. In addition, there are different weather conditions on every balcony and in every garden. Don't be fooled by the fact that the top layer of soil in the herb pot looks dry. Stick a finger into the soil about 5 to 7 cm deep. If the soil sticks and your finger feels damp, you don't have to water it yet. If your finger is dry, get the watering can! By the way: it is best to use stale, lukewarm water.