growing herbs?

tattoo_3

Thankyou Judi!

Galtizz

Did anyone watch City gardener on channel 4 last week?

He was talking about herbs bought from the supermarket and he says that when you buy them you should split them into at least 2 (better 4) and plant them into bigger pots with some nice compost and then they will grow into big healthy plants. He said that the supermarkets cram loads of seeds into one pot so that they grow quick and look good on the day you buy them.

I have bought seeds now but am going to try spliting the 1/2 dead parley I got from a supermarket to see if it will encorage it to grow again.

r.mac_2

good tip - thanks

krishna

r.mac wrote:

I want to grow some herbs. I don't have a garden, so they would sit on my kitchen window sill. My ideal combination would be;

Basil
Corriander
Chives

Am I better to buy soil, a couple of pots and seeds or is it just as worthwhile for my to spend 79p on the supermarket tubs?

Thanks

Corriander and chives probably best grown from seed. Very easy. Basil is a bit more tricky. Very prone to "damping off", i.e. the seedlings get infected with, ooh I think it's a fungus, and die. You don't NEED to buy pots, you could just use old plastic containers and put a few holds in the bottom with some broken pot or stones to aid drainage. Basil is a mediterranean plant so doesn't like to keep it's feet wet; good drainage important.

mah_jong

What would you suggest I try to grow.

I dont often buy then (too expensive) though I throw in the dried mixed variety into spag bol!).

toozie_2

I'm not very green fingered, so I just grow chives and mint in pots by the back door. Had the plants years, they just keep growing!! Chives I use alot in salads etc, mint in new potatos, with lamb etc.

mink35

Hiya mah-jong - they're easy to grow but it depends on what you want. Basil and oregano for italian seasonings, mint or rosemary for lamb, sage for stuffing, parsley for everything - the list is endless and they all have more than one use.

Most can be grown in a herb plot but basil will only overwinter indoors or a greenhouse and mint is best in a pot so it doesn't take over.

Is there any herb you would particularly use most of?

moggins

I've got parsley, mint, oregano, dill and rosemary growing outdoors (all in pots) and basil and chives indoors on the windowsill. I do want some feverfew and some tansy as I suffer from migraine but I'm having a dickens of a time finding those.

mah_jong

I am not green fingered, but thought I would thougth I would try some in pots this year.


Did try mint once ............ it died.

From the above, I am leaning to towards mint, chives, basil and oregano. I hope they are pretty hardy and easy to grow (if the basil survives the summer ,,,, must remember to take indoors!!).

Am surprised at how many answers in so short a time. Thanks
Ma....well pleased

Magentasue

If you want herbs that go in a tomato sauce, marjoram, oregano and thyme are easy to grow and keep going. Basil is not so easy to grow, even harder to keep going but will last the summer with tlc.

Parsley is hard to germinate (grow from seed) but plants grow well during the summer. Needs care to keep going through the winter

Mint is easy, easy , easy but hard to control - grow in a pot or bucket.

Seeds are cheap (20p pack in Lidls) and you just need somewhere warm and a container with compost to grow them. Plants from the garden centre (or boot sale) grow better than the ones from the supermarket but are more expensive. You just need to put them in bigger pots as they grow or plant outside somewhere sunny. All herbs like sunshine!