growing herbs?

Anne_Marie_2

Supermarket herbs usually all packed in closely. I would put whole plant in a bigger pot using extra potting compost, they do seem to do better.
Coriander isn't very good at this time of year. Suggest you do a whole lot in the summer and freeze.
Amazingly this year, my fresh basil is still growing well, although not as good as the summer months, but it hasn't died yet!
Will be sowing new herb seeds in about 4 weeks or so to germinate for spring and summer in the greenhouse. (In North Scotland so might be earlier down south).

mossy

My herb pots are looking very sad the herbs have been in there for a few years and a past their best (partly due to me not looking after them as much as I probably should have...will try harder alot harder). I was going to empty and replant them this year, last time I brought them all for a princely sum from the garden centre but I would much prefer to grow my own especially as I am going to start growing my own veg this year.

Do you think plants grown from seed will be hardy enough to be planted outside and will they last a year or two?, are there some herbs that will be better than others???

I would like to grow:
Thyme
Rosemary
Parsley (flat leave)
Sage
Basil
Oregano
Chives

I'd really appreciate any advice, I don't have very green fingers. :rolleyes:

apple_mint

I put my herbs in hanging baskets last year - they were lovely. I grew basil, parsley and corriander from seed in little margarine tubs and when they were big enough they went into the hanging baskets. Far more useful than flowers and they smelled wonderful.

I bought a thyme plant to go into the hanging basket and an apple mint and lemon balm plant to go into big pots.

I have moved house since and only have a front garden, but I'm going to put pots of herbs inbetween the pots of flowers - a good mix of green and colour. I will still have two hanging baskets with herbs though

freestyle_3

I had a search through, and see that last month there was a topic on herbs.

I did'nt get too much out of that thread, and maybe there's a better place to ask. But I'll start here.

I'm interested to see what I can grow indoors.

I would like to get a chilli plant, mint, basil and a few others. I've found Rosemary in my garden. It looks more like a hedge than a herb ! Enough to feed a small village.

I'm surprised someone like a garden centre or Tesco has not picked up on this. There are more and more flats poping up and what I would really like (being new and lazy) is to buy an indoor selection of herbs and chilli and whatever else will grow in a planting box. Ideally with an automatic water feeder and card to explain the basics on how to keep them.

I've searched for books, but all are really technical.

freestyle_3

Growing an Indoor Herb Garden


by Kate Gilby

If you live in the northern hemisphere, then it is likely that your garden is tucked up for the winter. However, this doesn't mean you can't enjoy freshly picked herbs. Many varieties will grow quite happily indoors on a sunny window ledge or porch. In addition to providing a source of fresh herbs, an indoor garden can look extremely attractive, and they are a wonderful introduction to gardening for children.




Fragrant tender perennial herb producing a oil used in perfumery... leaves emit an exotic incense.Herbs which will grow indoors:

<LI>Basil
<LI>Oregano
<LI>Mint
<LI>Parsley

Copyright Kate Gilby 2003


*** Board Guide Edit ***

Please limit your quotes from other articles to a short quote and then provide a link for those who wish to learn more.

PLEASE READ THIS LINK


Taken from the website shown below:-


http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf542994.tip.html



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tonyhamm

Yep - I purchased seeds only to set the plant that goes to seed, and the leaves tasted little like the herb you buy in bunches.

There are two variaties of coriander: Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum)
is the one you need for the herb you buy in bunches.

tonyhamm

All I can say is I have done what the city gardener program suggested, and split and replanted in fresh compost a bunch of coriander, thyme and mint.

The coriander looks like seedlings a few weeks old anyway.
Strangely enought the mint has died (which is meant to grow like wildfire) but the thyme is fantastic, and the corinander is gorwing strongly also now.]

Encoraged by my sucess I have bought basil to split and regrow. Just need to find all the containers!

herbal

Hi my missus bought me a grow it yourself herb kit and it has Corriander (sp), chives and Basil. Now are these like mint just pick what you need and they grow back or are they once use only? Got about 50 seedlings of each coming up at the moment, so any help would be great. Thanks

jenniferpa

Coriander - annual. You just snip off what you need, but they will eventually flower and go to seed. You can replant the seeds though. Chives - perennial just snip and use. You cna plant them in the graden if you wish and they'll come back year after year. Basil -annual. Like coriander, you can snip off what you need, but eventually they'll shoot up, flower and that will be that.

Ghost

You can treat these plants as perennials. Mint, chives, lemonbalm etc will die and come back without any help, but I believe the more tender plants such as basil will need to be overwintered in a cold frame/conservatory/greenhouse, or sown from seed in the Spring.