New to growing herbs

Ella_Wood

Hi I would like help with growing some herbs. I have to be honest I don't know where to start. I want to have some on my windowsill but could put it in the garden in pots if I need to. Is it too early for herbs ? Thanks

sobie

I'd leave the ones on your windowsills until the risks of frosts have passed, they will need hardening off as they've been in a nice warm enviroment.

Herbs basically fall into three catagories:

1) annual and/or tender: things like basil
2) perennial: die down in winter like Chives.
3) woody: stay ever green like sage, rosemary & thyme.

Herbs are ideal for growing in pots. Grow fast growing species like mint in pots on their own as they'll crowd out anything else.

There is no reason why you cannot visit a local garden centre/ nursery and pot up a few woody varieties now as long as they've been grown outdoors.

Biggest tip to growing herbs is to pick regularly.

I_have_spoken

The pots of live basil in the supermarkets are often loads of small plants squashed together which can be teased apart and planted up, then grown on windowsill.

You can assume all the outdoors herbs like very good drainage and maximum sun.

ALIBOBSY

Most herbs are supposed to be able to be grown all year around, but I find in the winter months there isn't enough light on a windowsill. I freeze and dry my own herbs for winter use.

I will however be putting some seeds in shortly to start on my sill. Most herbs will easily go to seed at the end of the year so after the first lot of seeds you can save your own seeds for the next year. I will be planting a number of soft herbs up. Basil, and lemon basil-basils tend to prefer to be watered from beneath ie, pour the water into the saucer/tray the seeds sit in. Some seeds benefit from soaking before planting-parsley and coriander tend to have tough seed coatings.

For hardier herbs its easier to grow from cuttings or small plants. Aldi and Lidl have pots of herbs in this week I think-see their websites. You can split/pot on and take cuttings to increase your stock of a herb from just one plant. Oregano I have found to be indestructable alongside the various mints and the flowers look great and attrack beneficial insects as well-and are edible like the other parts of the plants.

Love my herbs lol.

Ali x

safestored4

For a nice easy outdoor herb try parsley. Forget about growing it from seed, it takes forever to germinate. Just buy a couple of small pots from your local supermarket in the middle of March - one flat leaved, one curly. The watering instructions that come with the pots assume that you will be growing them indoors on the windowsill but forget about this. Split each of them up into four or five pieces and pop them into the garden, preferably in a sunny position. They will clump up quickly and see you through to the end of the year for at most a couple of pounds.

ALIBOBSY

safestored4 wrote: »

For a nice easy outdoor herb try parsley. Forget about growing it from seed, it takes forever to germinate. Just buy a couple of small pots from your local supermarket in the middle of March - one flat leaved, one curly. The watering instructions that come with the pots assume that you will be growing them indoors on the windowsill but forget about this. Split each of them up into four or five pieces and pop them into the garden, preferably in a sunny position. They will clump up quickly and see you through to the end of the year for at most a couple of pounds.

The supermarket pots can be a easy start into herb growing and sometimes you can even pick them up on yellow stickers.

Personally I prefer seeds as I grow so many different varieties of herbs and plenty of them so its cheaper for me, but defo for ease and if you haven't much time to get in the garden the supermarket pots can be good.

Ali x

richardw

Which herbs are good for winter outside?