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Growing herbs

ajmoney
ajmoney Posts: 6,218
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edited 31 August 2018 at 10:43AM in Gardening
Hi,

I am looking to grow a small number of herbs and maybe chillies to use in the kitchen. I am new to gardening (I can mow lawns but that is it) so wondering if I am best sowing from seed or buying some plants. What do you guys think?
MFW 2024 No. 7 £300/£1200 MFiT-T6 No. 70 £14473.17/£22787.04

Comments

  • spadoosh
    spadoosh Posts: 8,732
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    It doesnt really matter with seeds or plants. Plants cost more and are less but theyre normally not far away from being able to be used.

    Too late for chillis this year. They need more light and heat than youll be able to give them now.
  • Apodemus
    Apodemus Posts: 3,384
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    edited 1 September 2018 at 6:33AM
    If I were you i’d Just buy the plants. For most herbs, you really just need one plant of each species, so seeds are a hassle for the cost saving. As spadoosh says, too late for this year for chillies (and probably herb seeds, too).

    In central Scotland, if you are intending for the plants to be outside, they may need protection through the winter and best to be in a free-draining location, so that they don’t become water-logged. I am north of you and have Rocket, Rosemary, Thyme, Sage, Oregano and Lemon Oregano growing in an old dry-stane wall (they needed watering this summer but survive well otherwise). I have mint in an old sink and a small bed with Rosemary, chives, sage, thyme and strawberries. To this small bed, I add flat-leafed parsley and coriander in spring (bought as a plant from the Tesco veg aisle). These sometimes manage to survive the winter, but are pretty weak the next year.

    I have another bed of rocket, which grows really well as a perennial - it has deep fleshy roots and has survived the frosts so far. Rocket has been a real eye-opener for me as it is great for early summer salads and needs next to no work.

    Oh, and I also have a bay tree which I wrap with fleece in the winter.

    I’ve had absolutely no luck with Basil outside here and just buy the potted ones from Tesco and keep inside on the kitchen window sill.
  • DigForVictory
    DigForVictory Posts: 11,903
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    This month, buy a few plants from the supermarket & garden on windowsills. (It's how I grow basil At All in my bit of Lancashire - I have nurtured seed to little green leafy things & one look at daylight & the slugs have them immediately.)

    Only grow mint (a) if you'll use it & (b) if you have a container to stop it spreading. (It s easy though & smells nice.)

    Chives are the classic starter herb - seeds become plants flower purple (white is also available), enchant bees and grown almost whatever you do to them. What you do with them is (I believe) eat them on baked spuds, but we've not got around to that yet.

    Parsley *can* be wonderful outdoors, but start on an indoor one, you'll loose lest to garden pests.

    Bay - a lovely gift, and once established, it keeps on giving. I'm told you add a leaf to a bouquet garni when indulging in haute French cuisine, but to each their gout. (We make a monster bouquet before driving down to see my parents - it makes the car smell lovely (less travel sickness!) & my parents don't have a bay tree so the whole thing is plunged into a vase & later shredded into muslin.)

    Sage, Oregano & Marjoram are all easily grown from seed - just getting them safe & whole into the ground for more than days is trickier. I've found buying a pre-grown supermarket tub of a plant at about fist size is usually big enough to fight off slugs & once established, hangs on. Just don't overcrop them in their first year and your spaghetti bolognese will become yet more glorious! Indeed any dish with tomato is helped by basil, but this trinity adds oomph!

    Chillis - grow from seed on an indoor sunny windowsill which you can lend support to if needed - trellis, strings from a curtain pole not in use - that sort of help. A godfather feeds his miracle-gro, a neighbour supermarket own brand tomato feed - both have terrifying abundant crops. Only sunlight turns them from green to red, from what I can see, so read the seed packets for timings.

    Garlic - not supermarket bulbs but cloves from a real garden supplier. Get them in the earth now ish (they need a bit of cold) and water in spring for the sheer satisfaction of pulling a bulb up (carefully!) and cooking & eating it within minutes. Only vampires & the picky don't like it. (A somewhat divisive opinion, I fear, but I stopped at picky.)

    Rosemary - looks lovely , smells wonderful, still haven't quite mastered cooking with it. Easily grown from seed (it's the planting out you need to be careful of) and wonderful for the look of the herb garden even if you never eat it.

    Fennel - possible to grow from seed but I cheat & get a seedling then sort a stake for it as it gets past 4' upwards. Lovely to nibble on (aniseedy) & supposed to be used with fish - but doesn't add anything to fish fingers (son tried).

    Ask for a bay plant for Christmas? Grab a proper garlic or three as soon as you can, & then experiment & enjoy. Remember things you liked & plant more. If you don't like a herb in cooked dishes, (Himself cordially loathes coriander) don't bother growing it. Please, do not plant mint & leave it unattended/unconfined!
  • Apodemus
    Apodemus Posts: 3,384
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    Again, good advice.

    I would recommend caution on location for your indoor chilli plants - I had them on my office window ledge and at times found the air around them catching on my throat, so they are presumably throwing off some capsaicin into the surrounding air.

    I would endorse the garlic comments. I did initially use supermarket bulbs but now just save some of my own to replant. For Scotland, choose a hard-necked garlic. You can use garlic for companion planting as they are supposed to reduce aphid abundance on neighbouring plants, but if you do this make sure you remember where you have planted them and don’t confuse them with any of your flower bulbs, which may be poisonous.
  • I have some herbs in small pots. I placed them near the south-facing window of my kitchen and they are doing fine.
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