Herb gardening

[DogwoodMama]

I just started doing container herb gardens... I had a lot of success last year with a motely collection of basil, thyme, oregano and a few others I can't recall. What are your favorite herbs to grow, and do you have any tips or tricks to share?

I want to have basil, rosemary, oregano, thyme, and mint for sure... I have two planter boxes & I'm limited b/c I have to place them in a certain spot so they get enough sun. Are there herbs that do well with less sun?

[katiekind]

I will be watching for replies! I just bought a couple of tiny plants of thyme, oregano and rosemary. I'm going back to the nursery to get basil, which I grew in pots on the back porch last year and really enjoyed using in my cooking.

[catholicapmom]

I bought some seeds and planted them in terra cotta pots and put them in my kitchen. Basil, parsley, oregano, chives and I can't remember the other one. :think It might be rosemary. :lol Anyway, they sprouted, but haven't grown any more. I don't know what's wrong with them. :shrug

[DogwoodMama]

Hmmm... maybe not enough light?

[catholicapmom]

They're right next to my kitchen window. And I water them every other day. I just have a brown thumb, I guess. :rolleyes

[DogwoodMama]

Hmmm... maybe you're overwatering them? I let my herbs get kinda dry last summer before I watered them... or they *did* get pretty dry before I did, just because it was summer and they were in planters!

[catholicapmom]

i thought that maybe i was overwatering, but the soil is dry before i do. :shrug

[jujubnme]

No tips or tricks to share, because I tend to be a brown thumb myself (mostly from forgetting to water :blush), but I'm hoping to plant cilantro and basil this year, along with some salad greens and tomatoes. I have a few larger pots on our back patio that I've used before. As long as I keep them watered and once they're mature use them frequently enough that they don't bloom, they seem to do well. And there's nothing like cooking with fresh herbs! :yum

[catholicapmom]

cilantro!! that was the one i forgot!! :laughtears :doh

[Mama Calidad]

Right now, we have some mint, basil, cilantro and fennel growing in the backyard.

Anyone know how to contain fennel? I'm pulling stray plants up all over the yard. :lol

[milkmommy]

Okay I asked super gardener DH, He says the basil, rosemary, orgeno thyme all need lots of sun the mint is the most shade tollorent (but would benifit from Sun) the main diffrence is mint likes LOTS of water while the others just need a moderate amount.
Deanna

[milkmommy]

Anyone know how to contain fennel? I'm pulling stray plants up all over the yard.

Okay asked DH again :mrgreen First he want to make sure you understand that these grow quite large and the do spread but if you remove the flowers it will keep from spreading. Since its the leaves you need foe an herb its possible not sure how you feel about removing the flowers?

Deanna

[catholicapmom]

Maybe my herbs aren't getting light for a long enough time? I have them right next to a window, but light comes in only for about an hour each day. And it's the sunniest spot in the house! :/ Maybe once the days get longer they'll start to grow. It's not like they're dead, they just stopped growing. :think

[milkmommy]

Sounds like not enough sun the more "common" coking herbs require lots of sun. Do you have and outdoor space for them where they could get lots of sun?

Deanna

[catholicapmom]

i'd be scared that if i put them outside it would be too cold. it is supposed to warm up this week and i could bring them in at nite, i suppose.... :think

[milkmommy]

i'd be scared that if i put them outside it would be too cold. it is supposed to warm up this week and i could bring them in at nite, i suppose.... :think


:doh I forget some are still having cold weather :lol

Deanna

[Mama Calidad]

Anyone know how to contain fennel? I'm pulling stray plants up all over the yard.

Okay asked DH again :mrgreen First he want to make sure you understand that these grow quite large and the do spread but if you remove the flowers it will keep from spreading. Since its the leaves you need foe an herb its possible not sure how you feel about removing the flowers?

Oh yeah, it was really pretty last year...and it's the backyard, so the size is fine. We loved the delicate look and color. I wanted the seeds for us to use, but I do wish that there was a way to keep them from fennelizing the rest of the yard. :lol I just keep pulling them up and using it in place of celery. :shrug They're pretty easy to pull out, so I guess I shouldn't complain too much. :lol

[Mama Calidad]

:doh I forget some are still having cold weather :lol
I know. My kids had friends over to swim on Saturday. :laughtears

[GodisGood]

They're right next to my kitchen window. And I water them every other day. I just have a brown thumb, I guess. :rolleyes


Over watering is my guess

[GodisGood]

I had a friend that did a "salsa pot". He grew, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and garlic in one huge pot (1/2 wisky barrel). The smell alone would make me drool! :smile

[snlmama]

hmmm. My herbs aren't in direct sun - I keep them on the patio in pretty decent shade (actually just realized no where in my yard has enough sun for roses or tomatoes anymore and the patio is prob. the shadiest - *maybe* an hour of sun a day) and they do fine. I'd guess too much water. I almost never water mine. :think

[phermion]

I just planted lavender and rosemary in pots by our front door - hoping to make a nice first impression thru smell. ;) I would like to add basil and oregano...but it may be a little while. I also added strawberries and wow! they already have little berries on them!! okay..so most of that was OT...but I did plant some rosemary and it smells wonderful!! :D
That salsa pot sounds yummy!! If I put that in the back yard near the grill and the smoker..... :yum

[boonpnutsmom]

We have rosemary, parsely, green onions, lettuce, basil, tomatos, all growing in a row along the side fence, some do really well with little sun, others not so good but not always the ones you would expect. Our carrots grew on the same side, they were umm how do I put it....HORRID. And the radishes came so hot we couldn't even eat them.

[GodisGood]

And the radishes came so hot we couldn't even eat them.

This is fairly common with home grown radishes. I remember when my mom grew them we'd only have 1 in our salad to share with 3 of us. Would love to nibble on one now though.

[DogwoodMama]

carrots were horrid? what do you mean? i'm curious :)

That salsa pot sounds AWESOME! :mrgreen

[GodisGood]

I never had a chance to enjoy any salsa from it, but the smell on a hot summer day was enought for me to want to crack open a bag of corn chips, plop down next to it and start digging in a bit at a time! OH don't forget the margarita! ;)

[Marzipan]

Man. I want a salsa pot. Seriously, what a neat idea. I know next to nothing about gardening, but I did just buy three pots and for herbs for the patio: thyme and sage, oregano, and lavender. They need a few more weeks growth before I can cook with them but I haven't killed them yet. :)

[tempus vernum]

I love herbs. DOn't know how much I'll do this year - I am being tremendously lazy :/

Careful on planting mint with other herbs cuz it grows like a weed and could take over if it got strong enough. I grow mint in its own container and just put them in different spots in my garden cuz mint is a natural bug repellant :)

[greenemama]

does anyone have any good linkage on herb gardening? i mean, what's your favorite place to go online with regard to gardening -- herbs, or anything?

:yum

[greenemama]

whoops -- just saw jodi's thread. :O

[DogwoodMama]

ITA about herbs spreading- that's why I do mine in pots... we had a whole "border" of mint in my backyard growing up! :lol

[Garnet]

soon going to be planting dill, I love dill, and chives. Not sure what else? oh, jalepenos, but those aren't an herb :mrgreen

[snlmama]

soon going to be planting dill, I love dill, and chives. Not sure what else? oh, jalepenos, but those aren't an herb :mrgreen


Speaking of which, how *are* they classified? Vegetable? I can never decide. mmmm

[Garnet]

well, I dunno because a fruit is classified as anything with seeds in it, which is why tomatoes and cucumbers are fruits, so would a jalepeno be a fruit?

[doubleblessings]

From here (http://www.organicgardening.com/feature/0,7518,s1-2-28-992,00.html)
Common garden "vegetables" that are actually fruit, include cucumbers, squash, peppers, and yes, tomatoes.

[Garnet]

YAY! Jalepeno's are a fruit.....wait till I tell my dad........ :laughtears

[Lady TS]

Right now, we have some mint, basil, cilantro and fennel growing in the backyard.

Anyone know how to contain fennel? I'm pulling stray plants up all over the yard. :lol


I haven't grown fennel, but isn't it a lot like dill as far as the seed heads? Maybe the wind blew the seeds all over your yard? If that's the case, you could get some tulle or just a paper bag and tie around the seed heads to collect the seed...or cut the seed heads off when they get to the point of dropping seeds.

[Lady TS]

Careful on planting mint with other herbs cuz it grows like a weed and could take over if it got strong enough. I grow mint in its own container and just put them in different spots in my garden cuz mint is a natural bug repellant :)


Listen to what she says! I was warned about mint taking over and I guess I didn't listen. I fight the peppermint back into its designated corner of my herb garden every year and try to figure out where to put all the pieces because they grow wherever you stick them in the dirt! It's growing out into the lawn, but I don't mind that. It's kinda nice to smell it when we mow over it or step on it there.

[katiekind]

Ok--here's a question:

How MANY thyme, rosemary, oregano, basil etc plants should I have in order to cook from them for a family of 4? I only bought 1 thyme seedling, 1 oregano, 2 rosemary and 3 basils. And 1 cilantro. Is that really unrealistic?

(The idea of mowing over mint and the refreshing smell that would make is just *sending* me! neato!!)

[snlmama]

Ok--here's a question:

How MANY thyme, rosemary, oregano, basil etc plants should I have in order to cook from them for a family of 4? I only bought 1 thyme seedling, 1 oregano, 2 rosemary and 3 basils. And 1 cilantro. Is that really unrealistic?

(The idea of mowing over mint and the refreshing smell that would make is just *sending* me! neato!!)




I only have one of most things and that's really all I need (I have several basiil plants b/c they are so pretty), but do keep in mind that I'm in an area where they literally do "grow like weeds" and don't die back in winter. :/

[sarahandmadelinesm]

I am not much of a green thumb, but I do like herbs--these seem to manage well here (coastal South Carolina), and I haven't killed many off yet! Some have already been mentioned, but htese seem to be both handy (culinary and craft/health), and hardy:
I have:
coantiners:
basil (a few varieties)
lavender (dutch and french)
chamomile
stevia
peppermint (seriously hard to kill, but needs its own pot)
dill
spearmint
oregano (planted in beds in the yard)
thyme (in the yard)
sage
catnip
chives
I would like to get:
a few more varieties of lavender
coriander
nasturtiums
rosemary

hope this helps:)