Grow Your Own Magazine

Hi,

You will see from my blog that i have knocked together a herb bed and i now need to know what the easiest herbs to grow are.

I have sown some chives in pots indoors and i would like to know what else would be good. If anybody could post me some seeds i would be most happy (PM me).

Regards,
Matthew

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NEW and UPDATED blog:
http://www.matthewriches.co.uk/allotment

If you want perennial herbs, I'd say your best bet is to nip to B&Q in the spring and but one of their 'multipacks' of plants - they're cheap enough & generally contain the most widely grown herbs like sage, oregano/marjoram, mint etc, and they also sell pot-grown rosemary & others. Once you have those planted you can fit annual herbs like basil & coriander in the spaces (they can't be planted out til after the frosts anyway).
It is certainly possible to grow perennials from seed as well as your annuals, but I've never bothered Too much else to sow!

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Sarah

http://wixypixies.blogspot.com/

“Tell me one last thing,” said Harry. “Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?”
“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”

Looking at the size of your herb bed, I wouldn't plant either rosemary or mint in there, or you won't have room for anything else within a couple of seasons!!

I bought a TINY rosemary plant from B & Q about nine years ago and planted it in my front garden - within five years it was five feet high and had spread about four feet! Admittedly, we live(d) on the cliffs - sandy soil, sun, wind - it probably felt right at home - but I think it would take over your herb bed!

I'd be happy to send you some seeds to get you started - I have basil, coriander, parsley, oregano, mint (if you grow it in a pot), chives, marjoram, sage and thyme. PM me your address and what you want.

Incidentally, for the mint, it's quicker just to pinch a bit (who said that???!!!!!) from an established plant and stand it in a jar of water - when roots start growing out the sides, bung it in a pot of earth. I've even done this with those "growing" herbs you get from the supermarket (ones I've bought, obviously, I don't advocate pinching bits from plants in shops!!!!!).

Homebase also do packs of say six plants, and they often seem to mark them down quite drastically, for example if one or more of the plants is looking a bit manky. If you go through all the packs on a shelf, you can often find a pack which is still pretty good, often at more-or-less no money.

HTH

ChocClare

Hi,

ChocClare - i have PM'ed you my details.

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NEW and UPDATED blog:
http://www.matthewriches.co.uk/allotment

I agree with SarzWix on buying the herbs in multipack. I also bought mine from B&Q for about £3.50, these were organic and the pack consisted of lemon thyme, mint, oregano, fennel, dill (annual) and parsley (biennal). This way you get instant herbs as I can't be bothered much with seeds either. I don't know but maybe just stick to seeds for annual herbs but on the other hand you should be able to save the seeds from the bought herb plant. I think Garden Centre may also have special price for buying upto 5 herbs of your choice.

Best to grow mint in a pot as they can take over but you could still place the potted mint in the herb garden. It's true that rosemary can get very big but that's over several years. For me personally, I will try to replace my rosemary bush every few years when they get too big but before doing so, I will make sure to have a rosemary cutting prepared a year ahead. Having said that, you can now get a compact habit rosemary called Prostratus which I've just seen in the Marshall catalogue. Best of luck with your new herb garden, they're such a joy to have.

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Food for Free

Oregano, chives great and hardy with beautiful flowers and get yourself a bay, in a pot or a sheltered corner. Thyme likes poor and well drained soil. Suggest Good King Henry (wild spinach), rocket, salad burnett, welsh onions, lemon balm. A nice companion plant for chives is fruit trees or strawberries.

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Andrewo
www.andrewoldham.co.uk

I too only grow mint in pots as it really should come with a warning sign. That was one of the first thing's Dad taught me down on the allotment back in the good old 50's & 60's.
If you like growing Chives try growing Garlic Chives as they not only taste nice they also look good.

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Regards
Lady Jana Muck

http://ladyjanamuck.blogspot.com/

I grow garlick chives, love it... they are very easy to grow and keep coming back each year ( parennial). It's flower is not just pretty but also attract bees.
As for mint, I grow them from seeds several years ago, they didn't grow that easy but now they are everywhere and keep coming back every spring ( actually they are still producing green during winter, but grow very slow)...regret I didn't grow my mint in pots.

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I grow, I pick, I eat ...

Got a pot of garlic chives by the back door. The ordinary chives are a pace or two further away in the herb bed. I wouldn't be without either. Both are just coming back - like titchy grass!

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vegheaven.blogspot.com Updated July 6th 2008