Grow Your Own Magazine

hi there,

Everyti9me i go to buy herbs from Asda, i end up buying one of the plants - then i try and grow it, and it just doesn't work - it dies (on my window).

Once again, i went to buy flat leaf parsley - and bought the plant! This time, ive re-potted it and put in my greenhouse (just for a few days).

It's all over the place (As ive had to take the wrapper off it and it all falls down, so Ive staked it up a little where i could) - however, can anyone recommend some good ways to keep these plants i buy, ir should i grow from seed - if so, when should i start?

I was going to use a box (the one farms give you when you have a veg box, or a kid would use in their room) put all my herbs in it, and just leave at my g/house door (outside)

As always, any help is appreciated,
thanks,
Neil

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Bike Vietnam Challenge for Cerebral Palsy
16th - 27th October 2008
www.neilbikevietnam.com

I just stick them in the garden, give them a good drink and leave them to it! I've got 3 chive plants that are about 4 years old in my herb garden. They spring up every - well - spring - and I've had parsley that's gone from strength to strength. Eventually it flowers and pegs out but often they self seed. I've got 2nd generation parsley there at the moment. These are all supermarjket ones. Don't be too kind to them. Most herbs don't like indoor conditions and don't need a greenhouse. They are dead hardy (basil excepted, but that's ok in the summer) so give them some soil and stand back!

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Earth laughs in flowers. Ralph Waldo Emerson

www.vegheaven.blogspot.com

Updated October 12th

ive got some herbs in hanging baskets, they are doing very well i water them 2 times a day, i use them all the time so maybe they dont get time to droop, im not sure if cutting with scissors is the right way but it seems to work with me at the moment. they seem to enjoy it. i know me and my family enjoy the taste:-) good luck

is it ok to mix in a big pot?

thanks,
neil

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Bike Vietnam Challenge for Cerebral Palsy
16th - 27th October 2008
www.neilbikevietnam.com

I have 5 herbs in one basket and 3 in another the oregano is on its own and so is the pepper but ive mixed, not sure how expert it is, but its working

I personally wont buy herbs from a supermarket again.I bought a herb growing kit from Tescos a while back as i wanted to grow my very first herbs.I followed the guidelines and not one of those herbs seeds i had sow did not take off.I then bought a harb pot from Sherbourn Garden Center with about 5 different herbs growing and it cost me no more than £12.00 I have grown a few herbs from Gingermint and Mint which are doing quite well.

I bought mine at poddington garden centre and they are doing good:-) so far anyway, if anyone has advice about cherry trees please let me know, my introductory post tells of my woe

I came accoss this,might be useful.

BBC - Lancashire - Nature - Ask the gardener: Cherry trees

Thanks for the link Julian it seems a good place to ask:-)

I've had asda plants before, and they've been fine. Have also used Sainsburys, Tesco and Morrisons ones.

BASIL: I tend to cut it down to about half height, divide it up into individual 3 inch pots, put them in a sheltered place outside and keep them watered, wait 2-3 weeks to see which ones die and which ones start putting on new growth, and then plant them out. Or for inside, I divide them into blocks of 5-6 healthy looking bits and put them in 6 inch pots on the kitchen windowledge. I've had a lot of success with this method.

CHIVES: Cut down to 2 ins above the soil. Plant into garden or pot. Don't bother dividing until next year or year after.

CORIANDER: A bit more tricky - cut down to about 2 ins above the soil, then plant out into the garden as-is (or divide if you dare!) and see what comes out. I've tried transplanting individually but they just go straight to seed as they don't like being disturbed.

DILL: Divide up as per basil. They will look REALLY straggly when you get them separated. Have faith ... mine grew to 3ft high last summer, with huge heads of yellow flowers!!!

PARSLEY: Possibly divide it. Cut it down to half height. Stick it straight in a 12 inch pot outside.

MINT: Cut to about 2 ins above the soil. Put in its own pot outside (12 inch). No need to divide.

Hope this helps! Anyone done any other ones?

they all die on me as well. I think they are specially grown to just last short term and flavour cooking.

I have a herb garden outside and its lovely, although it took me a while to get it like that (will try for a picture). I have never had any luck with coriander or basil so dont grown these, but I have masses of parsley, chives, rosemary, mint it is all so pretty and tasty. I will try to grown basil and corriander again next year, but wont hold my breath, the other herbs were all grown from seed and small plants bought at local garden centre.

kwa50
CraftChallenge.co.uk - Home

When you buy herbs from a supermarket they have hundreds of seeds in one pot.If you split them and repot them they will be fine!Courtesy of Bob Flowerdew!

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I repot basil as soon as I get home and keep it on the window sil keeps much better that way for me.

Mint I repot and leave outside.

Chives I plant out straight away.

I've planted several shop bought pots out this year with quite good results. Once the plants get over the shock of being planted out, usually a couple of weeks, now growth starts. Mrs T brought home a pot of corriander today with the idea of planting it out but it looks very tall and week. When I've grown it from seed the stems are quite woody and tough but I'll have a go, nothing ventured...

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Okay will try once more.....

kwa50
CraftChallenge.co.uk - Home

I bought a pot of Basil from the supermarket and cut a long piece off ,removed the lower leaves then put it into a glass of water.Result ,a new plant .Both neighbours now have freebys, my daughter as well and i just keep repeating so i always have fresh Basil .

Supermarket herbs are raised quickly and so have an underdeveloped rootball. This explains why it usually dies when planted out. I usually buy my herbs from the garden centre for about 50p each. In my widow box I have rosemary, chives, thyme and mint.

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We have had some success with both Parsley and Basil but only when in a sheltered spot with really good drainage. The soil on my allotment seems to be too heavy so we use a trough in the garden with multi purpose compostand soil mixed and plenty of crocks at the bottom. Neither like the cold so they have to be covered later in the season to keep the crop going and we have never kept them over winter.

In the border we have Bay, Rosemary, Chives, Sage and Thyme which all thrive in the ordinary soil. We occassionally mulch the soil in autumn to give it a bit of a feed.

I've had parsley and coriander overwinter under cloches, but not basil.

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Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

I went to my local Lidl today to do my weekly shopping.

They usually have potted basil and parsley in the herbs department which i sometimes buy for the kitchen. Today though they had a vast selection of potted herbs - oregano, thyme, chives, mint, marjoram, tarragon - all priced at either 69 or 99p.

I was sooo tempted to buy one of each variety but ended up getting a thyme plant (a nice big bushy one). Will probably go back tomorrow and get some more.

Hi all, I grow lots of herbs here. Depends why you grow herbs, I grow for cooking and also wildlife/flowers they produce, also looking into the medicinal side. Basil can be sown from seed and always tastes the best. I have taken cuttings (courtesy of Valmarg) who said to put them in water to root, you can have a year round supply. I have grown lots from seed and also bought from garden centres, they thrive. I also feed some of my herbs. I have bought shop potted herbs and planted, especially chives. I have started a social group on this subject if anyone wants to take a look.

Just wanted to know if i keep my herbs in pots on the window sill will i have to seperate them i was told that mint grows as big as the pot it is in i remember my parents having a huge mint bush in the garden which was beautiful every year just left there but will indoors plants be the same.?? plus i saw someone using cooking seeds to grow plants wil this be ok or not.?ive forget who it was on tv who did it

What mint is it, it is invasive and better in the garden IMHO, let me know if you want any mint cuttings

Just thought I'd post a piece of info.

Right now my local B&Q have a herb offer - five small pots for £5.

The herbs actually come under the umbrella of "patio plants". I bought two varieties of thyme (a purple one and a lemon one) and a curry plant, plus some other plants which aren't herbs but... urm... patio plants.

They look lovely as well, now I just need to build a patio

As for my Lidl-bought herbs, the top part of the thyme has died but there are some tiny green shoots appearing at the bottom. And the chives decided to flower!

mrsc, could you post a link to your group please as at the moment I'm very much into herbs.