Herbs - Growing you own?

Mr Magnolia · 11-02-2008 12:00pm #1

Have you ever grown your own? I used to grow some years ago and am considering growing a few types in some window-boxes or a similar type pot.

Any opinions/experiences

I know this could equally have been put in gardening but I want the experiences of you folk

tSubh Dearg · 11-02-2008 2:02pm

For a window box I would recommend, thyme, mint, chives, parsley and sage. All low lying small volume herbs. If you had somewhere to put it in a big pot a bay tree would be good too.

Rosemary grows into a bush rather rapidly so would need to be in a big pot like the bay tree and basil prefers to be indoors as we're not really the best climate for it.

At the moment I'm considering setting up a couple of big pots out the back door of our flat with herbs in them that could them be moved with us. My parents have a proper herb bed and grow all the above in it and a few others, including sweet cecily which is used to naturally sweeten rhubarb.

Dizzyblonde · 11-02-2008 2:09pm

This is a great time of year to start, there are packets of mixed herb seeds available in B&Q, etc. If you're buying plants though, don't buy supermarket ones - they don't live long.

I also plant Tumbler tomato seeds in March every year, then transfer the plants to hanging baskets or patio pots. They can be put out at the end of May and are surprisingly easy to grow. You can get tons of cherry tomatoes off each plant. All you need to do is keep them well watered and feed them once a week after the fruit appear. Basil grows well in the pot beside them too!

Minder · 11-02-2008 2:41pm

Thyme and sage are hardy and easy to grow. Rosemary needs free draining soil and will suffer if over watered. Mint is good in pots but will spread like a weed if sown out. Plant mint in a border in the pot it comes in. Basil - heads in the sun, feet in the water. I grow from the supermarket pots - re-pot them in a small window box inside the window. There are usually a few casualties because they are too closely packed, but once thinned, they come on great.

Kaffir lime trees are starting to appear here in specialist nurseries - easy to maintain if kept indoors and essential in Thai food.

Mick Shrimpton · 11-02-2008 10:52pm

Do you know where I could get Kaffir lime trees in South Dublin by any chance?

Minder · 12-02-2008 11:35am

Sorry, I may have been a bit premature in saying that Kaffir trees are becoming more available. I live in the UK and bought mine from Cross Common Nurseries in Cornwall after looking at about six sites in the UK.

Cannot find an irish nursery that sells online, but I did put a request unto Cross Common for delivery rates to Ireland.

The Sweeper · 12-02-2008 9:15pm

Perennials - parsley, thyme, lemon thyme, sage, rosemary - all easy to grow. Basil is an annual so you have to start again each year, but if you pinch the flowering heads off the plant it'll last longer. Repot the supermarket growing herb, it'll come on great.

I currently have rosemary, pink rosemary, thyme, lemon thyme, oregano (which grows into a very pretty spreading plant but tastes better when used dried), sage, lemon balm, mint, French lavender, chervil, a kaffir lime and a bunch of chili plants on the go. The herbs I'm cultivating in 8" pots until our house is built, whereupon I'll plant them out. The kaffir lime was propagated from a cutting and is about four feet high, I'll keep it in a pot as long as possible because I'll want to take it with me. I had basil, but the snails stripped it bare in one night, munchity crunch!

They are easy to grow, cheap to buy and they come on well in good conditions - particularly in a window box of sandy soil that is regularly watered and free draining.

The gardens around the house I'm living in have cultivated herb gardens - mature plants that are used as borders as opposed to just features, meaning you can use LOTS of fresh herbs without feeling you're killing the plants. Rosemary bushes are about four or five years old, around 2-3 feet high. The thyme is very woody at the core but it spreads into new growth and rambles around the area it's planted in. Sage dies off a bit if there's any competition around it for light and water, but it comes back strongly. Mint is a weed and will spread as such, but likes water. Continental parsley has also reseeded itself from a few plants to an area covering about five square feet - good job we use lots of it...

Mr Magnolia · 13-02-2008 8:12am

Great stuff all. I knew the parsley and mint spread as I had grown them before. They'll be in pots this time so they shouldn't be as hard to manage.

I'll probably include most of the herbs suggested here as well. While I'm potting I'll probably also plant some scallions and some chives, they're fairly robust and should come on well in our climate.

Let me know if ye find any of the Kaffir Lime trees in Ireland, I'll have a scout round myself.

harper61 · 26-02-2008 10:14pm

I cheat, buy 5-6 Bay Tree plants in dunnes fresh herb section. Divide them into individual plants, plant them in 10" container filled with potting compost and leave them.

After about 1 year they will be about 10", after 2-3 years 6 ft.

It's also very easy to grow Rosemary from slips, shove 5-6 about 5 inches long wih almost all foliage removed into potting compost, you will definitely get 3-4 plants rooting after a few months.

tSubh Dearg wrote: »

For a window box I would recommend, thyme, mint, chives, parsley and sage. All low lying small volume herbs. If you had somewhere to put it in a big pot a bay tree would be good too.

Rosemary grows into a bush rather rapidly so would need to be in a big pot like the bay tree and basil prefers to be indoors as we're not really the best climate for it.

At the moment I'm considering setting up a couple of big pots out the back door of our flat with herbs in them that could them be moved with us. My parents have a proper herb bed and grow all the above in it and a few others, including sweet cecily which is used to naturally sweeten rhubarb.

coisaille · 27-02-2008 12:06am

Anyone any tips for growing coriander? It has to be my favourite herb... I managed basil, thyme, mint etc last year but the coriander was a different story - seeds sprouted ok but then it just sort of fizzled out....

Minder · 27-02-2008 1:07pm

Coriander grows best outdoors and like free draining soil. Grow in pots about 6inches deep, or in drills in the garden. It is best to sow the seeds after the frosts are gone. Sow seeds two weeks apart for six weeks - so three drills or three pots. That will give a continuous crop. Coriander is an annual herb - so it will germinate, flower and die in one year. You can prolong the life of the plant picking the flowering heads off the plant as they develop. But it needs to be resown each spring.

Try sprouting lemongrass by putting the stalks into a jug of water - after about two weeks they will sprout roots at the base. Transplant to pots.

coisaille · 05-03-2008 8:06pm

great, thanks!

The Sweeper · 05-03-2008 9:52pm

harper61 wrote: »

I cheat, buy 5-6 Bay Tree plants in dunnes fresh herb section. Divide them into individual plants, plant them in 10" container filled with potting compost and leave them.

After about 1 year they will be about 10", after 2-3 years 6 ft.

Aha, so my 6" bay trees WILL grow at some point eh? Any tips on what to encourage them with so they get to even 3ft?

WindSock · 06-03-2008 12:26am

My supermarket Basil has lasted unusually long this time, and i haven't been doing anything different than my last ones, which died out after a few weeks. What do you do with basil usually? Watering, etc?

rubadub · 09-03-2008 2:40pm

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

If you're buying plants though, don't buy supermarket ones - they don't live long

Why do you think this is? Shouldn't they be put in bigger pots?

They can be got really cheap sometimes, as they usually have a "best before" date so they sell them off cheap.

Dizzyblonde · 09-03-2008 4:10pm

rubadub wrote: »

Why do you think this is? Shouldn't they be put in bigger pots?

They can be got really cheap sometimes, as they usually have a "best before" date so they sell them off cheap.

A TV gardener said they're not great for growing - maybe because they're forced? You can be lucky with some of them, but if you want to grow them outdoors it's better to buy them from a garden centre. Or you could grow them from seed - there are good packets of mixed seeds available and this is the best time of the year for it.

The Sweeper · 10-03-2008 12:21am

If I buy supermarket basil, I find they're thickly-sown seedlings, so I will have maybe eight separate plants in one tiny pot. What you will find is that some die and can be thinned out. If you upgrade the basil to a larger pot - but not too large, maybe a 5" pot instead of the tiny pot it comes in - you'll find more die but one or two of the seedlings will come on strongly. Thin out the weaker ones so the bigger ones can take off.

When the one or two remaining seedlings turn into healthy, robust plants, and you can see a show of roots at the base of the 5" pot, I repot mine into big, 10" pots and that's what they live their lives out in.

I've had a number of excellent basil plants using this method - but I only do it with basil, because it's an annual and I can't be bothered growing it from seed every year. Thyme and rosemary are perennials, so better to buy seedlings that haven't been thickly sown and plant them out in well-drained soil.

quazzy · 10-03-2008 10:39am

I grow all my herbs in small pots and boxes on my bay window - I dont trust my garden.
Its a great alternative to a greenshouse or conservatory.

Every year I grow several types of basil - Basil Lime is prob my fav.
I started chives indoors and move outside - they have been coming back for over 4 years.

Coriander is fine indoors as well and I've also had success with lemongrass, parsely etc...

Just give it a go and see how you get on - the hard part is just the initial set up.

But its worth it in the long run.

I also highly recommend chilli plants - small enough plant with big returns.

Mr Magnolia · 26-03-2008 8:48am

Well I've purchased:

Parsley
Chives
Coriander
Lemon Coriander
Thyme
Basil
Mint
Tumbler Tomato

- all seeds.

I also picked up a small Rosemary plant which I put into a decent pot. I've potted all I can into individual pots with a little gravel in the bottom to aid drainage. They're indoors until they germinate and start to grow. I'll transfer the seedlings into bigger pots and window baskets later. I also have to purchase one of those plastic yokes, 3 of the seed packets recommend starting them out and transferring them after the grow a little. I didn't have any joy finding one at the weekend, I'll try a few garden centres this weekend.

I'm also on the look out for a few more; lemon thyme, oregano, basil lime to name a few. How do ye think the chilli's would grow in our climate?

How am I doing?

quazzy · 26-03-2008 9:46am

Mr Magnolia wrote: »

I'm also on the look out for a few more; lemon thyme, oregano, basil lime to name a few. How do ye think the chilli's would grow in our climate?

How am I doing?

sounds good so far.

Basil Lime is a great herb and a nice addition to your crops.

As for chilli plants, I have been growing them successfully for the past 2 years.

I only grow them indoors. I have a bay window in a spare room and it gets a lot of evening sun so they do fine there.

I tried planting a few of them outside in a mini plastic greenhouse thing but it didn't work out well.

If you have some room - try them indoors.

They are not too big and you get a very good yield from them - about 20 - 30 chillis per plant.

Mr Magnolia · 09-04-2008 1:21pm

Well both coriander's are coming along nicely with the shoots at about 3cm. I'll be transferring them at the weekend. Is it ok to put them outside now or could a frost still kill them?

The parsley is just coming up now. The chives or sage haven't budged out of the soil yet.

I have yet to find a propagator. I'll have a good look this weekend, I'm out and about so I should find one.

I also stumped up for a bay tree, it's about 4 foot tall. I intend to give some cuttings away as suggested and let some family & friends cultivate a few.

The Sweeper · 10-04-2008 10:31am

I spent all day in the garden last Saturday on my plants - took cuttings (it's Autumn here) - fig tree, olive tree, couple of rosemarys and a lilac. The best I can say is none of them are dead yet...

I wouldn't put your corianders outside at all tbh, not in the Irish climate.

Mr Magnolia · 11-04-2008 9:35am

Hmph, I'm going to have to put some of it out as I planted too much and don't have the room inside. I'll hold off until the frost abates though and take a chance. I'll pot some for family, they might use it too.

Can't get a Kaffir Lime Tree anywhere

Mr Magnolia · 16-04-2008 7:28am

Best of luck with the forum division.

Seems like the perfect place for this thread now.

I finally found a propagator at the weekend so I planted my tomato and basil. I thinned out the coriander and lemon corriandor too. A couple of the garden centres I visited had thier coriander thriving outside so I took a risk and placed about half the crop out.

Still no joy with the kaffir lime tree so if anyones seen one around...

tenandtracer · 16-04-2008 7:52am

Par-cel, a parsley/celery hybrid grows well in our weather, is hardy and tastes great. Planted it last year and it wintered well and is thriving now.:)

Mr Magnolia · 16-04-2008 8:04am

Thanks tenandtracer. Don't think I've ever seen it used. Good for soups or the like?

creme egg · 16-04-2008 9:27am

Hi all, Just reading through this thread, and tomatoes were mentioned. I would love to be able to grow my own, but thought you would need a greenhouse and all that kinda stuff.

I am generally good with plants, but my basil seems to die. Well gets attacked by insects (it's indoors, on kitchen window) also bought a Thyme plant, and that died on me too (hmmmm, maybe "good with plants" is not so true after all) I bought a propogator in Aldi a few weeks ago, and finally will have the time this weekend to sow some seeds.
Is it too late to start?
I have Rosemary and flat leaf parsley seeds, and was hoping to buy some tomatoe seeds too. Can you suggest any particular type? I love close to B&Q and the Orchard garden centre in Celbridge.
Thanks so much
Creme egg

tenandtracer · 16-04-2008 9:31pm

Mr Magnolia wrote: »

Thanks tenandtracer. Don't think I've ever seen it used. Good for soups or the like?

Good in soups and particularly in salads, think of bushy parsley with a lovely savory celery flavour:)

tenandtracer · 16-04-2008 9:38pm

creme egg wrote: »

and was hoping to buy some tomatoe seeds too. Can you suggest any particular type?

Buy Tumbling Tom plants, you can grow these in a hanging basket. They are heavy croppers. Tomorite feed is great for the ould toms and like myself the tomato plants are thirsty and require lots of liquid (Guinness for the tomatoes and water for me, or something like that;)).

Aeneas · 16-04-2008 9:46pm

Minesajackdaniels wrote: »

I spent all day in the garden last Saturday on my plants - took cuttings (it's Autumn here) - fig tree, olive tree, couple of rosemarys and a lilac. The best I can say is none of them are dead yet...

I wouldn't put your corianders outside at all tbh, not in the Irish climate.

On the coriander point: I grow mine outside . They self seed and this year the seeds from last year's crop germinated in March. Admittedly the climate in south Wexford is pretty mild with few heavy frosts, mild enough to let lettuce and spring onions stand outside over the winter.

The Sweeper · 17-04-2008 3:20am

Aeneas do you find your coriander comes up as a pleasant, bushy, green plant, or does it wheedle its way upwards in a few feathery leaves and go to seed in seemingly no time at all? Any time I've tried to grow coriander outside in Europe (SE of England at the time, so warmish climate) it went all of nowhere and did precisely what I've just described with the wheedling. Perhaps I need to sow it more thickly?

Herbs - Growing you own?

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