Does anyone here grow their own? I absolutely love herbs (especially coriander, basil and parsley). I've been thinking about growing some plants on in tubs for a while now, and was just wondering how easy it is?
Herbs
Nope, I buy them.
Might be nice to grow them, but I can buy a big bag reduced at the grocers/supermarket for a couple of pennies and freeze them.
Might be nice to grow them, but I can buy a big bag reduced at the grocers/supermarket for a couple of pennies and freeze them.
I've got parsley and corriander in a tub outside but I find once I use it it's gone. It doesn't see to grow back so I just use it as an emergency when i've run out.
I'll have to see about getting them growing in big bunches so I can use them regularly.
I'll have to see about getting them growing in big bunches so I can use them regularly.
Ah, I grow a lot of herbs.
With coriander I have experienced they like a fresh, slightly cool air, so it does well in spring and autumn even. I usually leave a few strand that grow to seed and they spread and sprout where they want. If you don't want them to go to seed, you'll have to keep taking the tops out (you can use this as your green coriander.
I have chervil (very nice in soups and with fish) Again it loves cooler air.
Basil - all kinds, I haven't had much luck this year. They seem to be eaten, before I can make pesto.
Lovage : don't use much of it as it is strong, but they give lovely flowers.
I have also, chives, parsley,lemon balm, thyme, lemon thyme and rosemary (but that doesn't get much chance, 'cause I pick too much off
)
With coriander I have experienced they like a fresh, slightly cool air, so it does well in spring and autumn even. I usually leave a few strand that grow to seed and they spread and sprout where they want. If you don't want them to go to seed, you'll have to keep taking the tops out (you can use this as your green coriander.
I have chervil (very nice in soups and with fish) Again it loves cooler air.
Basil - all kinds, I haven't had much luck this year. They seem to be eaten, before I can make pesto.
Lovage : don't use much of it as it is strong, but they give lovely flowers.
I have also, chives, parsley,lemon balm, thyme, lemon thyme and rosemary (but that doesn't get much chance, 'cause I pick too much off
)
1. Basil - I had success planting one of those supermarket growing ones in a big terracotta pot last year and enjoyed many weeks of thinking "I haven't bought any basil this week".
2. Flat leafed parsley - I grew this from seed last year and it did incredibly well except that it got weird red and black caterpillars on it this summer. Now it hasn't so much bolted as Usain Bolted.
3. Mint - I planted this quite far away from the parsley and it didn't grow there but weirdly some grew under the parsley bush.
I'd definitely recommend growing herbs from my somewhat eccentric experience.
2. Flat leafed parsley - I grew this from seed last year and it did incredibly well except that it got weird red and black caterpillars on it this summer. Now it hasn't so much bolted as Usain Bolted.
3. Mint - I planted this quite far away from the parsley and it didn't grow there but weirdly some grew under the parsley bush.
I'd definitely recommend growing herbs from my somewhat eccentric experience.
Mint is an invasive plant and it recommended you grow it in pots. Though i dont bother personally. I cant have enough mint tbh 
Originally Posted by whoever,hey:
“Mint is an invasive plant and it recommended you grow it in pots. Though i dont bother personally. I cant have enough mint tbh”
“Mint is an invasive plant and it recommended you grow it in pots. Though i dont bother personally. I cant have enough mint tbh
”
You're not wrong there. My dad grew some mint a few years ago, and it's now taking over one of the borders
Thanks everyone for replying. I'm definitely going to give herb-growing a go and see how I get on.
I can't get my coriander to last outside. I am not trying again from seedlings on my window sill in a Johnsons pot (36p IN Asda). Fingers crossed as we eat so much of the stuff I need a plant to keep up really.
My basil is doing superbly and is flowering now ready for more I hope. Hadn't even crossed my mind to use it in Pesto. Great idea - recipe anyone please?
My parsley died, we don't eat it anyway. I fancy some rosemary as I love that stuff
My basil is doing superbly and is flowering now ready for more I hope. Hadn't even crossed my mind to use it in Pesto. Great idea - recipe anyone please?
My parsley died, we don't eat it anyway. I fancy some rosemary as I love that stuff
Yes.
Started off with sage and rosemary now have my own little herb garden in pots and a few on the kitchen windowsill.
Rosemary and Mint didn't work from seed so bought some seedlings from the garden centre.
Not a huge fan of loads of tarragon but like a little so my tarragon plant has saved me a lot of money and am not wasting herb packets.
Love oregano and it’s sometimes really difficult to find in the supermarket but grows in a pot and even a crappy shady flower bed really well.
I now grow oregano, sage, rosemary, mint, chives, thyme, lemon thyme, tarragon, flat leafed parsley and Greek basil and ordinary basil. I try to grow dill and coriander but they tend o bolt really quickly.
Some of my plants mint and chives are supermarket herb pots.....if you re-pot them they seem to grow really well.
Started off with sage and rosemary now have my own little herb garden in pots and a few on the kitchen windowsill.
Rosemary and Mint didn't work from seed so bought some seedlings from the garden centre.
Not a huge fan of loads of tarragon but like a little so my tarragon plant has saved me a lot of money and am not wasting herb packets.
Love oregano and it’s sometimes really difficult to find in the supermarket but grows in a pot and even a crappy shady flower bed really well.
I now grow oregano, sage, rosemary, mint, chives, thyme, lemon thyme, tarragon, flat leafed parsley and Greek basil and ordinary basil. I try to grow dill and coriander but they tend o bolt really quickly.
Some of my plants mint and chives are supermarket herb pots.....if you re-pot them they seem to grow really well.
Our chives have gone mad. They are great.
Our coriander, oregano and parsley were good.
Our outdoor basil not good. We'll stick to supermarket pots and give it some plant food each week.
Our coriander, oregano and parsley were good.
Our outdoor basil not good. We'll stick to supermarket pots and give it some plant food each week.
I read on DS or elsewhere that the pots of herbs you get from supermarkets aren't usually the best to grow in the long term but you should either grow from seed of go to your local garden centre if you want established plants that you can nip here and there over a long period for your cooking.
My experience of herbs...
Woody herbs - Rosemary and Thyme - plonk somewhere and neglect them. If you remember, water if it's awful dry and if they are in pots the odd waft of plant feed and they do great.
Soft herbs - Coriander and basil - do really well on the window sill (Direct sun for a long time can burn the basil though)but do like being popped outside when it's a nice day.
Parsley and Chives - Curly leaf parsley gets on with it in my garden and chives seem to like the digs.
I'm not a gardener and I don't know if my experience of growing herbs is usual but I've discovered over many years that the above seems work best for me. I don't know about soil type or acidity. I plonk them in and if they grow - GREAT. if they don't I try them in pots and if that doesn't work I have quite a few windowsills to fill.
edit - these are the herbs I use most and are the herbs I have varying success rates with growing throughout the year
My experience of herbs...
Woody herbs - Rosemary and Thyme - plonk somewhere and neglect them. If you remember, water if it's awful dry and if they are in pots the odd waft of plant feed and they do great.
Soft herbs - Coriander and basil - do really well on the window sill (Direct sun for a long time can burn the basil though)but do like being popped outside when it's a nice day.
Parsley and Chives - Curly leaf parsley gets on with it in my garden and chives seem to like the digs.
I'm not a gardener and I don't know if my experience of growing herbs is usual but I've discovered over many years that the above seems work best for me. I don't know about soil type or acidity. I plonk them in and if they grow - GREAT. if they don't I try them in pots and if that doesn't work I have quite a few windowsills to fill.
edit - these are the herbs I use most and are the herbs I have varying success rates with growing throughout the year
Originally Posted by Pixie Queen:
“I read on DS or elsewhere that the pots of herbs you get from supermarkets aren't usually the best to grow in the long term but you should either grow from seed of go to your local garden centre if you want established plants that you can nip here and there over a long period for your cooking.”
“I read on DS or elsewhere that the pots of herbs you get from supermarkets aren't usually the best to grow in the long term but you should either grow from seed of go to your local garden centre if you want established plants that you can nip here and there over a long period for your cooking.”
I watched a program where they said that the actual plant/seed is fine but it is essential that you remove it from it's plastic pot, loosen the soil and repot it in decent compost/soil.
Originally Posted by degsyhufc:
“I watched a program where they said that the actual plant/seed is fine but it is essential that you remove it from it's plastic pot, loosen the soil and repot it in decent compost/soil.”
“I watched a program where they said that the actual plant/seed is fine but it is essential that you remove it from it's plastic pot, loosen the soil and repot it in decent compost/soil.”
That is indeed so, degsy.
Even when I buy from a garden centre, if I don't repot or replant presto, they also go lankey, mankey and die.
