Herb advice, anyone?

[elleng]

I just saw my garden area today, SMALL patch (patches,) 2 sides of cement walk, with small trees, surrounded by wooden fence/wall, rear of townhouse, near DC.) My enthusiasm gives me things to think about thinking about!

Don't know about sun where/when, but ground is now just covered with leaves. Will learn more over next couple weeks, but looks possible for some herbs and maybe flowers; would do annuals first year, prolly.

So I'd appreciate any thoughts! Thanks!

[plantwomyn]

1. Herbs are mostly Mediterranean.

Sunny, well drained soil. Do your perennial herbs asap. Oregano, chives, sage, thyme, and savory. Lavender and mint are good too. Mint should be planted in a 3 gal. pot with the bottom cut off to contain it to a small area. Get plants from the nursery to have a harvest this year. Sweet Woodruff is a great ground cover with tinny white flowers and it spreads like crazy. Most of the annual herbs grow good from seed. If your nursery doesn't mind take a 6 pak and put 2 or 3 plants of each type of say basil or sage and mix and match.
Make sure your soil drains well before your plant. Try to stay away from non-organic fertilizer since you're gonna eat this stuff.
Ps. If your nursery plants have been in a greenhouse be sure to harden them off before you plant them outside.

[elleng]

2. OH GOOD!

FRAGRANT herb garden! LOVE it!

Harden? Wassat?

[NMDemDist2]

3. put them outside a few hours a day, gradually more each time

to get them used to the shock of the change from a nice controlled greenhouse to the real world

[elleng]

4. Thanks NM!

But REAL WORLD????

[China_cat]

8. I have rosemary that started in a 3" pot and is now

4 ft. tall and covers a 2 ft. patch of ground, thickly. My dogs love to rub against it, which releases the scent into the air and keeps them from smelling doggy.

Today I planted basil and cilantro. From the handling it sends the fragrance everywhere.

As for growing herbs, it seems like the less care you give them the better they do. They are, after all, originally weeds that were co-opted for cooking.

[rockedthevoteinMA]

7. i heard you shouldn't fertilize herbs you are going to eat

is that true? I'm new to this too...

[Rowdyboy]

5. Grow a pot of rosemary.....a couple of sprigs with olive oil turns a chicken into a feast!

Washington DC is borderline for rosemary-if its mulched and protected it MIGHT survive but if ypu can bring it in, do. A small bay tree in a well protected spot can be fun too. Its great to step out of the kitchen to pick a bay leaf for a stew....

[elleng]

6. NICE ideas, Rowdyboy!

Spent some time today clearing kitchen; former tenants just left, a mess! I threw their old herbs/spices, and i haven't cooked in some time; rosemary chicken IS great! And bay for most things, including heroes, eh? will check. Hoping for nice fragrances from my small spot!

Good sun morning - 1:30 or so (today, that is), and by 3:30, all shade. I read that hummingbirds and butterflies love pineapple sage, so may try that; would like fragrance. Maybe lavendar; hope enough sun.

THANKS!

[K8-EEE]

9. Put mint in pots, or it will take over everything else!

I learned that the hard way....

I LOVE herb gardening...it's my fave, especially love having my own cilantro, I put it in everything and when you grow it, you don't have the leftovers in the fridge. They get slimy SO fast!

Be sure and pinch the stuff A LOT. Once the cilantro gets flowers, it's not good anymore.

[elleng]

10. thanks for that, KB-EE,

cilantro's one of my faves, too, and its sold in bigger bunches in fridge that I ever can use; its just me and one other.

Just moved to place with 'garden,' tiny, haven't started anything yet. Let me know how to deal with any other faves, please!

Thanks.

[Bongo Prophet]

11. If your cilantro flowrs, then let it go to seed, you get coriander. Bonus!

Good for Indian food.

Indeed, good tip for the mint, it can get crazy.

[elleng]

12. You mean cilantro seeds = coriander????

How Convenient! I'm living with a Pakistani who loves to cook!!!!

[Bongo Prophet]

13. Indeed they are. And ooh, you ARE lucky!

I have not had Pakistani food specifically, but I imagine it is like Afghan and northern Indian regional coooking. And that is a very very good thing.

Also, cilantro should never have to go bad, because it is all so easy to make salsa/sauces and refrigerate.

Fresh tomatoes, lime, cumin, cilantro, peppers, garlic and onion. food processor...whooooosh. Good for weeks. ;)

[elleng]

14. Oh THANKS, Bongo!

I haven't done the cooking, but as we've moved into a 'house' with our kitchen, I'll use your 'whooooosh!' to impress!