Ready to start the herb garden

[Spirit Deer]

We inherited two large, square, galvanized washtubs on a stand a few years ago, and we had flowers in it for several years till we got tired of using it for that. It's been just sitting out in the yard for a couple years now, uselessly taking up space.

It occurred to me today it would make a dandy herb garden! It'll be raised to a nice height to make it easy to tend. I want to build a chicken wire box over it to keep some of the critters out, and we moved it to our side deck so that should keep the deer out. So now I can start some chives and other stuff so the plants will be ready when the dirt warms up.

I've always been a failure as a gardener, but I'm excited about trying this. I've never had an herb garden but love cooking with herbs, so if I can get this stuff to grow, it's going to be fun to use my own herbs and maybe dehydrate some, too.

I plan to move the whole works into the house in the fall and add a four-foot grow light in hopes of keeping it going next winter, too. Does anyone know if that idea might work?

[Jilly]

I've always been a failure as a gardener, but I'm excited about trying this. I've never had an herb garden but love cooking with herbs, so if I can get this stuff to grow, it's going to be fun to use my own herbs and maybe dehydrate some, too.

Spirit Deer, I am in the same boat. It'll be interesting to see some of the recommendations. I too would like to grow an herb garden. Thanks for starting this one!

[Spirit Deer]

Since I've posted, I've expanded on this idea and will be making it into an entire system. Four sawed-off square cat litter pails will fit in each washtub for a total of eight. That will keep the chives from over-running everything else.

The main reason I want to do it that way though is because, even with the empty milk cartons in the bottom of the tubs so they didn't take as much dirt to fill them, they are beastly heavy. If we're going to have to move them twice a year, it'll be easier to be able to pull the pails out for moving.

It'll also help keep the washtubs from rusting.

I had been thinking I wanted an Aerogarden but they seemed too small to be worthwhile to me, and for sure way too expensive for both the device and the replacement seeds. Putting the tubs to work seems like a win/win to me and it'll be free besides!

Now I'm doubly excited!

[Aubella]

I'm looking for a container or system too for an herb garden. That's a great idea.

[mauimagic]

love the idea of raised gardening - sounds like you have a winner!!

[Grainlady]

A little bit of study may be in order, although I consider herbs the easiest to grow. As with all plants, they have different needs - moisture, fertilizer, harvesting, growing characteristics, shade/sun tolerance. So all of them may not be appropriate planted in the same environment. All herbs aren't cultivated the same.

1. Most herbs do best in poor soil and don't like their "feet" to be wet, so avoid over-watering and make sure the planters have good drainage.

2. You want to harvest the herbs early and often as soon as they start to produce leaves and get some growth on them. Those are the herbs that are best for drying for winter use. Although I harvest all I can by the first frost, I make sure I keep the spring harvest for culinary use and the other for other uses. Pick your culinary herbs first thing in the morning.

3. Plant in descending order. If you only see the planter from one side, then place the tallest plants in the back and work to the shortest plants in the front. If you see the planter from all sides, plant the tall plants in the middle, moving to medium height to short in the front.

4. Keep a little perspective. That basil plant may only have 4 leaves on it when you plant it, but it can quickly take over the tub shooting up to heights of 1-2-feet tall and 1-2-foot around, so you want to avoid over-planting in a small space.

5. I like to plant herbs I use throughout the year - fresh and dried - that is often called a "kitchen (herb) garden" that includes plants like basil, sage, parsley, chives, oregano and rosemary. If you are using your herb tubs for "show" you may want to choose varieties for their shapes and colors; or even for their fragrance.

6. I like to use contrasting leaf shapes and colors when possible, to give some interest.

7. If you decide to plant a variety of mint in your tubs, I'd suggest planting it in a separate pot and then bury the pot in the soil. Mint can quickly take over ground or pots, so this is a way you can contain it. Plants you'd like to take indoors can also be planted in a pot and the pot buried in the larger planter - as another option. In the fall, the buried pot is removed, cleaned up, and moved indoors.

8. I like to make a small planter to bring indoors in the late summer/early fall using new plants (when possible), or just a portion of existing plants, rather than mature plants. I'll dig up a small amount of thyme, a portion of a clump of chives, and a small plant of parsley. If you have a sunny south window, that will work well for most herbs. They just grow slower indoors than when they were outdoors. Occasionally, they don't always survive the shift to the great indoors. You can also bring in "outdoor pests" from planters and gardens, so look for those. I'd also keep it to a few culinary herbs.

9. A trip to the library will provide lots of books on growing and harvesting herbs. You can also call your Cooperative Extension Office (County Extension) for information. I bet they have free information on the subject that would be best for your area.

10. Not all herbs "like" containers - lemon balm does better in the ground, as does dill (which grows to 3-ft tall). Some herbs will die after one season and need replanted - some don't. Sage, thyme, parsley, chives will come back, but may not be good producers the consecutive years.

11. Do you want to attract bees? Not always a good idea if the tubs are near an entrance. Just pinch off flowering herbs to keep them robust and avoid bees. If the herbs get a lot of strong wind, some will not survive. Dill does better in a permanent place in the garden because it is self-seeding and a strong wind can destroy the tall stalks.

12. Chives can be started from seed, but they germinate very slowly and require darkness, constant moisture and temperature of 60°F to 70°F for best results. For faster results, purchase some chives, or get some from your neighbor, if they have them in their garden. You'll be able to divide the clump once it's established. If you transplant chives to the indoors, just bring in a small portion of a plant.

So that's just a tiny bit of what might help you be a successful herb gardener.

[lovestoread]

I normally have chives, dill , lavender, thyme, some lemon balm, and my new fave, Basil.....I would make caprese salad last summer with my homegrown tomatoes, fresh mozzeralla, (which I found at Aldi's of all places) and fresh basil...some fresh ground pepper, salt and some balsamic vinegar and olive oil...yummy....makin' myself hungry......Good luck....I have found these herbs to be fairly easy to take care of....

[Momto2Boyz]

Grain lady had some great tips! Herb gardens really are easy to grow. I started one last year (with no research...just stuck some seeds in the dirt) and I had great results, and I'll be doing it again this year.

It was so handy to have the container out on my patio (and not all the way out in the garden). It took a little while to get used to the idea of remember it was out there. There were many times I'd go to my spice rack for dried chives, put them in the recipe...then thunk myself on the head and realize that I had fresh chives outside! But, by the end of the season, I was better at remembering and it was so nice to have herbs there and ready to go!

[fixer]

Herbs are great for a container garden. Just make sure you grow what you use. We had some that did well but we found we really had no place for them in our recipes.

[Spirit Deer]

All the stuff I started yesterday are herbs we use a lot, except the mint. I don't know if I'd use more of that if I didn't have to pay $4 for a tiny bottle, and I already had the seeds to I'll give it a try and see. For the washtub garden, I started oregano, parsley, mint, chives, cilantro, basil, and some others. I want to add some garlic when it's warm enough and maybe some green onions which have gotten really expensive in the store.

I wish I could put catnip outside, but we have cougars and I'm not about to do the slightest thing that might attract them, no matter how remote the possibility. So I started that in a nice McCoy planter I have that will fit on the windowsill and stay in the house. I need to start a pot of wheat grass for the kitties, too. They're indoor cats and need more greens.

My mom gave me a pretty marble mortar and pestle over the weekend. I've seen references for crushing herbs in those but have to research when that would need to be done vs. just snipping them.

It's really hard to think about gardening when we're under a winter storm warning and expecting ten inches of snow.

[Labontet]

---
It was so handy to have the container out on my patio (and not all the way out in the garden). It took a little while to get used to the idea of remember it was out there. There were many times I'd go to my spice rack for dried chives, put them in the recipe...then thunk myself on the head and realize that I had fresh chives outside! But, by the end of the season, I was better at remembering and it was so nice to have herbs there and ready to go!

I am with you on this, I also FORGET that I have my herbs right outside the door. I also grab the bottle of herbs at my stove.

[Labontet]

[QUOTE=Spirit Deer;1148883]----

I wish I could put catnip outside, but we have cougars and I'm not about to do the slightest thing that might attract them, no matter how remote the possibility.





Oh my goodness!! I would never have thought about cougars and catnip.