35 replies to this topic

[macrosan]

I want to grow a small herb garden ... maybe 100 square feet.

Any suggestions for a good beginners' book ? Where can I get advice on soil, location, suitable herbs, planting schedules, etc etc.

Indeed, does anyone here have some practical experience ?

[Rebecca]

I want to grow a small herb garden ... maybe 100 square feet.

Any suggestions for a good beginners' book ? Where can I get advice on soil, location, suitable herbs, planting schedules, etc etc.

Indeed, does anyone here have some practical experience ?

Google is your best friend. Or try Prince Charles. You have a whole country full of delightful gardeners. Seriously, I have several shelves of gardening books/magazines yet great info can be found online.

[Orik]

Herbs are very forgiving. You probably want your soil to be organic (or at least you should be reasonably sure it's not horribly polluted), and you can fertilize them lightly.

You can plant whenever nighttime temps are going to stay at least a few degrees above freezing. Some will survive even the cold nyc winter (rosemary, thyme, lavender, sage, tarragon), others won't, but in many cases they'll reseed themselves. Garlic, while not an herb, is also very successful and will spread nicely. If you grow mint or basil give them their own space as they tend to take over.

[macrosan]

You probably want your soil to be organic (or at least you should be reasonably sure it's not horribly polluted), and you can fertilize them lightly.

In general, is it better to create beds "in the ground" or to make raised boxes filled with soil so as to avoid slugs and snails ? Do some herbs do better in one or the other ?

[Melonious Thunk]

You probably want your soil to be organic (or at least you should be reasonably sure it's not horribly polluted), and you can fertilize them lightly.

In general, is it better to create beds "in the ground" or to make raised boxes filled with soil so as to avoid slugs and snails ? Do some herbs do better in one or the other ?

I prefer to use large containers, perhaps 24-36" in diameter with drainage. I plant two or three of them with different culinary herbs. This allows me to move them when needs be, and the herbs grow free of weeds and waist high, which makes them easy for snipping. They also smell very nice near a set of chairs on our back deck. Or you can arrange them in a garden with a stone walk around them. I've used very large terracotta pots with ornate designs, and recently, faux terracotta pots that age nicely and weigh a lot less. The first time I did an herb garden in a raised bed, it was invaded by vines, weeds and poison ivy, and I planted far too mush to be used, so most of it went to waste. The pots allow me to keep my inventory right and the growing conditions optimum.

Some herbs, like mint are very aggressive and can take over an area. With the pots, I can contain them. I made one pot all different mints one year. Another several varieties of basil or thyme. Dill is lovely, but must be harvested and likes a lot of sun. Chives are very hardy and do well almost anywhere.
Parsley is pretty hardy and easy to grow, but also needs to be harvested else it gets leggy and disorderly. Rosemary can be grown in a compact bush or even a tree shape, likes lots of sun and must dry out between watering or it will develop mold. Creeping thyme is lovely and can grow over the edge of a container, looking very lush.

Experiment.

[omnivorette]

The only thing I separate out is mint. Nothing else takes over. All of my herbs are in the ground, the bed is not raised, it is next to the house on the sunny side, and has a stone border. I don't fertilize - just water and lots of sun. And the herbs thrive.

Oh - I separate out rosemary too, because it likes to be dry.

[Rail Paul]

My herb gardening strategy is similar to Omni's. In the ground, in a warm area. In midsummer, they get 14 hours of sun. I use a minimal amount of fertilizer, and a whole lot of compost. I have a few boards that let me raise the garden by 8 to 12 inches with new soil and compost (chopped leaves, grass, chicken manure, dirt, wood chips, etc).

I put mulch down when the weather gets really hot (90+ F) and water twice weekly. I used to bury a soaker hose underground, but discontinued that a few years ago.

Cilantro, basil (lots), tarragon, oregano, tomatillo, several legacy rosemary plants, one grape tomato, some sage, etc. Stuff I use or preserve. I cut way back on tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant this year. When mine are ready, the organic farmers are selling heirlooms for 60 cents a pound.

[Orik]

You probably want your soil to be organic (or at least you should be reasonably sure it's not horribly polluted), and you can fertilize them lightly.

In general, is it better to create beds "in the ground" or to make raised boxes filled with soil so as to avoid slugs and snails ? Do some herbs do better in one or the other ?

We don't got no snails 'round these parts, only squirrels

The herbs that grow into very large bushes (like rosemary) benefit from being planted directly in the ground, to the others it makes little difference.

[SRD]

We always put in other plants that are likely to attract the predators that help keep the pests down, stuff like marigolds (and you can sprinkle the flower petals into salads). Here's them first site I found by googling 'companion planting' but you'll find many more.
http://www.dgsgarden...k/companion.htm
and wiki has a great list of stuff, but beware wiki.

[flyfish]

The herbs that grow into very large bushes (like rosemary) benefit from being planted directly in the ground, to the others it makes little difference.

Depends on the zone though, we have to bring our rosemary inside for the winter so it's in a huge pot.

[macrosan]

Thanks everyone, that's a lot of useful stuff. I think I'll set up a 'regular' bed in the sunniest part of the garden, but I'll also try a few of those big planters that the Thunkster is suggesting. Start tomorrow !

I do like the sound of "varieties of mint and basil" because I use a lot of mint and basil. But who knew there were varieties ?

And I'm going to risk a rosemary bush in the main bed, and I'll see how well that does in the winter.

I like the sound of companion planting ... I'll read that article, SRD.

Thanks again.

[rancho_gordo]

I don't have an opinion on it, but the marigold/tomato thing was apparently debunked. I think they look nice together, so who cares?

[omnivorette]

I planted 4 varieties of basil this week: "regular" basil, bush basil, lemon basil, and purple basil.

[SRD]

I don't have an opinion on it, but the marigold/tomato thing was apparently debunked. I think they look nice together, so who cares?

Yup, but I find that planted around the softer, greener herbs they keep aphid attack down, and as I say, they look good in a green (and orange ) salad.

[SRD]

I do like the sound of "varieties of mint and basil" because I use a lot of mint and basil. But who knew there were varieties ?

Thanks again.

http://www.herbfarm.co.uk/HerbInfo.htm

and I love lemon thyme with roast chicken.