The trick to growing herbs in a pot
Better Homes and Gardens’ resident landscaper, Jason Hodges, shares his top tips for growing herbs in a pot.
Lots of people ask me about herbs and vegies and whether they grow well in pots and tubs? Well the short answer is yes but it doesn’t just happen without some planning and effort.
Some gardeners have to use pots if they don’t have a garden. Others like pots because they can move them around to change the look or to follow the sun. The good news is that by having pots you can keep the plants’ roots warmer through winter by moving them out of the way of frost.
Potted plants need more care than garden plants. They require more frequent watering and more fertiliser.
You need to re-pot whatever herbs or vegies you buy from the nursery. The pots they come in are way too small to survive long term. Half a dozen herbs in a wine barrel is a good rule of thumb. By the way, if using a wine barrel, make sure you have drainage holes in the bottom otherwise your herbs will drown. Use a good quality potting mix to give your plants the best start and chance for a long life.
A nice, light pot like a hanging basket that has had the bottom flattened so it can sit flat is perfect to carry into the kitchen to use when cooking. Don’t leave it in the kitchen except for a few days here and there when it makes a nice feature and is convenient for cooking. I like having a couple of these so I can rotate them regularly.
I find that the easiest herbs to grow are rosemary, mint, oregano, parsley, coriander and chives. If they are protected from frost and have plenty of light, water and fertiliser you should be able to grow them all year.
I grow rosemary from cuttings because it’s free. The other herbs I grow from seed, whether you buy them or collect them from a plant that’s gone to seed. This is a cheap and easy way to get started.
Mint, oregano, parsley and coriander will be stronger if grown from seed in position as they won’t go through the shock that seedlings do when they are transplanted. Saying that, seedlings reduce the time they’ll be ready for harvest by six to eight weeks and they are still much cheaper than buying bunches of herbs from the supermarket.
To collect seeds for future planting allow some plants to go to seed. As they dry out, wait until the seeds are easy to shake off the plant and place the entire seed head into a paper bag or old envelope. They should be viable for a couple of years at least if stored in a dry, pest-free environment out of the sun.
I let my herbs go to seed only as a last resort because they are tired or not looking their best. However, lots of gardeners have the problem of their herbs bolting to seed too early. This just means that you haven’t harvested them enough.
Constant tip pruning will bush up your plants. Remove flowers as they start to form so the plant will put more energy into the foliage rather than flower and seed production, which reduces the herb’s vigour and life span. So use it or lose it.
Whether it’s rosemary on your lamb roast, oregano sprinkled over your lasagne or mint in your drink of choice, a small herb garden can turn you not only into a better gardener but a better chef too.
Written by Jason Hodges. First appeared on Domain.com.au.
Related links