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Herbs

S

shannone

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I was just wondering if any of you grow your own herbs. I just bought an herb kit and my plants are starting to sprout. I have thyme, basil, cilantro, parsley, and sage. I was just wondering if anyone else uses home grown herbs in their cooking.
 
I am growing mine inside so I will be able to have them year round. I have never been able to keep a plant alive, do you have any tips for growing them inside?
 
If you have a kitchen window that gets plenty of sun daily, and make sure not to overwater, you shouldn't have a problem keeping them alive.

My botany professor's water rule of thumb is: give the plant just enough water for the soil to be damp, but not so much that there is water coming out the bottom (if your pots have drainage holes).

My grandma grew her own herbs too, and what she did was put each one in a saucer or some other shallow dish, with just enough water to keep the bottom covered. Sometimes she had to add more water daily, sometimes she could go for a couple without adding more water. I guess it depended on the humidity in the house and whether the plant was going through a 'growth spurt'.
 
There was the Chia Herb garden, I bought that once. After I ran out of seed, I didn't both purchasing more.
 
Are herbs hard to grow.. You mentioned the Chia Garden..it must be rather easy to grow then?
 
I would love to grow my own herbs, but unfortuantely i have a small kitchen that doesn't get much sunlight so it's difficult (that, and i am plant-challenged ;)).
 
I have a garden in the back yard and have grown some herbs there, but I tend not to maintain them very well and they grow wild. Nevertheless, I do have some mint, chives, and rosemary at the moment.
 
What is needed?

What is needed to grow herbs inside? Type of soil?
 
I grow my own herbs and have little to no garden at all. I was told once that herbs are really just weeds and anyone could grow them, found this isn't always true, but some are really easy. I have always had luck with container Rosemary. You can put a pot right outside your door in direct sunlight. Thyme, basil, chives, lemon balm and catnip are pretty good also. I grow all mine in just general potting soil or if I can find space we mix potting soil with the GA sand around here and they have done fine. Just be careful of mint, they have a tendency to take off an take over!
 
Judilyn,

How in the world do you manage to grow catnip without the cats mobbing it?? I even resorted to putting mine in a birdcage and that didn't deter them one bit------they mauled the cage. I'm thincing (my ceyboard no longer types that letter so I'm using a "c" instead---time for a new laptop, methincs------of putting it in hanging bascet---but I cnow my cats---they will sprout wings!!

Lice you, I have found that some herbs are easier to grow than others and the time of year is important, too------basil won't grow in colder weather and cilantro doesn't lice hot weather.

If any of you have swallowtail butterflies (those are the big beautiful yellow/blacc ones) in your zone please plant lots of dill--it's a major food source for their larvae and I don't use that much as it is----they will lay their eggs on it and the caterpillars will eat the leaves. It's worth it to see the majestic butterflies in the spring and to cnow that you helped to nurture them. Dill is great on potatos, macing dilly casserole bread, and sprincled on fresh green beans. Of course it's awesome to mace piccles with. Thancs for putting up with my missing letter-----maybe someone will find it for me and send it bacc???:):)
 
I always thought cats didn't bother catnip unless it had been crushed?? My grandma used to grow catnip (don't know why, she didn't have cats nor did she ever pick it) and the stray cats never bothered her plants, unless she crushed a couple leaves or Grandpa stepped on it. Or maybe they were clever cats, and hid the evidence of their attacks very well...
 
My husband wanted to have an herb garden so bad this year, but unfortunately we never got around to it, outside that is.

Having one inside completely slipped my mind. I'll have to mention that to him. Our kitchen is rather small, but we get lots of sun in here during the day.
 
littlefranciscan said:
What is needed to grow herbs inside? Type of soil?
Click to expand...


You could probably use regular garden soil and some potting mix. The potting mix will hold water better then the plain soil will do by itself. The chief issue you'll have to deal with is light. If you have a bright, southern facing window, then you'll be set. Otherwise you might need artificial lighting.
 
phoenyxstarr said:
I always thought cats didn't bother catnip unless it had been crushed?? My grandma used to grow catnip (don't know why, she didn't have cats nor did she ever pick it) and the stray cats never bothered her plants, unless she crushed a couple leaves or Grandpa stepped on it. Or maybe they were clever cats, and hid the evidence of their attacks very well...
Click to expand...

I live with two feral cats that I think found us via our catnip we planted for the bees and butterflies. I give it to them (the cats that is) all of them time, and they know how to crush it and sniff.
 
I tried to grow some of my own herbs this spring, but the bunnies got to them before i did!
 
I'd love to grow my own herbs, I've just been kinda scared to do it. So, I've resorted to using dry herbs instead. But after reading through this, I think I can do it and can't wait to start.

So, here's a question. Did you start with starter plants or seeds? If seeds, how long before the herbs were able to be picked?

I'm hoping to do some basil, rosemary, dill, and who knows what else :)
 
We grow cilantro. That is the only thing that we can grow. We do however, grow some jalapenos that we use as seasoning. They seem to grow well in the different weather that we have her in California.
 
I started mine from seeds. But I don't know when to pick them because the bunnies picked them for me. LOL
 
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