If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Herbs in Pots

Growing herbs in pots is one of the easiest and most rewarding things you can do in your home. It's a great feeling when you can walk out to your patio and clip off whatever herbs you need for that nights meal. From my experience, it's hard to get herbs to grow right in pots the first time, but every time after that it's incredibly easy.

In this post I want to share some tips that I've learned throughout the years for different types of herbs, so you can easily grow them in pots yourself.

Mint is one of the most rapidly growing herbs of them all. The trick is to be extremely careful where to plant it. If mint gets into a big pot it will grow everywhere, and you will have a hard time controlling it. Growing mint can make you feel like a green thumb, but keeping it under control is tough.

Basil has always been the most used herb in my garden. Growing it in pots is best because it tends to get munched by all sorts of pests after it sprouts. I prefer to get basil that has already been started from the nursery, rather than growing it from seed, so that it is already somewhat hardy once I plant it to fend off some of the bugs. When in pots, basil can wilt rather quickly when placed in direct sun, which is where it grows the quickest. It takes frequent watering to keep basil healthy all throughout the summer.

Cilantro is the opposite of basil, I always plant this from seed. Getting cilantro from the nursery is tricky because once it changes environment and lighting it tends to bolt right away. When grown from seed, and kept in the same area, it will grow for a long time without bolting. If it starts to bolt, clip the flowers, then cut the entire bunch and use it. It should grow right back if it is still the season. Cilantro has always grown best for me in direct, late afternoon sun.

Rosemary and sage grow very well indoors in a sunny window. There isn't much difference in buying these from the nursery, or growing them from seed. They both grow very well, so choose whichever method you have the patience for!

Growing herbs in pots is very easy, and it keeps getting easier as each season passes. The first time you set out to have an herb garden you will get good results as long as you take the time to water and care for them. The second season you do it you will get an exceptional crop, just be sure to learn what didn't work out so well the year before.

User Reviews Send this to a friend
Your Backyard Herb Garden: A Gardener's Guide to Growing Over 50 Herbs Plus How to Use Them in Cooking, Crafts, Companion Planting and More
 
Manufacturer: Rodale Books
Customer Rating:
 
List Price: $18.99
Sale Price: $5.55
Availibility: Usually ships in 24 hours
Free Shipping Available
Buy Now
 

Product Description
Everything you need to know about growing your favorite herbs using safe, natural, all-organic methods!

Practical tips and advice on all aspects of successful herb growing.

A wealth of great ideas and helpful how-to on using herbs in cooking, crafts, cosmetics, health care, insect repellents, and more.

Illustrated herb directory featuring all the most popular herbs-- from aloe to yarrow-- each with complete information on growing, care, harvesting, and uses.

Product Details
No details are available for this product

Video Reviews
Container Gardening: Container Herb Garden

Customer Reviews
The beginner's handbook
 
Review Date: June 3, 2001
Reviewer: C. Arnette, Louisville, KY United States
I've always been interested in herbs but I have very little gardening experience. This book will walk you though all the steps you need to take in order to grow your own herbs. I purchased this book along with another which I've never even opened because this book is so good. Talk about user friendly, the charts are simple and the photos are inspiring. You'll find information on planting, preparing, growing and caring for herbs. Also there's a whole section on enjoying your herbs with crafts and cooking. The section I've found most useful is the herb directory. This is the only book you need to get started.
This Book is Fabulous!
 
Review Date: April 8, 2002
Reviewer: Marion, Louisiana
I wish I'd had this book years ago when I first started growing herbs. It would have saved me lots of 'trial and error' experimenting with my herb garden. This informative, thorough guide is good reading for the beginner as well as the expert herb gardener. There are lists of which herbs love shade and which love full sun; lists of what kind of soil each herb prefers; lists of fragrant herbs and culinary herbs. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to start an herb garden or learn more about growing and using herbs, earth's magical gifts to us!
Help to Aid Your Herb Production
 
Review Date: August 10, 2004
Reviewer: rodboomboom, Dearborn, Michigan United States
Here is what one needs to grow herbs -- soil conditioning, pests, fertilizing, watering -- all of them done organically.

What I find really attractive is a chart on each of the fifty herbs discussed showing its Attention Required, Freindly to bugs, Ornamental quality, Container Growing, Yield, Easy to Grow.

There is also great section on propogation, using in cooking and beauty, dried arrangements, etc.

Done in color with great drawings, this is informative book, each page is loaded with info.
Invaluable for the beginner
 
Review Date: May 31, 2003
Reviewer: lostbronte, Southern California, USA
This book enabled me to set up a thriving herb garden on the balcony of my apartment. It offers recipes for herbal breads and teas, instructions for making potpourri and drying herbs, and detailed but not complicated advice on setting up an herb garden, as well as detailed breakdowns on the care and usage of more than 50 herbs. Although a complete plant novice who has ritualistically sacrificed almost every houseplant I've ever owned, I visited the garden department of a hardware store with this book under my arm and got myself started. The ratings that Smith gives each herb are especially helpful--ease of care, herb yield, attention required, and ability to grow in containers. I highly recommend this book to get you started!

Hi from me Jonathan Treby. A true joy in my life is to eat my own grown fresh herbs.On my blog you can join a free 10 day Mini-Course to get you started in the world of growing Herbs.You will also find a complete Ebook on the secrets and tips for growing your own perfect herbs from home-View instructions-- http://herbgardening4u.com

Share and Enjoy:
  • Print
  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Mixx
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Blogplay
  • Propeller
  • StumbleUpon
  • Technorati
  • Twitter

Tagged with: • • • • • • • • •

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!