North Central Texas Heat

I am having a terrible time getting my herb garden going - I have them planted in containers, am not sure if I am watering too much or too little or if it is this blistering Texas heat - would appreciate any tips on growing herbs. hddipp

Most herbs like well drained soil and some sun but good light is better than blistering heat, soil is also needing drainage improvements like adding some small grit / gravel to help drainage.
Not sure how small your pot's are that you have planted your herbs into BUT, if planted up with a single plant then this heat will dry out the soil too fast therefore I use a large clay pot maybe 12 inch one, add drainage material at the bottom, fill the larger pot with good compost+ gravel mix and plant a group of herbs into this large pot, water well and place in a light but not direct sun area, place the pot on a saucer so as you water, the shallow saucer can hold a LITTLE water, after about an hour, pour off the excess water left in the saucer, next day stick your finger into the soil and if still damp, dont water, if dry, water as before.
Dont feed the herbs but keep a close eye out for greenfly, grey mould ect as these are the most common things that affect herbs and the mould id caused by not enough air circulation and the green fly as ever present in our gardens somewhere but become a problem when plants are week or under stress, either crush them with finger nd thumb, or try a blast with hosepipe water, but do keep in mind that some herbs are soft stemed and may get damaged.

IF your still struggling with hot sunshine burning the herbs foliage and drying out the pots, then maybe erect a shelter for overhead, it can be a simple frame made from garden canes and an old piece of fabric, (like a boat sail but laying flat above the plants) this will allow light in but, help take the direct sun away from the plants.
Hope all this gives you ideas on how to try help the plants survive your extreme heat problems.
Good Luck and Best Regards. WeeNel.

Thanks so very much, will repot my herbs with the method you described and maybe I can save the majority or them. I have them setting on my front porch and will move them so they are not in direct evening sun.

Any other tips or tricks you might have will be appreciated. hddipp

Remember most of the herbs we grow for our kitchen are Annuals and only last the one season however, in your climate that might NOT be the case.

When you gather your herbs for the meal your cooking, just snip off enough for that meal, try to either tug away a few leaves of say Basil, use for chopping but for decoration, snip off the tender tips of the stem, this snipping the tips allows more side shoots to grow and bush out your plants.
For things like Parsley, cut off the whole stem so the plant will send up new tender stems as time permits,
Try keep ALL types of mint in pots and insert the pot of mint into a larger pot you are filling with other herbs, Mint is notorious for spreading by root runners and before you know it, the whole larger pot or area in the garden will be taken over by the mint, then the other herbs will get choked out.

end of season when the plants start to form flowers, either remove the flowers to try keep the plants growing a little longer OR cut the herbs with longer stems and hang up to dry in cool light area, use as before for cooking, OR cut individual herbs up and freeze in ice-cube makers to drop into your cooking or drinks as in mint tea or gin-tonic, with mint dash of lemon.
You can allow a few of the herbs to make flowers and gather for next years seeds too.
Dont know how much you love your herbs but you can dry them and use in little dishes in winter for room fresheners, make little muslin bags for gifts to hang in clothes storage especially IF you store winter clothes while you use your summer clothes. dont go mad though with clothes and make sure the herbs are bone dry or there could be some staining from the greenery, lavender is brillialnt for this and I'm told it keeps moths away AND flies.

Hope this gives you ideas and you just enjoy your new found herb gardening.
Best of luck and Kind Regards.
WeeNel.

WeeNel thanks so very much for your reply and I will give this a try.

hddipp

No Problem, I'm about to gather some of my own herbs to freeze as they are going over already but, we have had a really hot season for a change, I'm not complaining in any shape or form just cant believe the good weather has stayed with us for 6 whole weeks PHEW I feel like I've been on holiday Ha, Ha, Ha.
Best Regards. WeeNel.