backdoor herb garden

I have a question, This is going to be my back door herb garden for quick convenience herbs. I have almost done a stupid thing, haven't done it yet though, I was wondering, the top pot has japanese red moonflower vine and purple hyacinth vine seeds in it, is that jap moon flower poisonous, I was going to plant italian large leaf basil in the top pot along with it, and let the moonflowers and hyacinth grow up the trellis and the basil can just be growing in the top pot too, is that ok to do this, I haven't planted the basil seeds yet, but I did plant the two vines.

the bottom pot has 2 thymes, 3 basils, cutting celery, parsley, marjoram, and what ever else I can stick in there, maybe some rooted cuttings of rosemary I have. I also have some oregeno I can put in there. it's gong to be crowded but that's ok.

what do you think so far,

I don't think there will be enough room for the rosemary, which (at least in my garden) doesn't take to crowding as well as the thymes. Maybe the rosemary cuttings could have a pot of their own? Whether or not the moonflower is poisonous (don't know about it), I wouldn't think it would have any effect on your large leaf basil. Just be careful to harvest only basil leaves and not bits of the nonculinary plants, and you should be fine. Try to position the pot so the plants on the trellis don't shade any of the herbs too much, as herbs seem to like all the sun they can get.

I like your 2-tiered design!

Your probably right on the rosemary, even though it's just one cutting, they grow pretty big. I guess i could just leave it out. LOL, I was more concerned with having parsley, and basil and oregeno right there at my disposal. Hey, I could put chives in there, I got lots of them LOL

It's cute but I think it's gonna get crowded really fast. If you don't wanna buy bigger pots would you consider old tires? Or are you planning on bringing it in every winter?
My oregano 4" pot took over about 6 square feet of garden space in one summer.

LOL, I had my oregeno planted in a tire like that, I have oregeno growing for grass now, it's all over the place, I have no idea why I planted oregeno in ther, I think that will be a mistake, I geuss I can alway s trans plant everything if it gets too big, I'd love to over winter it in the greenhouse, but my basil didn't over winter well this winter in the greenhouse. I was really wanting fresh basil all winter, but it didn't happen

I grew basil all winter in a glass of water. it was african blue basil, tho, which is a perennial anyway.

That's funny about oregano grass, I was out today and saw some in my grass, too!

It sure smells good, tho.

Michelle

Hi...How big are the pots? I'd like to swipe your idea, if that is O.K. I have a few big pots, med pots etc. Planned on painting them to match with that new fusion paint. Watching this thread in order to determine which herbs would be best to use. Want to place right outside the kitchen door for the summer and drag into the greenhouse in the winter.
Peg

LOL, I don't mind a bit you swiping my idea, it wasn't my idea anyways, LOL well known . I haven't the clue how big they are. that bottom one is huge, got it at walmart, but I really don't know how big they are.

kathy

You can also add some chives here and there...they don't take much room and I like when they're blooming :)

yes, I did plant some chives in there too it's dong quite well, no seeds sprouting yet. but the plants I planted are doing nicely in there.

kathy

The moonflower vine is in the morning glory family. The seeds would be extremely poisonous if you ingested them. (They cause hallucinations and death!) However, I don't think the plants sharing the same space would cuase your herbs to become poisonous, if that's what you're asking. It's sort of an unusual combination: typically moonflowers prefer shady areas and your herbs would prefer full direct sun. I'll be interested to see how this all works out.

Just be careful when harvesting the herbs that you don't get bits of moonflower cuttings in your salad! Better yet, move the moonflowers somewhere else. I don't see a problem with the hyacinth.

yeah, I know, I've since decided to pull out the jap moonflower vines as they appear. and transplant them elsewhere, the basil is coming up, and so is the hyacinth, not the moonflower, but that will go somewhere else, I"l lhave to remember to post pictures later on.

kathy