I was wondering if I over planted the herbs I planted in pots.
The 1st has 3 plants - sweet potato, basil and lemon verbena. (I read on one of the other threads that the lemon verbena is a shrub). Do you have pictures of the herbs you have in pots?
The second pot has - 1 oregano, 3 basil and1 lemon grass.
Just beautiful, semper! I don't know the answer to your quesiton, but I'd say leave them be until something looks like it's suffering, then transplant. I do know lemon grass can get huge.
I have globe basil in a pot ,but most are in the ground.
It is hard to tell what size is your pot?
I put things in the ground when it gets to hot and I don't want to water every day.
The other pot is society garlic it is not hardy here so I bring it in over winter.Last year I tried to dig my lemon grass to over winter inside the root ball was too big.
I'm in agreement w. Brighidlily on this one, as long as they look healthy, they should be ok. There are some plants that release chemicals into the soil, (like mugwort, for example) that inhibit the growth of other plants nearby, those you'd probably want to grow by themselves. I have most of my herbs planted together in pots, the close planting prevents the soil from drying out as quickly, and shades the soil in the pot, keeping the other plants roots cooler. This is a real concern here, in central CA, where the temps average 110 in the summers....
I currently have a bay tree in a pot with lemongrass, and rose scented thyme and lemon balm as "soil cover" plants.
In a tub, I have two roses, with arnica and echinacea and lemon scented thyme as "filler".
All seem happy enough.
Cyra
Thanks for the compliment brigidlily, and the suggestion to leave it until stressed.
The pots are a good size, one has a 13" diameter and the other 16" and both are 12" tall.
gardengus, The 2 photos of your potted herbs look very pretty in your garden. I potted up the herbs to fill holes in the garden and to cover spots that I fight tenacious weeds all summer. Maybe I can try to bring the lemon verbena and the lemon grass inside this winter if I leave it potted.
cyra, I never thought of the shading and cooling effect of close planting. What a good point. I have 2 topiary fairy roses that stay potted because they can't survive the winter in the ground. Last fall I threw some irises I thinned into the pots, thyme would be a nice addition. I tend to close plant in the garden to try to shade out weeds and because I like the really full cottage garden look. OK the truth is I just tend to overplant, period. There is usually a point where I must be ruthless and thin everything out. Until that point I hope, against all reason, everything will fit together.
I'd like to see other potted herbs and combination plantings and how they are placed in the garden if anyone wants to share.
The photo is of my herb/flower garden with grapevines and potted herbs hidden among the other plants.
No advice, but I agree that your pots look lovely. And are those garlic scapes curly-q'ing around? You have a lovely herb garden growing there.
kmom,
Thanks, and yes those are hard neck garlic that self seeded.
Everyone's herb pots are looking great. As some of you may know from my other posts, I am using hanging baskets for my herbs this year.
Pretty pots Sempervirens... I don't think you overplanted. You will be pruning the herbs anyway and will be able to quickly tell when they get rootbound.
For a green mulch, I like thyme and this year started some Pennyroyal which is a thick creeper and trailer.
Kanita ~ there you go again! I look at your photos and want to take a "scratch and sniff" tour of your potted herbals. They are pretty. pod
Thanks Pod!
Thanks pod.
kanita, nice idea to use hanging pots. How often do you water them? More then once a day and I find potted plants too labor intensive. Watering is my least favorite chore.
I water once a day to once everyother day. They are self watering hanging baskets, so they hold about a quart of water in the bottom resevoir.
