New to trying herb gardening

I have just this year had my first real herb plant, other than mints.
It is Basil, what other herbs are easy to grow as I want to plant a herb garden in the spring.


lavina. .

Chives, parsley, sage and rosemary are easy also.

I grow mine in a pot indoors in winter and outside in summer. The picture below shows them in the pot in winter.

Good luck.

Regards,

Teri

Hi LavinaMae ~ I find rosemary IS an easy perennial herb, also oregano, chives, the mint family, of course. I like Lemon Balm (in the mint family) and love Lemon Verbena which would need overwintering. I also grow basils which are annual but freely reseed and lemon grass.

On the herb forum, you will learn not to let them bloom or the herbs will taste bitter, keep grazing on the chives and they will deliver more new growth than ever, leave the oregano outside over winter won't hurt it ~ even in a pot. Before long, you will be giving us tips and hints on the herbs. Glad you joined us! pod

Thanks everybody I'm getting excited.
Saw Rosemary plants at Whole Foods may go get 1 tomorrow.

Lavina

Lavina ~ if you buy one, I am not sure of your zone but here mine stay outside in the ground all winter. That plant doesn't like the warm and dry of a home. Doesn't seem to mind the warm and dry of the outdoors in summer though.

I think I'm zone 7a
Its strange its being sold now so it must overwinter here. I got one today so we will see.

Lavina

Was is a good price? Have you decided what you will do with it? Keep it potted or in ground? Inside or out? Don't you just love to rub the leaves and smell it? In winter mine bloom too ~ tiny little blue blooms which are delightful to see in mid winter.

Oh, you got rosemary!! Yes, that is an easy one if it's hardy in your area. It doesn't need much pruning and you take what you want of it You can dry the leaves, use them fresh or freeze them and use them many soups, stews and meat dishes.

My first herb garden consisted of common chives, English thyme, Greek oregano, German chamomile, and lavender, wormwood, and a friend gave me some Russian comfrey!! The comfrey was negligible. Lavender is is not really an "easy" one, though. It's a fussy plant, requiring a lot of pruning and soil amendments. I still don't have it right with those and skip getting them some years.

Borage is easy to grow from seed,flowers all summer.Grow the white and the blue flowering types.Lovage is great perennial,drink a bloody mary through a lovage straw.

Podster I am gonna take it to the coast and plant it in a herb garden spot that I am gonna start. It will be my 1st plant. Hope it does OK.
Fox n firefly I have a lavender plant that has taken over a spot . It was a throw away for 50 cents it just keeps spreading even after I prune it 2st a year.

I love rosemary on baked chicken with lemon pepper.Yum

Edge of the world-can you cook with Borage? Heard of it but never seen it nor lovage.

11 more days to retirement whopee

Lavina

This message was edited Nov 8, 2007 5:52 AM

This message was edited Nov 8, 2007 5:53 AM

Ah bless you ~ retirement I will never know. But beware! All I know who retire say they are busier than when they worked. Enjoy!

Huh? A lavender that "spreads"??? Let me guess...most of the ones I know are marginally hardy. Munstead was the exception, and is a biggie clump usually, but only after it gets established, if it ever does. I had some Munstead before but they didn't flower because I had to prune the things to keep them from running over their neighboring mums. You probably have a Munstead variety, correct?

A sprig of Rosemary is also wonderful to put in Christmas Cards and stands for Remembrance. I have a herb book and it has a list of what every herb stands for.

I just received a kitchen herb garden packets of 6 different seeds as a gift, can they be started indoors in the winter? Kitchen temp about 70 degrees, good morning light. Thanks!

Great Cathy, yes they can that much I know as 1 year I got a herb garden in a trey. It had 4 and they did great. Its outside herbs that defeat me.

Lavina

Thanks Lavina, I'll have to try as soon the holidays are over.

Podster
for some reason the only outside herbs so far that have survived for me are a few mints and this year I had a Basil in a huge pot that made it.
My rosemary,celintro and chocolate mint and lemon balm all kicked the bucket early. I tried not to overwater them.So I have no idea. 2 people on here sent me a clump of lemon balm and I put it in 2 different places in the yard and that didn't live.
Hubby's grandmother had mint planted in the yard so its great every year. And I have to cut it back cause it spreads.The sweet basil did OK not real good it was not bushy like I wanted it to get but it lasted till frost.
I think I have a brown thumb.

Lavina

LavinaMae, Dont buy any seeds, Im sending some your way.
If they dont work, well, your not out anything. LOL
It just a bunch of different herbs for you to try, I had extra, thanks to all the generous people here.
Merry Christmas

Kelboindy wow thanks a bunch I need all the help I can get when it comes to herb gardening.

Thanks a whole bunch as I will have a green house in Feb. and can hardly wait.

((((hugs))))) and a Merry Christmas to you also.

Lavina