[PickyPrincess]

Do any of you grow your herbs? If so, do you grow them indoors or outdoors? Is it an easy process, or are there any challenges you've faced? Do you have any tips or advice for someone who is just starting to grow fresh herbs for the first time?​

 

[Shane R]

I had wonderful mint for several years but when I moved I left it at my grandparents house for a while and they killed it. I've always been more successful growing herbs outside. Mint, basil, oregano, thyme, lemongrass all did well for me. Cilantro, however, was a mostly fruitless struggle.

 

[Wooleybooger]

Mint is the only thing I've had success with, it's easy to grow. I finally had to kill it because it's so invasive and I wasn't using much of it. At that time I knew nothing about drying it either.

 

[Colbyt]

First time grower: plant them as close to the kitchen as you can and start small. Starting from seed can be a problem as many of them take a long time to germinate and you think they died and forget to water them

We have some basil, chives and cilantro out there. There was rosemary but I think it died. The cilantro is only good early in the spring and then it bolts.

 

[Wooleybooger]

I forget rosemary and cilantro. I had a couple varieties of rosemary until ferns took them over. The had done so well that the bloomed and Colbyt is correct on the cilantro. I had some, decided it needed a couple more days and I'd harvest it. It bolted that evening.

 

[Roll_Bones]

We grow 2 types of oregano, English thyme, mint, rosemary, basil, flat leaf parsley, bay laurel (not sure if this is an herb as it will grow into a tree) and others I cannot think of at the moment. We plant in containers with very good potting mix. We grow outside. Bay laurel is very hardy and can stand cold temperatures. They grow quickly as well.
Its true some herbs are difficult to start from seed. I use clones during the season for more plants.
So I do buy some as small plants and the others from seed. I like to have access to fresh herbs all spring, summer and fall. I use dried herbs in the winter.
Herbs are the most useful plants we grow.
We do grow vegetables as well.

 

[KitchenWench]

Mint is super easy to grow. BUT no matter what else you do DO NOT plant it in the ground! It's super invasive and will choke out everything in its path!

I learned by example. Ages ago when I was staying at a friend's in NH her husband started cutting the grass and all you could smell was fresh cut peppermint. I asked why and she told me she'd planted peppermint in her garden and it took over everything including most of her 2.5 acre yard in less than 5 years and was heading for the neighbor's cattle pasture.

 

[Shane R]

I had 4 different kinds of mint growing in long pots at one point. I'm fond of refreshing with a mint julep or a mojito in the summer time and I began making them myself, less to save money and more because the quality of bartenders is not what it used to be.

 

[Roll_Bones]

Mint is super easy to grow. BUT no matter what else you do DO NOT plant it in the ground! It's super invasive and will choke out everything in its path!

I learned by example. Ages ago when I was staying at a friend's in NH her husband started cutting the grass and all you could smell was fresh cut peppermint. I asked why and she told me she'd planted peppermint in her garden and it took over everything including most of her 2.5 acre yard in less than 5 years and was heading for the neighbor's cattle pasture.

I have grown mint in the ground and have not has this happen. I had several in the ground that I allowed to die on their own in the late fall. They never came back. But I have heard this before.
I have found rosemary to extremely tough. I have one in my basement from last summer and I picked some the other day. Thyme too.

 

[PickyPrincess]

I had 4 different kinds of mint growing in long pots at one point. I'm fond of refreshing with a mint julep or a mojito in the summer time and I began making them myself, less to save money and more because the quality of bartenders is not what it used to be.

I don't drink alcohol but there's a beverage brand around here called Sweet Leaf and they make a mint and honey green tea drink you can buy at our local grocery.

It is sooooo good (but costly) so I started making my own. It's my favorite Summer drink. But as with everything, the price of fresh herbs at the grocery has doubled so I thought I'd try my hand at growing our own.

Good to know that mint is invasive!

 

[KitchenWench]

I have grown mint in the ground and have not has this happen. I had several in the ground that I allowed to die on their own in the late fall. They never came back. But I have heard this before.
I have found rosemary to extremely tough. I have one in my basement from last summer and I picked some the other day. Thyme too.

You've been lucky. I know several others who've ended up drowning in mint. It may depend on your microclimate. I know here if I plant mint or dill in the ground I end up drowning and they fight over who's going to take over where.

Rosemary is my nemesis. I can't keep a plant alive to save my soul. Thyme I'm okay with.

 

[Wooleybooger]

Ferns seem to be my nemesis and I think they are fiddlehead ferns. They develop a fiddlehead but it lasts only a day. I recall seeing them used for some culinary purpose. These ferns came volunteer after we had some underground plumbing work done that disturbed some flower beds. They do look nice across the front of the house though.

 

[Roll_Bones]

You've been lucky. I know several others who've ended up drowning in mint. It may depend on your microclimate. I know here if I plant mint or dill in the ground I end up drowning and they fight over who's going to take over where.

Rosemary is my nemesis. I can't keep a plant alive to save my soul. Thyme I'm okay with.

I would want Dill to grow for me like that. I have had a terrible time growing Dill. I never even get one good plant. Its as if they are to soft and wispy? In the spring I'm going to buy a small Dill plant and see how that works out. I have lots of uses for Dill.
For me rosemary is the easiest of all to grow. They get so big I have to prune them. Like I said I have a nice one in my basement from last summer. I am still taking some to use.
Oh...And Thyme is another one I have trouble with. I can grow Thyme and I have some growing right now, its I cannot get consistent results with it. I always need fresh Thyme.

 

[Colbyt]

We do have that. It also bolts.

 

[LeonardoDaBenz]

Seeing as dill IS a weed, it's surprising you can't grow it.

One plant this year should give you tons of seeds for next spring. Once you've harvested about 90% of the fronds late-ish summer, leave a few on and when the heads go to seed AND are brown/dry (not green), turn a plastic bag over the head, bend the stalk over and snip the heads off about 2-3 inches below the head into the bag.

Give the bag a shake to loosen the seeds. Store in a cool dark place (like an envelope in a cupboard away from the stove) and in the spring, plant those seeds an inch or so apart in rows.

Do this every fall and you'll never buy outrageously priced plants (or seeds) ever again.

 

[KitchenWench]

I would want Dill to grow for me like that. I have had a terrible time growing Dill. I never even get one good plant. Its as if they are to soft and wispy? In the spring I'm going to buy a small Dill plant and see how that works out. I have lots of uses for Dill.
For me rosemary is the easiest of all to grow. They get so big I have to prune them. Like I said I have a nice one in my basement from last summer. I am still taking some to use.
Oh...And Thyme is another one I have trouble with. I can grow Thyme and I have some growing right now, its I cannot get consistent results with it. I always need fresh Thyme.

The scary thing with the dill is I didn't plant it. The original homeowner did and in the 7 years the house was a rental after she passed, the dill went insane growing and spreading like the weed it is. We bought the house 20 years ago and I'm still fighting with it. Not even Round-Up is able to kill it off completely!

 

[Roll_Bones]

The scary thing with the dill is I didn't plant it. The original homeowner did and in the 7 years the house was a rental after she passed, the dill went insane growing and spreading like the weed it is. We bought the house 20 years ago and I'm still fighting with it. Not even Round-Up is able to kill it off completely!

I wish I had your problem. And glyphosate will kill it. You have to get it on the plant/leaves for it to work. Glyphosate is absorbed through the leaves and the stem. It has no action in the soil.
I buy generic Roundup. Glyphosate. Much cheaper and works just as good.

 

[Wooleybooger]

I wish I had your problem. And glyphosate will kill it. You have to get it on the plant/leaves for it to work. Glyphosate is absorbed through the leaves and the stem. It has no action in the soil.
I buy generic Roundup. Glyphosate. Much cheaper and works just as good.

I'll second that. I've unintentionally kill plants with just one drop of glyphosate, dat's some bad stuff. And generic is much cheaper as said.

 

[LeonardoDaBenz]

I'll second that. I've unintentionally kill plants with just one drop of glyphosate, dat's some bad stuff. And generic is much cheaper as said.

not available up here to the public (other than to licensed operators due to possible/probable/definite cancer risks).

Roundup Class Action - Koskie Minsky LLP

kmlaw.ca

 

[Wooleybooger]

Yes there is that. Glyphosate can be absorbed through the skin.