In the first couple of years of the garden we tried to grow our herbs in pots. Firstly in terracotta pots which did not work for us as my attention span is too short for the amount of water upkeep that they require.
Next, we had a small box planter, where we half heartedly had a few herbs, but they were in a bad spot on the patio, and just did not thrive there.
In 2023 I finally sorted out a proper place for the herbs, and made a dedicated herb bed.
Herb Diary
Herbs planted into a sectioned wooden bed in 2023.
February, Week 1
After a wet and stormy few weeks I tidied up the herb bed to work out what has survived the deepest part of winter. Both rosemary plants are looking healthy but quite woody at the bottom, so I think I should have cut those back earlier whilst the stems were still green. The chives and garlic chives look to be nothing more than low stubble on the face of the herb bed, but from all I have read they should regrow in the spring. The pineapple sage is dead, but the regular sage looks alive, if a little bedraggled, as the small lower leaves look full of life and only the upper canopy of larger leaves seems to have succumbed to the weather. I will keep an eye on the rest of the perennial herbs and find something new to go I the spot where the parsley and dill were. I wouldn’t grow dill again. It grew amazingly (too well, perhaps), but I gave almost all of it away as I simply would never use much of it.
February, Week 2
I have decided to sow twelve small modules with herb seeds. I am not sure which seeds are still viable, so have over-sown what seeds I do have. Partially I want to see how well I can start herbs from seed, and if I do manage to grow plants that are in any way healthy and strong I will use them to bolster the herb bed this year. Herbs sown:
- Basil
- Chives
- Coriander
- Dill
- Garlic Chives
- Marjoram
- Oregano
- Parsley
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Tarragon
- Thyme
February, Week 4
Eight days after sowing, the majority of the herbs that I sowed have germinated. Of the twelve herb types sown, only Chives, Garlic Chives, Tarragon and Parsley are yet to show signs of germination.
