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    Growing herbs in containers

    I'm interested in starting an herb "garden" but I don't have any kind of garden area since I live in a townhouse with limited yard space. I'd like to grow herbs outdoors, but in containers, but I've never grown ANYTHING before, so I'm not really sure how to begin. Any tips on what herbs would do well in containers? Where do you buy the seeds for your herbs? Thanks!

    #2
    Re: Growing herbs in containers

    Basil, Oregano, Thyme, catnip (if you have a cat!), mint (actually, mint does BETTER in a pot because it tends to overrun your ENTIRE garden), rosemary....

    Most herbs do well in pots, to my knowledge. Other things I have grown in pots (albeit big pots) are: peas, tomatoes, cayenne pepper plant. As to where you get your seeds? I don't know where you live, but in Canada you can get seed packets at the grocery market, or if you want to buy already grown plants, a local gardening shop should sell stuff.


    Mostly art.

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      #3
      Re: Growing herbs in containers



      I did something very similar to this last year. I grew lavender, basil, cilantro,and a nice lemon balm.
      What you see depends on what you are looking for.

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        #4
        Re: Growing herbs in containers

        Chives ... And if you want more than herbs you can go for bush varieties of beans and peas ... And tomatoes ... And bell peppers ...


        Where do you live? ...
        I won't be wronged. I won't be insulted. I won't be laid a-hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them ... John Bernard Books


        Indian Chief 'Two Eagles' was asked by a white government official; "You have observed the white man for 90 years. You've seen his wars and his technological advances. You've seen his progress, and the damage he's done."

        The Chief nodded in agreement.

        The official continued; "Considering all these events, in your opinion, where did the white man go wrong?"

        The Chief stared at the government official for over a minute and then calmly replied.. "When white man find land, Indians running it, no taxes, no debt, plenty buffalo, plenty beaver, clean water. Women did all the work, Medicine Man free. Indian man spend all day hunting and fishing; all night having sex."

        Then the chief leaned back and smiled; "Only white man dumb enough to think he could improve system like that."



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          #5
          Re: Growing herbs in containers

          Thank you! You all are awesome; this gives me lots of good ideas! I live in Pennsylvania, so I'd probably have to bring them inside if I want to keep growing them in the fall/winter.

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            #6
            Re: Growing herbs in containers

            I'd check out any local garden shops. They often have little seedlings in pots,which is a great way to get started.
            But you probably shouldn't take my advice; I've managed to kill rosemary!

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              #7
              Re: Growing herbs in containers

              Since you can let a few of the chive blossoms go to seed you might not have to bring them in for the winter ... Also since they are a member of the onion family they can tolerate cold a lot better than most plants ... I have found green chives even after a week of frost ... But bringing the pots in for the winter might be good to keep the pots from freezing and cracking ...
              I won't be wronged. I won't be insulted. I won't be laid a-hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them ... John Bernard Books


              Indian Chief 'Two Eagles' was asked by a white government official; "You have observed the white man for 90 years. You've seen his wars and his technological advances. You've seen his progress, and the damage he's done."

              The Chief nodded in agreement.

              The official continued; "Considering all these events, in your opinion, where did the white man go wrong?"

              The Chief stared at the government official for over a minute and then calmly replied.. "When white man find land, Indians running it, no taxes, no debt, plenty buffalo, plenty beaver, clean water. Women did all the work, Medicine Man free. Indian man spend all day hunting and fishing; all night having sex."

              Then the chief leaned back and smiled; "Only white man dumb enough to think he could improve system like that."



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                #8
                Re: Growing herbs in containers

                I grow everything in pots because I have a LOT of terrace space but it's still terrace, so no actual garden plots.

                All herbs do well in pots. In fact, I think they're better in pots because they're quite invasive (the only real difference between an herb and a weed is usage) and it keeps them separated. The only thing is, if you're anywhere that the temperature drops in the winter, they wont make it unless you take them in, because plants are more vulnerable to cold in pots. Last year some of them came back, but this year nothing did (which is weird because last winter was much colder and longer than this one was).

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                  #9
                  Re: Growing herbs in containers

                  My chives come up every year from the same root ball. If they survive Michigan winters, they'll survive most sub Arctic weather...
                  Every moment of a life is a horrible tragedy, a slapstick comedy, dark nihilism, golden illumination, or nothing at all; depending on how we write the story we tell ourselves.

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                    #10
                    Re: Growing herbs in containers

                    Oh yeah, my chives are the only ones that came back haha.

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                      #11
                      Re: Growing herbs in containers

                      I have parsley, thyme & basil in pots in the kitchen. The rosemary needs to be replaced - it lasted a couple of years, though!
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                      Can you hear me, Major Tom? I think I love you.

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                        #12
                        Re: Growing herbs in containers

                        I live in Pennsylvania as well :O) I live in the NW part of the state, if you live in the southern part your growing season is just a tad longer. Most culinary herbs will grow well in pots, though I do not recomend starting them from seed in our state unless you have a section of your town house that you can have taken over by grow lights and a propogation set up. In order to start your plants by seed here you would need to start the seeds inside around March (basil, oregano, parsley etc.) to have plants large enough to put out and harvest from during our "growing season." Generally I buy my herbs as starter plants from local greenhouses or chain hardware stores.

                        Chives and mint will usually tolerate our winters even if left outdoors all winter in a container, but most other culinary herbs are an annual here. You can bring the herbs in during the winter but unless you keep your house really warm and use a grow light most of them will not make it through. Everyone I know considers rosemary an annual here because it's very difficult to winter over in our zone even if brought indoors. Even the couple of people who I know to have wintered it over usually wind up buying new because last year's usually looks too mangy for them to put it back in their garden. Lavender will do very well over the summer in a pot but will not winter over in a pot (again I'm speaking about the climate I live in this is not applicable everywhere). Parsley, basil, and oregano do well in containers here and I've known people who have had success with them indoors. Lemon verbena will do well in a pot but is an annual only. Borage is an annual that usually reseeds itself so if you are growing it in a pot just make sure that you collect the seeds and start them early (indoors) the next year, around March or April. Hope this is helpful.

                        For pictures of some of the herbs I've grown you can find them on my blog http://ravenrinspagannest.blogspot.c...r-gardens.html
                        )O( Blessed Be )O(
                        )O( Blessed Be )O(
                        Raven Rin

                        My Blog
                        Raven Rin's Pagan Nest
                        The Adventures and Home of a Pagan Mother
                        http://ravenrinspagannest.blogspot.com/

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                          #13
                          Re: Growing herbs in containers

                          I placed a lavender sprout in a large pot outside during the summer of last year. It died (or at least it seemed like it died) but then came back this summer and has been thriving ever since. 0.o It's a M A G I C A L plant, lol. Lavender loves to be root-bound, which means it will do very well in a container. We have horribly hot and humid summers, and the lavender apparently doesn't mind. I also put some plants outside in a wooden container (one of them was a peppermint plant) too early this spring, and a frost wiped them out. The mint didn't care, though. Very hardy plant, mint. I also planted chives from seeds, but the seeds did not even sprout. I thought chives were supposed to be easy to grow. :/

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