hi! Im a newbie to the site. My first question of many.
I want to grow herbs in a 16" basket...which herbs and how many to put in?

On Fri, 04 Mar 2011 13:35:57 +0000, cookygirl43 wrote:

hi! Im a newbie to the site.

Welcome.

My first question of many.

Hopefully you give us more information with you future questions.

I want to grow herbs in a 16" basket...which herbs and how many to put in?

What herbs do you like?
What is your weather like?
Where do you live?

jellybean stonerfish wrote:
On Fri, 04 Mar 2011 13:35:57 +0000, cookygirl43 wrote:

hi! Im a newbie to the site.

Welcome.

My first question of many.

Hopefully you give us more information with you future questions.

I want to grow herbs in a 16" basket...which herbs and how many to
put in?

What herbs do you like?
What is your weather like?
Where do you live?

This kind of information is important because not all herbs will suit all
circumstances.

D

cookygirl43 wrote:

I want to grow herbs in a 16" basket...which herbs and how many to
put in?

Why a basket... I think you'll have better results growing herbs in a
planter; a flower pot or a window box... whether the planter is in a
basket or not is of no consequence. Of course you'll do best growing
herbs directly in the ground... even if you rent you can still find a
small piece of ground... herbs don't need much space... a piece of
ground 2' X 4' can supply a family with more herbs than they can
possibly use. Start with a couple three parsley plants, a couple of
basil plants, a sprig or two of thyme, a fistful of chives, and maybe
a small rosemary shrub. I think that's a very good basic assortment.
You can add or subtract according to your taste in cooking. I
would've suggested oregano but like mint it's very invasive and cheap
enough to buy dried and that works as well if not better then fresh.
Actually my only must-grow herb is parsley, I like curly parsley
better than flat leaf, I like it fresh in salads. I don't much care
for basil. In ending I will warn that many popular herbs are very
invasive... don't even think about growing dillweed or fennel seeds
outdoors, your neighbors will lynch you.

You should get 4-8 in a basket. Just depends on how big you let them get. The height may look a little odd in a basket but trimming them for use should keep them shorter.
You can enjoy fresh herb flavor all year long! Gardeners often dry herbs from their herb garden, so that they'll be able to enjoy their fresh herbs for a few months longer. Drying herbs is an easy, efficient means to preserve fresh herbs, but herbs with a high water content seem to mold before they ever dry. To preserve herbs with a high water content, like basil, chives lemon balm, mint and tarragon, fresh freezing is a better option. The herbs will become limp in the process, but their flavor will be intact.

Hanging baskets do tend to dry out quite easily unless they are the plastic variety. I think planting in pots would be much better!