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Herbs for the beginner
I am thinking of growing herbs for use in the kitchen.
I am a gardening novice and would appreciate any thoughts / advice on which would grow well either in or outdoors. I live in N Cheshire on a heavy clay soil with a "modern" ie smallish garden. Reasonably sheltered though winds can be strong at times. Space might best be described as negotiable! Any thoughts?? Thanks Neil |
Herbs for the beginner
Neil20/12/03 9:01
I am thinking of growing herbs for use in the kitchen. I am a gardening novice and would appreciate any thoughts / advice on which would grow well either in or outdoors. I live in N Cheshire on a heavy clay soil with a "modern" ie smallish garden. Reasonably sheltered though winds can be strong at times. Space might best be described as negotiable! Any thoughts?? It helps to think of their origins and many are Mediterranean. Sharp drainage, hot, baking summer earth. Most herbs require very good drainage i.e. no water settling and staying round their roots. They also need a lot of sun. If your soil isn't suitable for this, I'd suggest you plant them in pots or an old sink - something of that sort. Make sure the containers are raised off the ground a little to let water drain away and place them in the sunniest part of your garden. Mint, it should be said, will probably take over half of N Cheshire and be checked only by meeting plants coming from the south. ;-) -- Sacha (remove the 'x' to email me) |
Herbs for the beginner
Neil20/12/03 9:01
I am thinking of growing herbs for use in the kitchen. I am a gardening novice and would appreciate any thoughts / advice on which would grow well either in or outdoors. I live in N Cheshire on a heavy clay soil with a "modern" ie smallish garden. Reasonably sheltered though winds can be strong at times. Space might best be described as negotiable! Any thoughts?? It helps to think of their origins and many are Mediterranean. Sharp drainage, hot, baking summer earth. Most herbs require very good drainage i.e. no water settling and staying round their roots. They also need a lot of sun. If your soil isn't suitable for this, I'd suggest you plant them in pots or an old sink - something of that sort. Make sure the containers are raised off the ground a little to let water drain away and place them in the sunniest part of your garden. Mint, it should be said, will probably take over half of N Cheshire and be checked only by meeting plants coming from the south. ;-) -- Sacha (remove the 'x' to email me) |
Herbs for the beginner
"Neil" wrote in message ... I am thinking of growing herbs for use in the kitchen. I am a gardening novice and would appreciate any thoughts / advice on which would grow well either in or outdoors. I live in N Cheshire on a heavy clay soil with a "modern" ie smallish garden. Reasonably sheltered though winds can be strong at times. Space might best be described as negotiable! Any thoughts?? Thanks Neil Pots! Don't give up if it dies on you! Some herbs are good on windowsills (Basil, coriander) It's probably a bit late to buy/start now unless you're going for indoor/windowsill ones but all of what's alreay been suggested. Plus chives, taragon, garlic, chamomile, sage maybe even lavender. Whilst the nights have drawn in and it's chilly outside, treat yourself to a good book about herbs and their uses. It's not only culinary that they're mostly good for, their scents are rather good as well. L |
Herbs for the beginner
In article , Jaques d'Alltrades
writes The message from (Neil) contains these words: I am thinking of growing herbs for use in the kitchen. I am a gardening novice and would appreciate any thoughts / advice on which would grow well either in or outdoors. I live in N Cheshire on a heavy clay soil with a "modern" ie smallish garden. Reasonably sheltered though winds can be strong at times. Space might best be described as negotiable! Any thoughts?? Tell your wife......... Most herbs like a sunny position as many of them originate in the Mediterranean. Sunny and well drained Rosemary makes a fine hedge plant, and sage is easy. I'm on wet clay and can grow rosemary even though in theory it shouldn't do well. Try one of the common ones, don't go for any fancy highly bred variety just yet. I'd grow dill, but I like pickling cucumbers - though it's good with fish as well. And lovage. A few leaves in a stew or casserole imparts a strong celery flavour. That's a british plant, so no problems - many of the umbellifer (cow parsley relatives) plants should be OK - lovage, dill, fennel, parsley. Golden marjoram is easy, and soon forms a decorative dense clump. I have that on a raised bed. Mints are easy too, They like it fairly moist, so that's a good bet. Try chives as well. -- Kay Easton Edward's earthworm page: http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm |
Herbs for the beginner
In article , Neil wrote:
I am thinking of growing herbs for use in the kitchen. I am a gardening novice and would appreciate any thoughts / advice on which would grow well either in or outdoors. I live in N Cheshire on a heavy clay soil with a "modern" ie smallish garden. Reasonably sheltered though winds can be strong at times. Space might best be described as negotiable! See the Culinary Herbs FAQ on rec.gardens.edible, and not what Sacha has said. As a good rule, most herbs are Mediterranean, temperate waterside or tropical, and the three groups need different treatment. Many make good pot plants. Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
Herbs for the beginner
On Sat, 20 Dec 2003 23:52:20 +0000, Sacha
wrote: Neil20/12/03 9:01 I am thinking of growing herbs for use in the kitchen. I am a gardening novice and would appreciate any thoughts / advice on which would grow well either in or outdoors. I live in N Cheshire on a heavy clay soil with a "modern" ie smallish garden. Reasonably sheltered though winds can be strong at times. Space might best be described as negotiable! It helps to think of their origins and many are Mediterranean. Sharp drainage, hot, baking summer earth. Most herbs require very good drainage i.e. no water settling and staying round their roots. They also need a lot of sun. Sun, sun, sun. Be aware of which herbs are perennial (rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano), annual (basil, dill), or biennial (parsley). Most can be successfully grown in pots -- the bigger the better, usually. snip Mint, it should be said, will probably take over half of N Cheshire and be checked only by meeting plants coming from the south. ;-) Indeed. Another perennial with a terrific 'spreading' habit. It took me forever to start one plant, but once I did, it spread everywhere and invited its cousins in. Mint and lemon balm now fight it out in my back lawn. Very fragrant to walk over, however. |
Herbs for the beginner
In article ,
Frogleg wrote: On Sat, 20 Dec 2003 23:52:20 +0000, Sacha wrote: Mint, it should be said, will probably take over half of N Cheshire and be checked only by meeting plants coming from the south. ;-) Indeed. Another perennial with a terrific 'spreading' habit. It took me forever to start one plant, but once I did, it spread everywhere and invited its cousins in. Mint and lemon balm now fight it out in my back lawn. Very fragrant to walk over, however. Not here. Mint is a waterside plant, and does not do well in light soils in a low rainfall area. I can grow it, and it spreads profusely in the shadier areas, but it doesn't really like the location. Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
Herbs for the beginner
Neil wrote:
I am thinking of growing herbs for use in the kitchen. I am a gardening novice and would appreciate any thoughts / advice on which would grow well either in or outdoors. I live in N Cheshire on a heavy clay soil with a "modern" ie smallish garden. Reasonably sheltered though winds can be strong at times. Space might best be described as negotiable! Any thoughts?? Thanks Neil All I can add to the thoughts of the congegation is that a lot of these plants like Sage, Thymes in bewildering variety, Chives, Rosemary, Oregano, Fennel etc............ are very respectable ornamentals and will not look out of place in your flower borders. -- Rod http://website.lineone.net/%7Erodcraddock/index.html My email address needs weeding. |
Herbs for the beginner
On Sun, 21 Dec 2003 18:31:28 +0000, Rod
wrote: Thank you all very much. Neil |
Herbs for the beginner
Subject: Herbs for the beginner
From: Rod Date: 21/12/2003 18:31 GMT Standard Time Message-id: Neil wrote: I am thinking of growing herbs for use in the kitchen. I am a gardening novice and would appreciate any thoughts / advice on which would grow well either in or outdoors. I live in N Cheshire on a heavy clay soil with a "modern" ie smallish garden. Reasonably sheltered though winds can be strong at times. Space might best be described as negotiable! Any thoughts?? Thanks Neil All I can add to the thoughts of the congegation is that a lot of these plants like Sage, Thymes in bewildering variety, Chives, Rosemary, Oregano, Fennel etc............ are very respectable ornamentals and will not look out of place in your flower borders. Sorry for piggybacking on someone else's post, aohell playing silly beggars again. If you can trackdown a copy of this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...683577-1569417 It's called "the herb garden; month by month" and is ideal for the beginner setting out. It is out of print sadly, but if you can get a copy from your local library or find a second hand copy floating around it is well worth it. -- Rhiannon http://www.livejournal.com/users/rhiannon_s/ Q: how many witches does it take to change a lightbulb? A: depends on what you want it changed into! |
Herbs for the beginner
On Sat, 20 Dec 2003 21:01:51 +0000, Neil wrote:
I am a gardening novice and would appreciate any thoughts / advice on which would grow well either in or outdoors. I live in N Cheshire on a heavy clay soil with a "modern" ie smallish garden. Reasonably sheltered though winds can be strong at times. Space might best be described as negotiable! Hi Neil, I live in extreme North East Wales - so not too far from you (where are you?) with very similar soil. I have positioned my herb bed to try and catch as much sun as possible. I have successfully grown outdoors in the ground for the last two years the following: Mint (in pots plunged into the soil to contian the roots) Rosemary, camomile, sage, corriander (annual), oregano, thyme, majoram, chives. I also have a bay tree in a large pot, and we have grown tarragon in the ground and in pots - but subject to a check in the spring of the latest plants (which look dead), I don't think I have ever managed to over winter the stuff. Next year it gets its own pot, and gets bought into the conservatory as soon as it gets wet & cold. I don't think tarragon likes wet & cold. HTH, Sarah |
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