I’ve tried off and on for the last couple of years to grow some herbs. While I like and enjoy flowers, both Tim and I have realized that it’s really nice, even in our tiny yard, to try to grow something useful, that we can eat or use. He’s grown tomatoes and jalapenos for the last couple of years, and I’ve been trying (mostly unsuccessfully) to grow herbs.
I have never been able to get them to grow from seed. I’ve tried a couple of times (granted, I don’t use the little seedling starter kits, just a packet of seeds from Lowe’s that I’ve sown in a big planter, and nothing has ever popped up). I tend to generally buy plants from Lowe’s or Home Depot that are already growing and green, and I have been mostly killing them in a very short amount of time. (Note to self, I saw some gorgeous herbs in Fresh Market, get some there next year to grow). This year has been a bit better. I’ve had a lot of trouble with parsley, and on and off troubles with my basil. I’ve also got chives, dill, rosemary and oregano. The oregano, rosemary and chives have done the best. I’ve used them each several times… it’s so nice to have fresh herbs! I’ve also used some of the basil. When it blooms, the leaves are so much nicer. When I pinch the blooms off, it tends to shrivel up and get brown. Any ideas why? I wonder if I should be trying to grow the basil (or any of the other herbs) inside, and not outside?
The parsley has been the biggest mystery to me. I’m on my second plant. The first one, I put out in a planter in the yard, and I thought it was getting too much sun. So the next one I bought, I put in the planter with the chives, where it mostly stays in the shade. It gets yellowy and is just not growing well:
I don’t know if it’s the kind of parsley I’m trying to grow (curly) or the sun or the water conditions. It’s always half dead looking and shriveled up, I can barely use it.
I’m getting a lot of use out of the chives though! I think it’s my favorite one. I’ve made chive butter for homemade bread, and used it a lot in sauces and also as a topping for baked potatoes. It does well as long as it’s in the shade!
If you have any hints on growing herbs (especially in the hot, humid south) or any ideas on what I’m doing wrong, please leave me a comment and let me know! Thanks! 😀