crop rotation for herbs...

[pumpkintime]

Hi all,

I am planning on planting a herb bed (currently use containers) and wondered if I need to rotate herbs in the way you should rotate crops.

Any thoughts?

[pumpkintime]

better wording!

I read (somewhere) that even though herbs are considered permanent in regards to crop rotation, it can benefit the land if you do companion plant certain herbs with particular crops to enrich the soil.

I know that understanding companion planting includes keeping pests off and ensuring fewer risks on certain herbs losing their identity (dill/fennel) but I wasn't aware of the usefulness of crop rotation where herbs benefited the soil.

Can anyone elaborate further?

[andrewo]

I have never crop rotated herbs, however there are good partnership, chives with roses (yes, some roses are herbal), chives with oregano, lady's mantle with any herb that loves water, bay and rosemary. I feed them though every five years with a liquid manure and compost.

[nick the grief]

Can't think of how they would do that Pumpkintime. Are you confusing Herbs with Green Manures I wonder?

A lot of herbs are shrubs (Rosemary & even Sage) & they are kept in shape by picking them. nce they start to get a bit past there best you can take cuttings & then I would plant them somewhere else. There is one herb that is supposed to secrete something from it's roots to inhibit groud elder but I'm damned if I canthink what it is ! (Old Age I'm afraid )

The more "annual" (well, short life perennials really like Basil) type of herbs you can plant/sow in a different place each year thet won't hurt.

[Earthbabe]

I've never rotated perennial herbs. They are very stuck in my herb bed I'm afraid and have been for five years now. Even when I was at home (with mumsy and dadsy - ie a lot younger) they stayed very put. I haven't noticed any detriment and some shrubs are so large now it would take a JCB to move them .

I agree with nick and andrew about companion planting to benefit other crops and aid pollination/deter pests.

Do be aware that some things are best kept contained in some form (ie mint, lemon balm) as they spread very readily via runners and are extremely invasive. Some annual herbs self seed very readily e.g. borage, calendula, clary sage (which seems to be a perennial in my garden). Some perennials can also self seed very readily e.g. sage and fennel.

You can also use dwarf munstead lavender for low level hedging if you like. Very aromatic, lots of bees etc. very easy on the eyes.

Enjoy your herbs. As long as the soil is reasonably well drained and they get a fair amount of sun they will be happy and give you much pleasure of the aesthetic, culinary and gardening kinds. Some can get leggy after a few years notably sage, rosemary and lavender but I find regular close cutting helps and as nick says once they do start getting a bit past it you can propagate from softwood cuttings for free. Always a bonus