My herbs grow a bit then stop and die :(

[Creemteez]

Most of the meditteranean herbs - rosemary, basil, thyme etc like really sharp drainage and lots of warmth. Basil in particular hates sitting in cold, wet soil, but is always best watered from below as it has a tendency to stem rot. The best thing to do is sit it in a saucer of water for half an hour, during which time it'll suck up what it needs. Any water left in the saucer after this time should be discarded.
Rosemary and thyme will really do best outside in the summer in the sunnisest bit of garden you have.
As for mint, try buying a pack of cut fresh mint from the supermarket, select a few stems ,remove the lower leaves and trim the stems to just below a leaf node. Bung 'em in a glass of water on the window sill and I guarentee that they'll root. Then pot them up into free draining compost
I've grown lots of mint this way. Much quicker results than growing from seed!

[Welsh Wizard]

My rosemary bush is unstoppable, it was outside all winter in the ground despite minus 10C. It is in a windy spot too! It is putting on loads of fresh growth and is one of my most used crops in the garden.

[Mchanen]

Hi All, I have had this problem when trying to grow herbs in a herb pot in my kitchen- i think i watered them from above (First time growing herbs and didn't know better) and they all died, so i have used the same pot with new compost and planted chives, basil and coriander, it is currently in my hallway which is warm and doesn't get much light for them to germinated which seems to be doing the trick as they are coming up nicely, any tips on when i should move it to a sunnier spot such as my living room windows sill?

Should i just wait for it to grow a bit more and them move it (couple of CMs of growth maybe?)

Also i planted some Rocket seeds at the same time and also but that pot in the hallway with my herb pot, the rocket grew to about 2cms so i thought i would move i to a sunnier spot on my living room windows sill- now it's gone all limp and looks like it's dying! i'm gutted, don't know where i went wrong- i only kept it moist, any tips on this would be great!

[MrsC]

Hi All, I have had this problem when trying to grow herbs in a herb pot in my kitchen- i think i watered them from above (First time growing herbs and didn't know better) and they all died, so i have used the same pot with new compost and planted chives, basil and coriander, it is currently in my hallway which is warm and doesn't get much light for them to germinated which seems to be doing the trick as they are coming up nicely, any tips on when i should move it to a sunnier spot such as my living room windows sill?

Should i just wait for it to grow a bit more and them move it (couple of CMs of growth maybe?)

Also i planted some Rocket seeds at the same time and also but that pot in the hallway with my herb pot, the rocket grew to about 2cms so i thought i would move i to a sunnier spot on my living room windows sill- now it's gone all limp and looks like it's dying! i'm gutted, don't know where i went wrong- i only kept it moist, any tips on this would be great!

Hi, I always grow Basil on its own and if I do put it outside (presuming you have the Sweet Genovese variety) not until the middle of summer and usually in the greenhouse. I'd probably move it to a sunnier spot. Re - Rocket, I sowed 3 varieties in a tray in the unheated greenhouse 2 weeks ago, they're nice and healthy. Maybe it's just too warm inside. Hope this helps.

[Mchanen]

Hi MrsC, Thanks for your advice, i think i will start from scratch with the rocket and not put it on the living room window sill so quickly- it does get alot of sun and probably was to hot for it there.

[MrsC]

Hi MrsC, Thanks for your advice, i think i will start from scratch with the rocket and not put it on the living room window sill so quickly- it does get alot of sun and probably was to hot for it there.

I've sown 3 types in the unheated greenhouse in a polysterene tray (not very deep) and it should be ready for planting out really soon. I also sow it direct where I want it. What variety are you growing?

[Mchanen]

Hi MrsC, I bought a pot from Wilkonsons- it's called Wild Rocket, i'm pretty disappointed that the rocket failed but i suppose you learn from these things- i'm growing other herbs and i've kept them in the hallway where it's light but not direct sunlight and they are doing really well. I think that was my mistake with the rocket- putting it in direct sunlight so soon but i'll know not to do it next time.

At the moment i am growing everything in pots and containers- herbs in the house as i can't plant stuff in the garden as i rent and can't plant my own stuff in the garden, i'll take over the garden once i do get my own place though :-)

[MrsC]

Hi MrsC, I bought a pot from Wilkonsons- it's called Wild Rocket, i'm pretty disappointed that the rocket failed but i suppose you learn from these things- i'm growing other herbs and i've kept them in the hallway where it's light but not direct sunlight and they are doing really well. I think that was my mistake with the rocket- putting it in direct sunlight so soon but i'll know not to do it next time.

At the moment i am growing everything in pots and containers- herbs in the house as i can't plant stuff in the garden as i rent and can't plant my own stuff in the garden, i'll take over the garden once i do get my own place though :-)

Are you not allowed to put it into pots though? Even plant it in the ground with the annuals?

[Mchanen]

I could put into a pot and put it on the patio area with my other potted plants but we can't plant anything in the garden- it's just grass down part from a few bushes at the side and no flowers so there's not anywhere to actually plant stuff unless i dig up some grass.

[alibobsy]

I had some oregano I grew from seed last year which I left outside over winter, I expected to have to resow this year but it survived!!!
I did put the pot up against the house so probably didn't get much frost, but still must be fairly hardy. Also had no problems with rosemary.
My basil is in the raised beds so I suppose like a giant pot lol.
I also have seen sites where people had problems with chives but mine have been like weeds, if anything I have to keep cutting it back.

Never had problems growing herbs its everything else I need to get on top of. Tomatos I can't seem to grow at all lol.

ali x

[caroleannat]

The general rule of thumb with herb growing is to get the compost light and dry by adding builders sand to ordinary bag of compost. Most herbs prefer a sunny position in the garden except mints and any herb beginning with the name wood i.e. Woodsage, Wormwood, Southernwood, But on a sunny windowsill even herbs like Basil and parsley will dry up quickly. They do not like direct sunlight. Herbs tend to grown sapping and tall and will bend towards the light if left too long inside a greenhouse or windowsill.

[MrsC]

The general rule of thumb with herb growing is to get the compost light and dry by adding builders sand to ordinary bag of compost. Most herbs prefer a sunny position in the garden except mints and any herb beginning with the name wood i.e. Woodsage, Wormwood, Southernwood, But on a sunny windowsill even herbs like Basil and parsley will dry up quickly. They do not like direct sunlight. Herbs tend to grown sapping and tall and will bend towards the light if left too long inside a greenhouse or windowsill.

Hi Caroleannat, I find that mint grows in sunlight and shade and that any plant will grow tall and bend towards the light if left too long. Basil enjoys a hot environment from my experience