Growing from supermarket pots on allotment

[sotonallotment]

I've just bought two healthy-looking herb pots from Waitrose of rosemary and mint intending to grow them on at the allotment.

I wanted to check to see if there was any advice, I wouldn't plant supermarket potatoes so should I be worried that these pots will be worse than the ones in garden centres? Any other dos and don'ts?




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[lottie dolly]

Thy will be fine,so long as they are hardened of,plus watered well in,remember that mint spreads very quick,a lot of people but it into a large container,the other alternative is to pull up what's invasive to you,first thing to do is tip it out the pot,to see what root system it has on it,

[Snailfox]

I grew some supermarket chives at the lotty, and they've done really well, so i'm sure you should be fine.

[WilliamD]

Try this thread from a few years ago. The supplier of potted herbs to the supermarkets says which ones you can successfully grow on and which ones you can't.

[Raybon]

Have had trouble trying to germinate basil (it takes an age!) so I'm growing it from the supermarket in the lotty, separated into sprigs, each with a bit of root.
It was slow to begin with, but is now taking off.
Was wondering whether to pinch out the growing tips to encourage bushy growth....any advice welcome, thanks!

[Ananke]

I would plant them (keeping the mint in a pot) but then I plant supermarket potatoes too

[Scarlet]

Was wondering whether to pinch out the growing tips to encourage bushy growth....any advice welcome, thanks!

I harvest basil from very young by pinching out the tips and mine grow very well. Depends how tall they are I suppose?

[Raybon]

4-6" on planting. Have pinched them out anyway, otherwise they will just leg it!
Thanks.

[TrialAndError]

I always pinch out basil after two side shoots. Leave them too long and they will (one of mine has has that I forgot to pinch out) go to seed.

I've also found that if grown in pots they are hugely better in a big pot.

The quickest way to propagate basil is from cuttings rooted in water. It is more than twice as quick as growing from seed.

[Raybon]

Thank you.
By the way, just dug up some supermarket potatoes and they were really lovely!