new Guy with questions

[WilliamG]

Hey everyone this is my first post. I live in San Antonio,tx in an apartment and wanted to grow some herbs indoors/ outdoor balcony. It can drop here to 30's so I would bring the plants indoors for 2 months or so.

Ive knew grown anything really, at least myself and what is my best approach?
Interested in growing basil, oregano, mint, rosemary, and garlic (leaves not bulbs).
What would I need to get this going?
thank you for all ur help
William

[GhettoRacingKid]

If your not to good with it, your best bet is to buy a plant that is alreayd established.

This isnt the best tiem to sow seeds. Around February or march is a good time to sow them.

good luck.

[KYHeirloomer]

I'd agree with GRK. In general, you're better off buying started plants than trying to germinate herbs from seed.

The real question is: How much sunlight reaches the balcony/window? If there's enough, fine. If not, you may have to supplement with flurescent lights.

For green garlic any container will do, but the larger the surface area the better. Plant the cloves an inch apart, two inches deep, and you'll be good to go. I would consider something like a half-barrel for this, if you have that much room.

Other than the garlic, you can grow a whole selection of kitchen herbs merely by getting a large strawberry pot. Each of the side cups holds a separate plant, while the mouth can handle a selection of them. Or you can just put the rosemary in the mouth, while the mints and other aromatics go in the side cups.

It's a nice way to maximize herb production in a minimal space. And the whole thing can be brought indoors when the weather turns cold.

[WilliamG]

thank you both. The kitchen window(2) is 3-4ft wide and 6 ft tall so they are big enough and get hit with sun from 12-until about 6:30. So I think Ill give it a try. anyother advice?

[KYHeirloomer]

Only other thing is to monitor the moisture and nutrient levels. Container growing is notorious for needing far more water (you sometimes have to water 3x daily) than in-ground plants. This, in turn, leaches out the nutrients.

But the plants will pretty much tell you their needs by their appearance.

[Alexis]

I would recommend researching the optimal conditions for each plant. I grow quite a few herbs on my balcony and it seems like the parsley likes the shade much better then direct sunlight so 6:30 hours is plenty for that herb. I grow sage, oregano, and thyme with minimal effort.

Alexis

[jigz369]

I would check the temperature in the window before attempting to grow anything there. I would be willing to bet with that much sunlight that the temperature there will exceed anything these delicate plants can take.
Just my opinion though....

[Smilie]

Basil is very easy to grow from seed, and you can start indoors. They will germinate quickly which is always fun. Keep the soil moist esp. until established. Once they have few sets of leaves cut off the top set. This helps it become fuller and less leggy. As the plant becomes bigger, you can cut back the longer 'branches' and the tops when they flower and go to seed to promote lasting growth.

Also, every few weeks plant new seeds, so you will have new fresh plants as the older plants tire. Also it will grow larger if the roots have lots of room and are not crowded. Don't plant in the same pot with thyme or oregano because they will crowd out the basil. Oregano and thyme grow like crazy in my garden and come back each spring (I'm in IL) so they are hardier and don't need to come inside - I went out in the snow to pick some.

Good luck. Gardening is as fun as cooking. Have fun!