Herb Garden

[cheffers1]

I just recently got into some gardening and I was wondering if any one knows how I can make sure that my herbs will not die. I am not overwatering, I have planted them and put little signs that tell you what each thing is but I am not sure how to use them so as to not kill them and also keep them healthy.
I believe you cut chives right? I really am and amateur about gardens, I know what the herbs are, and I buy them fresh. I just don't know how to grow them.
I got lemon balm, lemon thyme, thyme, oregano, garlic chives, chives, basil, opal basil, and rosemary. Any tips I need? Do I need to do anything special?

[cape chef]

Hi Cheffers,

Couple things to understand and your on your way to herb heaven.

Herbs love sun and soil that drains well, most are not drought resistent so you want to keep them moist.

All the herbs you planted are perrenials except your basil

The rosemary is a tender perrenial, so I plant mine right in a clay pot with drainage in the soil and bring them inside during the winter monthe (i'm in the northeast)

Lemon balm can grow very large, be sure all your herbs have plenty of space to spread out so the don't suffacte eachother.

Most of the herbs you planted have beautiful flowers, the Tyme and chives in particular, but...it's a toss up, do you want flowers of foliage? if you want foliage, trim back your herbs as the start to bud, this will enhance new growth and put the energy back to the leaf instead of flower.

Flowering though beautiful takes away the tenderness and aromas of the plant and can also make them tought (especcialy the chives)

Anyway
Sun
Well drained soil I use, 1 part compost, 1 part peat moss and one part top soil.
Well spaced
and keep moist

Follow those basic concepts and you should be fine.

Cheffers, hit your public library and pick up a couple herb specific reference books, they may help

Happy gardening
cc

[phatch]

Lemon balm is a root spreader. To keep in under control, you have to plant it in a contained space. Or dig around the plant deeply to chop up the spreading roots once a year. I put mine in a large clay pot and buried it at ground level. That makes it easy to water, slow to dry out, and contains it. This method requires you to clean out the pot every few years as the plant uses up the soil. I found that easiest.

The chives want a good period of hard freeze during the winter, just like lovage.

Rosemay is a root intensive plant. Plant it where it will have lots of leg room. In a pot, rosemary often becomes rootbound. Until I discovered Arp rosemary, I planted mine in the ground from late spring to early fall and potted it up for the winter.

Rosemary and lemon balm will be your thirstiest plants. Plant them where you can water them together. Besides, rosemary and lemon are great scents together. The basils need plenty of water. The rest are actually low water tolerant.

Thyme can get woody and unattractive if allowed to grow large. Best to keep them cut back and low. Buy creeping varieties if you want to minimize this pruning.

Most herbs do better without much care as compared to formal and vegetable gardens. They don't generally need fertilizers and such and are usually bug free. Basil may need some bug control, but mine clears up once I get them outdoors where the bug predators are.

Phil

[cheffers1]

Looks like I got some gardening to do, I have to move my herbs again hehe! I am sure that as long as I follow your wonderful advice I will be the proud owner of a great herb garden!
Thanks a bunch!!!

[fodigger]

A bunch of good posts here today. Speaking of flowers though I just love the flowers that my sage produce in fact they are blooming right now and they sure are pretty.