Anyone Growing their own Herbs?

[Thats Camping!]

I would love to learn how to grow my own herbs.

If anyone has any tips or info, please share. I will see if I can find some links to post, but if anyone has any personal experience, that would be even better!

some questions:

What kind of pots do you use? Do you have to transplant once they get larger?

[Thats Camping!]

We were speaking of chow.com on another thread, hahaha. I found a great summary of some herbs and which ones are easier and which are not.

http://www.chow.com/stories/11580

I thought basil would be pretty easy, I guess it's not. I know when I bring home a plant from the grocery, it can be very fickle, and it droops very easily.

[campnmomof4]

First time growing herbs here. I've always cooked with the store dried herbs, the ones that come in the bottles, I think McCormik and wanted to get a bit more adventurous.

I started my herbs inside from seeds and are keeping mine inside on my counter.

So far for me Rosemary seems to be the hard one. I'm growing Oregano, Basil, Parsely, and Rosemary.

I really would like to get my hands on some lemon balm so that I can make my own bug repellant.

[MonIvy]

My local nursery sells a variety of herbs already planted in a large plastic window box.  I get one every year and attach it to my deck railing outside my kitchen.  When I need the herbs I just cut them and bring them in.  Sometimes if I haven't used them in a while, I have to cut them (I store them in the refrigerator in a plastic bag with a wet paper towel wrapped around stems) so they continue to grow full.  The amount in the window box is always enough for us.

[Lucas874]

I have some mint growing right now...great for Mojitos!

[Thats Camping!]

Wow i'm so glad I started this topic. This is so cool that so many of you grow them!

I like the idea of buying a premade container, Nancy have you ever tried bringing it inside during the winter? Or do they just die?

Patty, starting with seeds is intriguing too! Did you start with little starter pots then transplant? Or did you plant in one big container?

Mint also sounds great, I bet it smells so good. Fresh herbs smell so great!

Thanks everyone for the info

[MonIvy]

No Debbie I never bring the container inside for the winter - I should - probably would have saved money over the years.   I think my cats would eat them.  I have one that eats everything!   I do really enjoy having the fresh herbs though. 

[campnmomof4]

Debbie,

Debbie, I bought one of those kits that has a top to it and it has pellets from Home Depot. It's like a little greenhouse and you can easily move it from inside to outside to get some sun. All you do with wet the pellets and they expand and then you can plant the seeds in them. Then once the seeds start to sprout I moved then into a pot. I put all of my herbs into one pot (about a small to medium size pot) and it sits on my counter.

MonIvy, I love that idea of buying the herbs already planted and in one pot!

Lucas, I've always heard of Mojitos, but never had one. What's in it?

Does everyone just cook with the herbs or do any of you make other things with them as well? Like Scrubs, spritzers, bug repellants?

[Thats Camping!]

@Nancy, my little dog Lexi loves to eat vegetables and herbs. She chomps the heads off of wild violets in our backyard. And she loves when I give her a basil leaf or two. Glad she can't jump onto our tables!! Too funny your cat loves to eat them too!

It's too bad you can't keep the herbs inside. Maybe if you put some sort of netting over it when you aren't there. it can still get the sun, but maybe it will keep your little eater away from it. LOL

@Patty, ooh I like the little greenhouse idea. I will have to look at HD. Can you take a photo? I would love to see exactly what the pot looks like.

here is something I found at HD. Is this similar? http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xh3/R-100653969/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

Maybe you can share a link. I would love to see it, and if it's fairly easy, it will give me incentive to try it. I am not so great with plants, I just get bored, and lose interest in taking care of them. But if it's cheap, then I won't feel so bad if I kill them! LOL

If anyone wants to share photos of their herb garden, please do. If you don't have a photo site to upload to, email them to me, and I can add them here.

[Thats Camping!]

Does everyone just cook with the herbs or do any of you make other things with them as well? Like Scrubs, spritzers, bug repellants?

I only cook with herbs right now, but I do use essential oils for bug repellent. It works great and it's natural. anyway, that is off the topic.

What have you heard about scrubs and spritzers? sounds interesting.

And speaking of herbs and spices, I just came home with $50 worth from Penzey's today (http://www.penzeys.com) - their dried spices and herbs are fantastic, much fresher than the grocery store brands, and actually believe it or not, they can be cheaper! $50 sounds like a lot, but I do a lot of cooking with different spices/herbs.

I started with buying a few spices in the smaller glass bottles to try and now I mostly buy the small bags and refill the containers.

And here is another topic to chat about:

what are your favorite herbs and spices? The ones you can't do without?

I was thinking about it today, and I think cinnamon is my fave. I use it in EVERYTHING from oatmeal to tomato sauce. It's soo good for you too.

I also love dried and fresh basil.

I just bought some dill weed, so I am looking forward to making some yummy homemade dressing.

Ginger, paprika, chipotle pepper, sesame seeds. there are just so many I love.

Anyone else?

[twinnish]

I love herbs. My favorite herb is thyme.  Ilove cooking with them.  Every summer I buy them in pots at Griggs Farm in Billerica.  The plants they sell there are very hardy.  The herbs I buy are basil (Italian), rosemary, mint (keep in its own container or it will take over your garden), and thyme, of course.  I used to buy sage also, but it keeps coming back in the pot every year, so I don't have to buy it any more! 

My yard isn't consistantly sunny enough due to all the trees for me to grow a garden, so I grow things in pots.  One good book I've found is McGee & Stuckey's Bountiful Container.

[Thats Camping!]

Thanks Claire, for your store recommendation. I will check them out. Also for the book recommendation. I am getting a huge batch of books from the library this week, so I will put that one on my list until I return some of these.

I have a little container of dried thyme, I never use it that often, perhaps I should. I don't use sage either. I will have to try growing it, especially if it lasts until the next season. How fun!

I just found a great thread at chow concerning how to properly pick your herbs.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/705688?tag=main_body;topic-705688

[Thats Camping!]

Here is a link to Griggs Farm and their spring offerings.
http://www.griggsfarmbillerica.com/spring.php

I still am a bit confused on how large the container is, that you transplant. I will keep mint separate if I decide to do that, but for the others, do you use a longer pot? It sounds like Nancy's is a long window box. Claire, what about yours?

[Lucas874]

A mojito...crush the mint in the bottom of the glass, add ice,squeeze in a few lime wedges, some rum,soda water and sugar, I cheat and use sprite...taste pretty good on a hot day.....

[Lynnvt]

We love cooking with fresh herbs. Thyme, sage, chives, mint are all perennials. Actually some can get overwhelming. Growing herbs in side during the winter can be tough because there isn't enough sunlight. We bought an aerogarden a few years ago and that worked great for growing herbs in the winter. Aerogarden link:
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=16885959
Rosemary is a tough one. For annuals we plant basil, dill, cilantro, and fennel. Sage, chives and mint can become invasive. We already have been harvesting chives and thyme.