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chicagodeli37

herb box picture help please

ChicagoDeli37
11 years ago

Ok I have a herb box in the garden and have been having a few problems. Any help would be great.

First row. 3 flat Italian parsley.

Planted all herbs well over a month ago.

Parsley has hardly grown or turned really green. Been about same size since I planted it.

soil is well drained.

Watered with soaker hoses.

Its in full sun 8 hours or more a day..Im thinking

mabye too much sun?

Next row -1 flat Italian and 2 curled.

Curled has grown much either.

3rd row - 3 Basil

Thai

Greek

Sweet

Sweet is doing the best. Grew a little and flowering.

I cut back flowers.

Greek next best but only grew a little.

Thai was doing bad then cut back flowers And doing better now

4th -3 Rosemary

Grew a little. Looks healthy.

5th.- 2 thyme German and lemon.

slow growing but look healthy.

6th row - 3 Oregonel

Again growing slow.

To close together.???

Last

sweet Basil and tarragon.

slowly

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Does the growing seem normal?

Water more? LESS?

ANY HELP WOULD BE GREAT.

Comments (6)

  • ChicagoDeli37
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Also could I harvest all these the first year?
    Which ones grow back next year?
    List in tallest too shortest would help me to move
    them around next year if possible?

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    11 years ago

    Are you sure that your soaker hoses are distributing ample water to the ROOT system of these plants? Are you watering for long enough periods of time? The plants look parched to me. Also, what have your fertilized with?

    I'd like to know, as well, what components are in the planting medium.

    All of those herbs thrive in full sun.

  • ChicagoDeli37
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I believe that the hoses do distribute enough water.
    I run them for 2 hours after the the water spread about 8 inches wide
    and about foot or more deep.
    My soil is very loose has never been stepped on.
    So drains super fast.
    At first I was watering everything 2-3 days when it was cooler out.
    now in Chicago its been 85 or hotter everydsy7
    so I been watering almost everyday.
    The soil is soil I ordered by the yard
    7 yards to be exact.
    It was called garden mix.
    It has wood chips and some peat moss I think.
    The top inch or say seems to always stay dry but if
    I give it the finger test I feel moisture.
    Think that's why I've been neglecting to water every day.
    scared I might over water.
    I used miracle grow in the watering can.
    Every 2 weeks only twice so far. Just went in while soakers were on
    and hit every plant for like 10 seconds.

  • oliveoyl3
    11 years ago

    Your herb garden is off to a great start. Don't worry too much about the growth not being as expected. Your plants look fine. Your summer weather of 85 might be why the parsley isn't showing a lot of growth. It is a hardy cool weather herb. You can trim those lower leaves off that are yellowed.

    Sometimes plants sit awhile establishing roots before growing. Rosemary puts out more shoots, but doesn't grow noticeably for me from day to day or even week to week. Young parsley plants grow quickly for me if I keep them moist with rich soil growing like lettuce. I cut them back to base & they resprout.

    The parsley and basil would like a bit of mulch to keep the soil consistently moist. Parsley will flower in 2nd year and self sow for you if you let it. Basil is an annual.

    Tarragon might not be perennial in your zone as well as rosemary. In my climate it's the wet that gets tarragon in winter and the cold for rosemary, so both go in an unheated greenhouse for winter away from the rain.

    The other plants are perennial.

    If you snip the oregano & thyme it will be bushier and the stems will be tender. The bonus is that you can mince both stems & leaves if tender otherwise you must strip leaves off stems. I've found it pretty easy to take a basket out with me & wrap my fingers around a clump of them then snip like a ponytail. Then lay the stems in the basket for washing. Put them in paper sacks and let dry in the dark pantry for future use.

    Depends if you snip how tall the plants get. All except the thyme will be at least 12" tall.

    Herbs are strongest flavored right before flowers open. Your thyme might be ready to cut back. In August you may want to leave some of the outer stems grow longer because they will start spreading out to root. The oregano does that also so makes a larger plant by trailing stems that root. Any that are layered now will also root.
    Hope that helps, Corrine

  • ChicagoDeli37
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Ok here's the picture if one of each parsley and Basil I mulched. Is this enough? Im going to watch and see if these few do better. Does this sweet Basil look healthy? Its My favorite herb so far.

    {{gwi:900252}}

    {{gwi:900255}}

    From what you said I believe annual do not come back and Basil, possibly my rosemary and tarragon are annual and the rest grow BAck each year. The rest would be oregano, thyme, parsley...is this
    correct?

    Here's a pic of Oregono, thyme and Rosemary close up. When you say cut back..does that mean entire plant down to base? If so how longs it take to start coming back?

    {{gwi:900258}}

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    {{gwi:900264}}

  • oliveoyl3
    11 years ago

    Bark mulch should work if that's what you have. Be sure to pull it back if you do any planting and digging. Don't dig the mulch into the soil because it takes nitrogen out of soil to break down.

    In the fall be sure to get some fallen leaves and mow over them to use as a feeding mulch. Will be nice & fluffy then and great for your plants as it breaks down. Also keeps them clean for clipping.

    3rd pic greek oregano
    cut when the shoots are at least 12" tall. Right now yours isn't ready to cut as all are low growing spreading.

    I don't know the official method, but I grab stems like a ponytail & snip below my hand leaving at least 3-5" of plant. I usually start at one side of the plant & work my way over in subsequent cuts. I rarely cut the entire plant at a time now that mine has grown wide, but when it was small I cut the whole plant back.

    your taller oregano behind the basil plant could be cut back

    4th pic thymes
    all are ready to be cut back & dried for winter use

    parsley - snip entire stem to 1" of base & it regrows. I usually cut just up to 5 stems at a time leaving at least 1/2 of the plant to regrow. Now that I have a huge patch of parsley I cut like lettuce near the base as much as my hand can grab.

    regrowth time -
    varies dependent on water, fertilizer, & sunny weather or not here in our cloudy cool summer climate. If you're busy in other parts of the garden you won't notice it growing back and then one day surprised how much it's grown. I think it would take a few weeks before you notice any growth and at least a month to recut again in summer. In other seasons you won't be cutting much if any.

    summer flavor is best anyway

    1st year plants don't give you as much as 2nd year & older. Once you have them 2nd year & longer the supply will be so much more you won't be able to use all of it. Especially for oregano because it's such a vigorous spreader. The thyme isn't so much.

    Yes, I think you got the annuals & perennials down for your climate.
    Technically rosemary is a tender perennial. If you dig up the rosemary & repot it you can overwinter to put out again next year.
    You could try the same with basil to extend the fall season.

    Hope that helps~Corrine

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