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Spring is a creative time in the garden
and wonderful fun can be had by planting
herbs in unusual containers. Old sinks,
laundry tubs or baths will be the focus
of this article. Although they do have
drainage hole in the way of the plughole,
it is a good ides to put a good layer
of rocks or stones or broken pot pieces
along the bottom of your bath or sink.
Next partly fill your container with good
friable soil and top up with potting mix.
It is best to group herbs together which
have the same requirements as far as the
amount of sun and their watering needs.
This way your container of herbs will
be able to grow happily and give you an
abundance of herbs for cooking, teas or
fragrance.
Plants dry out quicker in containers than
they do in the ground so even though some
herbs are sun loving and require minimal
water in their natural habitat, you cannot
ignore watering completely.
The following herbs are Mediterranean
natives and will do well grouped together.
Rosemary, lavender, sage, thymes (lots
of choice here) oreganos and marjorams.
Look at their growth habits and plant
them accordingly. Some rosemary varieties
will tumble over the side of the container
while others grow upright. Choose Tuscan
Blue for a strong upright bush at the
back of the container and choose a “Rosmarinus
Prostratus” type like Lockwood de Forest
for the front where it will spill over
the edge.
When you buy small plants at your garden
centre remember that many herbs will grow
vigourously in one season, so do not overcrowd
your containers. Check the label for plant
size and plant accordingly.
Parsley, mint, chervil, salad mixes like
mesclun, chives and any other soft leaved
salad green herbs will do better in a
container that gets partial sun and can
be kept well watered. I find it’s always
best to repot container plants every year
as they need fresh nutrients to grow successfully
for you.
If you had containers herbs last year
plant these out in the garden after a
good trim and buy new plants for your
containers for your pleasure and good
health through the summer.
The Herb Farm
Grove Road, RD10
Ashhurst
Manawatu
New Zealand
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