Which of these Herbs should NOT go to seed??

gssgarden · June 5, 2009

I have a small Herb garden with the following:

Basil - 2 kinds
Cilantro
Dill
Parsley
Chives
Chervil
Oregano
and Mint

Is it ok for these to go to seed? Which ones should I be-head when I see the flower buds?

Thanks in advance,

Greg

aninocentangel · June 5, 2009

Parsley probably won't go to seed unless this is the second year you've had the same plant. Oregano doesn't readily go to seed for me, it's perennial. The basil will readily cross, and not all crosses are a happy thing. Genovese x thai queen is

. If you want to save seed from them I'd suggest only allowing one type to flower each year.
Otherwise I don't see any reason not to let the others go to seed. I use lost of dill and coriander (cilantro seed) in my cooking.

shelleybean · June 5, 2009

I try to keep the blooms pinched off the basil unless I'm using that plant to attract bees to cucumbers or squash. Once the flowers get going, the plant puts the energy into that instead of the edible part of the plant. Cut them off chives too, but you can cook with those blossoms. Flowers on oregano are no problem. I don't ever recall seeing my mint bloom. Seeds from dill are used to make pickles. You can cook with the seed from cilantro, as stated above. I have not grown chervil so I can't answer that one. And as angel said above, your parsley shouldn't bloom until late winter/early spring next year, but when it does, the whole plant is done anyway.

gssgarden · June 5, 2009

Angel, My parsley is a second year plant. I brought it in over the winter and had fresh parsley for months.

Shelley, That's just what I thought about the flowers, all the energy going to them.

Chives are FULL of flowers. ugh.

Basil - gets be-headed
Chives - ditto
Mint - no problem
Cilantro, Dill, Oregano - leave it alone
Chervil - Jury is out.

Thanks alot.

Greg

shelleybean · June 5, 2009

Greg, I am really surprised your parsley is still chugging along. I've never brought mine indoors though so that might have something to do with it. I leave it on the patio all winter and usually in February, it starts to go to seed.

You may notice that the chives with blooms are tough and not really good to eat. I cut those off at the base of the plant and the new chives are nice and tender. But those little purple blossoms have a nice slight onion flavor. I just wouldn't eat the green part.

habitat_gardener · June 5, 2009

I've been harvesting my oregano just as the stems start elongating, before it blooms. I read some years ago that the flavor is stronger before it blooms. It also keeps the mound tidier -- similar to cutting back perennials early to have better blooms later, as advocated in The Well-Tended Perennial Garden by Traci DiSabato-Aust. Without cutting back, the stems get too long (a consideration in my overplanted garden!) and flop into the garlic chives and yarrow. When I do cut them back (to just above the lowest node that has leaf buds), the stems stay more upright.

I like the little flavor buds on chives and garlic chives! A big burst of oniony flavor while I'm working in the garden.

I've had tons of parsley volunteers ever since I let one plant go to seed a couple years ago. I never plant it, and let it decide where to grow.

aninocentangel · June 5, 2009

I do let my basil flower in the fall because I save the seeds and start them next year. Actually, I don't really need to save seeds since it will happily, and prolifically, reseed itself, as will the dill, cilantro, and parsley.
My mint is very prolific and does flower, the flowers aren't anything to write home about. It will cross with oregano (I've yet to see my oregano flower but it produced yucky tasting little minty looking babies last year) so I tend to keep the mint pinched back. Actually, that's not true, I tear them out in great big vicious yanks. Good for stress relief and I think it likes the rough treatment.

Blueaussi · June 6, 2009

If you want dill weed and cilantro leaves, don't let them bloom. Around here, I try and grow dill as a spring and fall plant for the herb. Once it gets hot, it's determined to bolt and go straight to seed.

aninocentangel · June 6, 2009

Blueaussi, do you use seed saved in the spring for the fall planting?

Blueaussi · June 7, 2009

Sometimes, sometimes I use them up before fall. Dill seed is pretty easy to come by, so I don't worry about not having plenty to hand.

aninocentangel · June 7, 2009

Thanks. I was thinking about doing that myself, but wasn't sure if they needed to, I don't know, cure? or something.

June 5, 2009	#1
gssgarden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: N.C. Posts: 1,827	Which of these Herbs should NOT go to seed?? I have a small Herb garden with the following: Basil - 2 kinds Cilantro Dill Parsley Chives Chervil Oregano and Mint Is it ok for these to go to seed? Which ones should I be-head when I see the flower buds? Thanks in advance, Greg

June 5, 2009	#3
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	I try to keep the blooms pinched off the basil unless I'm using that plant to attract bees to cucumbers or squash. Once the flowers get going, the plant puts the energy into that instead of the edible part of the plant. Cut them off chives too, but you can cook with those blossoms. Flowers on oregano are no problem. I don't ever recall seeing my mint bloom. Seeds from dill are used to make pickles. You can cook with the seed from cilantro, as stated above. I have not grown chervil so I can't answer that one. And as angel said above, your parsley shouldn't bloom until late winter/early spring next year, but when it does, the whole plant is done anyway. __________________ Michele

June 5, 2009	#5
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	Greg, I am really surprised your parsley is still chugging along. I've never brought mine indoors though so that might have something to do with it. I leave it on the patio all winter and usually in February, it starts to go to seed. You may notice that the chives with blooms are tough and not really good to eat. I cut those off at the base of the plant and the new chives are nice and tender. But those little purple blossoms have a nice slight onion flavor. I just wouldn't eat the green part. __________________ Michele

June 5, 2009	#7
aninocentangel Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: 8a Coastal SC Posts: 251	I do let my basil flower in the fall because I save the seeds and start them next year. Actually, I don't really need to save seeds since it will happily, and prolifically, reseed itself, as will the dill, cilantro, and parsley. My mint is very prolific and does flower, the flowers aren't anything to write home about. It will cross with oregano (I've yet to see my oregano flower but it produced yucky tasting little minty looking babies last year) so I tend to keep the mint pinched back. Actually, that's not true, I tear them out in great big vicious yanks. Good for stress relief and I think it likes the rough treatment. Last edited by aninocentangel; June 5, 2009 at 07:36 PM. Reason: spelling :)

June 5, 2009	#6
habitat_gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: California Central Valley Posts: 2,543	I've been harvesting my oregano just as the stems start elongating, before it blooms. I read some years ago that the flavor is stronger before it blooms. It also keeps the mound tidier -- similar to cutting back perennials early to have better blooms later, as advocated in The Well-Tended Perennial Garden by Traci DiSabato-Aust. Without cutting back, the stems get too long (a consideration in my overplanted garden!) and flop into the garlic chives and yarrow. When I do cut them back (to just above the lowest node that has leaf buds), the stems stay more upright. I like the little flavor buds on chives and garlic chives! A big burst of oniony flavor while I'm working in the garden. I've had tons of parsley volunteers ever since I let one plant go to seed a couple years ago. I never plant it, and let it decide where to grow.

June 6, 2009	#8
Blueaussi Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Carolina Zone 8a Posts: 1,205	If you want dill weed and cilantro leaves, don't let them bloom. Around here, I try and grow dill as a spring and fall plant for the herb. Once it gets hot, it's determined to bolt and go straight to seed.

June 7, 2009	#10
Blueaussi Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Carolina Zone 8a Posts: 1,205	Sometimes, sometimes I use them up before fall. Dill seed is pretty easy to come by, so I don't worry about not having plenty to hand.