Herbs in Containers ?

[AlittleSalt]

My wife and I are interested in growing some herbs this year. We are both new to growing anything in containers .

First, we have not bought any containers yet. The containers that we are thinking of using will be easy to move. That way when we have 100+ degree days, we can bring them inside near windows. I have those long narrow type planters in mind, but would appreciate advice. Something like this http://www.homedepot.com/p/Southern-...12LT/204496682

We also have not bought the mix either. About the mix that goes in the containers - would Pro Mix do well, or do we need to buy something else? Pictured below.

We also have not chose which herbs to grow yet - other than cilantro. We will most likely grow chives too, and after that ??? Got Any Ideas?

We want to buy the seeds this upcoming Wednesday March 1. I need to either buy some starter mix, or if the pro mix will work in the containers - I'll just use pro mix to get them started in cells.

[hoefarmer]

I grow Parsley, Rosemary, Scallions, Carrots, Chives, Cilantro all in 2 or 3 gal containers.

Hoe Farmer

[Starlight]

Rosemary and Cilantro, I agree need to go into 3 gallon containers. They will get huge.

Mints, Basils and ones like Dill I always start out in small 3-4" pots and then transplant up if needed. You can easily use those plastic drink cups with holes in the bottom til the plants get big enough to go into larger containers.

Becareful if you decide to use those narrow planters and are mixing plants together. Some herbs like to be moist and full sun and others like to be dry and somewhat shaded. Mints especially do not like wet feet.

[Deborah]

And mint only in a pot by itself!

[Patihum]

I grow basil in 1 gal containers on a regular basis. I usually start all my herbs in a sterile seed starting mix and then transplant them into the gallon containers with a mix similar to what you have.

[AlittleSalt]

We have mint growing out in a garden for 4 years now. It spreads quickly too. We grew sage two years. It overwintered here. It was also planted in ground along with some cilantro.

I've never planted herbs in a pot though. I've read many different conflicting things about the mix to use. Some people say to use some composted cow manure - yet others say not to. Some use organic means - while others use man-made fertilizers. (Sounds like growing tomatoes...)

[KarenO]

Your promix will be perfect Robert. a large pot or half barrel can be used for a mixed herb garden too.
Whatever you decide be sure to keep your herb pots near the house where you can nip out the door quick anytime for a sprig of fresh this or that for your cooking. I find I use mine much more often than if they were in the garden.

[Cole_Robbie]

There's a compact basil I like for containers called Emily.

Rosemary plants do well in containers, but if you start it from seed, it is one of the slowest-growing plants I have ever raised. It's easier to just buy a plant. Oregano is pretty slow, too.

Cilantro is easy as a young plant, but always seems to inevitably bolt for me. Multiple plantings are the way to go.

[Worth1]

Don't waste a container on rosemary just plant it in the ground it has survived 10 degree weather here.
Heavy rain not so well, it needs to be well drained but even crappy soil.
Plus DO NOT hit it with nitrogen fertilizer.

worth

[AlittleSalt]

Thank you all for the replies. I now have a better idea of what to look for when shopping.

I'm glad the pro mix will work fine.

[SueCT]

I bought that planter at Home Depo in black. This is how it worked out with two of them lined up in front of a window. Did you mean something like this?

[SueCT]

I would only grow chives and mint in individual pots or they will take over. I picked up grocery store potted herbs for this since it was a winter herb garden and I wanted to use them for cooking more quickly. Seeds would be cheaper of course. I did not have a large enough window with enough sun here in the north east so they went under the florescent lights I use to start my tomato plants. I used Miracle Grow potting mix. They grew like wildfire. They had no trouble with these containers. The longer you plan to keep them going, the fewer I would put in each pot so they have more room to grow. The more often you cook with them and harvest them the more you will keep them to a reasonable size. It is easy to thin them out when needed or even pull out a plant or two if they get too crowded a and replace them with more soil to give the remaining plants more room as long as you do it before they get completely pot bound. Obviously you can also buy longer planters or more of the shorter planters to fit whatever space you have inside.

[AlittleSalt]

Yes, in fact on the Home Depot site, I chose the earthtone/orange color before copying the link. Sue, I really like your herb garden.

Sue, we were typing at the same time.

[SueCT]

Thanks. I like them because I have a small outdoor herb garden in the summer and wanted something inexpensive that would fit in front of a window for a winter garden. I can't grow tomatoes in the winter in this part of the country, but I can have fresh torn basil on top of the pizza or spaghetti I make with tomato sauce I made from garden tomatoes.

[SueCT]

My own most frequently used herbs that I like to grow are Chives, Parsley, Basil, Thyme, Rosemary and Cilantro. The Cliantro is a short lived herb, though, so easier for me to buy it than keep replanting successive plantings of it in a pot. I would spend the 1.99 it costs for a rosemary plant rather than grow it from seed. It lives forever, making a plant a good buy, but grows slowly from seed. But it all depends on what you like to cook with. So I personally would stick with the first 5 I listed, and buy the Rosemary plant. Only 4 to start from seed then. JMHO