Herb Growing

by Diana Greenwood Mead

Welcome to our gardening feature where Diana Greenwood Mead, our gardening expert answers your questions every week.

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This week we have two questions for Diana on growing herbs, but first we wanted to include Kimberly Yocum's response to last week's "Deer Eating the Roses" column, as she also has some great tips for Leon Wiggins and his deer problem:
"Hi Diana,
In reference to the question about deer eating roses, perhaps these suggestions would also help without having to build fences.
As background, my home is situated in Bucks County, PA and surrounded by lots of woodlands and pastures and near a creek, so we usually serve as a pass through for the deer (and wild turkey & sometimes foxes!) I love gardening and have planted roses both adjacent to the house, and many yards away.
Planting Russian Sage and lavender around and adjacent to the roses situated far from the house has kept the deer from eating the roses ... most of the time. Deer don't like the fragrance or feel of the sage and lavender. Now, there have been times when I've noticed a young, tender rosebud about to bloom and when I went to see it the next day, it had been "nipped" away!
It must be a delicacy!
But certainly, no major damage has been done to the roses over the past 7 or so years. And, Russian Sage is a very easy to grow perennial and lavender's not so picky either as long as the soil is well-drained.
I feel lucky to have so much wildlife in my yard so a snack now and then doesn't bother me.
Many of the native perennial plants I grow are easy and naturally resistant ... now, as for the rabbits eating the heads off the purple coneflowers ... well, I gave up on coneflowers!"

Thanks Kimberly for your insightful letter!

Now, for this week's questions - Leslye Goldman writes:
I would like info on growing herbs on my patio. I get some direct sunlight but not much. Also which herbs can I grow in the same planters?
And Susan Stege has a specific question about cilantro (or coriander):
I have never had any luck growing cilantro - and here in Texas! The plants bolt way too soon and then grow thick and "woody". What am I doing wrong?

Well ladies, it's a big topic, but an interesting one, so here goes!
Herbs generally are healthy and pretty tough – they have, after all, grown on hillsides for centuries and have been enjoyed for flavouring qualities rather than looks.
They need light and like warmth – but how much can vary quite strongly from one plant to another.

You could roughly divide them into two kinds –
The tough grey leaved plants like rosemary, lavender, thyme, oregano, that like sun and not too much water - And the softer green leaved plants – mint, sage, tarragon, chives, basil, cilantro, that need a softer growing environment – light, but not blazing sun, more water.
The softer type can even benefit from pebble filled saucers which can be kept damp when the weather is really hot.
(Susan, this may be your problem with the cilantro – as Texas gets pretty hot in summer it may be that you need to provide your plants with a bit more damp and shade when the sun is really high!)

Herbs are widely varied in their needs and likes.
Basil hates cold, and will not get going until the weather is warm and sunny. A Basil stem, though, will root very easily in a glass of water so you can keep it going by potting up the rooted cutting.
Tarragon (only the 'French' tarragon has that real aniseed taste) can only be grown by buying a plant – not from seed - but again a cutting will root in water and can be potted on.
Sages hate cold and only really grow well once the sun is smiling.
Mint, all the mints, are thugs – & will grow from an inch of rooted stem and take over any mixed pot. Grow them in their own pots even if you want to add them to a bigger display.
Parsley is queen of the difficult ones, it is a good idea to run hot water through a pot of compost before putting in seeds – the seeds seem to be kicked into life by the warmed soil.

Many herbs are annuals, some are two year plants -parsley and fennel for instance (parsley will grow a second summer, but then you should discard it) and some are perennial – rosemary, lavender and bay, amongst others.

Of course there are many other herbs, all delightful and if your herbs are in pots and seem unhappy a change of location or watering might be all that is needed for them to perk up again!

Happy Horticulture,
Diana.