Herbs: advice on perennials in window box pls

I think all except the chives will be fine in the window. I only say except the chives because I'm not sure of their preferred conditions, having never grown them.

The Mediterranean herbs will be fine in terms of light levels when winter comes, but if they're too warm with not enough light they will not thrive. They'll end up looking like those depressing supermarket ones, all straggly and limp. So if you have a cool bright window in an area you don't heat as much, that's where I'd move them to around mid autumn time.

 

Ok thanks. Sounds like the oregano, rosemary and thyme will be fine. So your saying no to chives because your not sure? Maybe i'll just try them and see, or even just grow mint. I heard it keeps the flies away.

Also I shouldn't buy growing herbs from the supermarket? I was going to and hoped they'd thrive in better conditions.

 

Welcome JJmac.

I would say no to chives too. They like a lot of space and when grown really need to be confined to their own pot.

 

Ok thank you. So that's a no to chives 100%. I'll try mint then if thats ok.

 

Oh dear! Sorry, it's the same with mint - it's rampant given the opportunity. If you like parsley, that would be ideal.

 

Yes I really do need advice on this. Thanks for keeping my right. I'd really like to grow perinnials however. Is parsley an annual or biannual? Thanks again for your advice on this.

 

It depends. If you're patient and willing to put some time and care into it, you can have some success.

For example, a few times I've bought a pot of basil from the supermarket. I use most of it, but don't cut below the lowest leaves. Then very carefully bust the roots apart and plant up the individual plants. Keeping them out of direct sunlight in a fairly cool spot for a couple of weeks or so, keeping them well watered but not soggy, they often come back. Then move them to a brighter spot and often they thrive. If you're lucky you can have an abundance of basil all summer that way, but it's probably less effort to just grow from seed or buy plants that have been raised right. I do it mostly just for the fun of resurrecting a the poor, overcrowded, force grown supermarket ones.

 

That does sound like fun. I have a few other projects on at the moment so I want a simple set and almost forget window box, with minimal trimming/work as I'm a beginner with herbs.

Maybe I should grow lavender as my 4th option I dunno.

Everyone's help and time has been greatly appreciated so far thanks.

 

It's a biennial which means it will usually die after it's second year.

I'm a little concerned with what you would like to grow in the trough, plants often need more space than we think. Perhaps you could grow the larger herbs in individual pots?

 

Hi Sheal, I hope your well and thanks for the response.

Unfotunetly I don't have the space, I have the window sill that you see. I thought space might be an issue that's why I asked if it'd be better to grow even 3 herbs rather than 4. I had thought to harvest and trim them regularly and maybe I set my expectations too high.

I'd prefer to grow perinnial aromatic herbs or even something scented. Growing something useful in the kitchen would have been nice. I'm limited in my experience and knowledge however so I suppose I'll need to reasses things. Maybe 2 or 3 herbs would work in this size of trough?

Thanks again for your time and input.

 

You can still grow rosemary, but if you put it in the trough, it might be best to put it in a pot, sunk into the trough, to contain its roots. You won't get as much off it as you would if it was in open ground, and you might have to replace it every year, but at about 3 quid per plant, even with the limited growth due to constrained roots, it will still work out a lot cheaper than regularly buying rosemary from the supermarket.

 

I could do that yeah, that sounds like a viable option. I have an empty pot there that would fit nicely or even placed off to the side in a jar.

Rosemary, oregano and thyme then.

That does leave me with an option to put another herb, or even 2 if the rosemary is off to the side.

I appreciate the help so far but could I kindly ask for anymore help in selecting perinnials for this trough that would go with thyme and oregano?

 

Marjoram? It's related to oregano so similar uses but slightly sweeter.

 

Marjoram is good thanks. I believe I have a gyros recipe that I'd use that in.

Do you think those 3 will be enough for my 18" x 6" x 5" deep tough or should I squeeze in a 4th if I can find one?

I can find a list of perinnials easily but I'm learning they arnt all great together in a window trough.

 

Yes, three will be enough, you have to take into consideration the root spread.

I apologise for being fussy but may I correct your spelling here please, it's perennials not perinnials.