I have no idea

So I've done some googling and I know what herbs I already want to grow;

Basil
Rosemary
Thyme ( would like to try the lemon type)
Fennel ( I know to put in a different pot as its allelopathec(sp?)
Lemon Balm ( I know in the min family, so presume it should go into a seperate pot, and seen in other threads that it got big!)

-I have large blue barrel cut in half (length wise, so big floor area but maybe 50-70cm deep - ill drill draining holes in them of course) but are they suitable?
- I did want perennials but I see basil isnt, however is thyme? different place conflict, but I see clueless said his survived winter)
- Could the thyme, rosemary and basil all be planted together? seem to all like moist and full sun? or will they end up inhibitng eachother, especially the different thyme types (such as lemon)

Any help is appreciated to kick start me into getting them planted, my local dobbies has a huge variety of herbs in, so alot are available but most ive never used.

 

You need to buy a perennial thyme, Rosemary and Thyme both like to be baked by the sun , Basil as with the thyme have many different types, so pick your favorite and go for it. you could plant them each end.

 

Thank you Pam I will need to see the varieties at dobbies and have a google, what I hate is most places give little information about them or even latin names!

I forgot to mention sage, I think then that I may just dedicate a half barrel to thyme and put rosemary into a big pot as it grows more like a shrub.

Could you recommend any other perennial or hardy herbs I could try? Im open to sugestions and can always have a search for them, trouble is knowing about them in the first place :D

 

Chives buy a pot from the supermarket, mine are 6 years old now but getting less every year, I must buy another pot. My rosemary are in pots 3 years old now lovely flowers at the moment,( rosemary flowers are blue, fable has it they are the colour of Marys cloak ) Parsley can also be bought at supermarket. it will last a couple of years, but not strictly a perennial. Basils come in a very wide range whatever suits your tastes, I have tried Thyme from supermarket, it`s not perennial so I would buy a commercially grown plug. Any other herb you will use, I love coriander instead of lettuce, if you have any seeds in cupboard sow those. They grow very quickly and go to seed as fast, sow little and often.The choice is yours, try ebay herbs, a seller is selling mixed selections at the moment.

 

Basil is the softest plant I've ever known. I'd be inclined to not bother growing it outdoors because if the weather doesn't get it, every aphid and slug in the area will.

Rosemary and Thyme like similar conditions and will get on well side by side. Only thing is you need to make sure the Rosemary doesn't shade out the Thyme. Thyme will not tolerate shade. Other than that, they are both happy in free draining soil, and can go for a good while without water once they're settled in.

Lemon balm is a weed. It will thrive in many conditions. Its not too fussy. Don't plant it too close to smaller sun loving plants, as it grows big and bushy, and it does so fast. It also self seeds like mad, and spreads all over. Not a problem if you like it though.

Fennel, I've never grown, so can't comment.

 

Hmm I dont have any fiorm of greenhouse currently so may leave the basil for now I think.

I do have large pots available, would you recommend I simply plant the rosemary in a large bush to allow it to grow as it likes? I imagine since you only need a handful of leaves at a time, especially for my needs, that one plant will be fine?

I hope to get a few varieties of thyme, so will try them altogether nicely spaced between them just. On that note, I have been told their perrenial, but as you say Pam they aren't, will it mostly depend on conditions?

Lemon balm I say I will keep in a large pot too, any experience guys if it's properly perrenial in our climate?

I like chives, could I also grow them with garlic and are they best in pots or let loose in the half barrel to spread?

Lastly whats your experience with sage? perrenial and which would it bets be fitted with? I imagine it should be fine with thyme aslong as its not shading it as you say clueless.

 

Personally I like the shape that Rosemary takes when left alone. It grows quite bushy. If you keep it somewhere warm and sunny, one will probably be enough, but in my experience, unless it is kept warmer than can usually be sustained (at least here in the North East), it grows quite slowly which means there's not that much tender growth. Might be best to grow two or three.

Thyme is perennial. I've seen it get through some pretty harsh winters. They only time I've ever lost one was when I forgot where I'd put it and a larger plant shaded it to death.

Lemon Balm is a herbaceous perennial. All topside growth dies in the winter, but the roots survive and it comes back in spring. Its tough as old boots. I've had it in the ground through harsh winters and it comes back. My mam has one that I gave her years ago, in a fairly small cheap plastic planter in her back yard. It keeps surviving.

Sage is one of my all time favourite plants. Common Sage is as tough as old boots, but some of the posher cultivars are apparently a bit tender. I lost a purple sage once, but I've never lost a 'proper' common sage. It needs a sunny spot but is a bit more tolerant of some light shade than the likes of rosemary and thyme. One sage plant is enough for most people I reckon, because they do grow quite bushy. They need plenty of air flow around them though because they are a bit prone to an ugly grey mould disease which doesn't seem to kill it but it makes it ugly as sin. It happened to one of mine once and it was a pain to get rid of. I had to break my own rules and resort to chemicals to treat it. That's only happened to me once though, I always make sure we have sage growing and its usually no bother. It has so many more uses that the stereotypical sage and onion stuffing, not least as a refreshing drink. It is very fragrant, smelling sort of like spicy oranges, sort of. It also has some of the best flowers of all the culinary herbs, and the bees love it.

 

I meant the supermarket thyme is no good, by a plant from a commercial grower, specify perennial.

I have got a common sage , that also needs replacing, that was a supermarket plant, enough for my needs but if you use a lot again get a commercial plant.

 

You can actually rescue the supermarket ones sometimes, with loads of TLC. Its not easy because the poor things have been forced on so rapidly that they are weak and nearly dead at the time of sale, but sometimes they can be saved. I agree though that putting them outside usually means instant doom for them.

 

Thanks folks, i think I'm on the right track now;
I will plant the Thyme types together and then a sage plant in amongst them.

Rosemary and Lemon Balm I will be planting into seperate pots on their own, any recommendations on what site would be suitable for them? as big as I can go just?

My girlfriend likes Mint, so was thinking of getting it and spear mint, would they be ok in the same pot? I know theyll try and outcompete eachother but I can also prune and keep in check.

Lastly (for now I'm sure your hoping) what way would you prepare for planting them? im afraid of contaminating their taste by using any chemicals etc. So i was just thinking of mixing some rotted manure and multipurpose compost with stones at the bottom for better drainage, sound about right? I do have various fertilisers, should I mix them in or forget it? most of the plants Ill be getting are small and young (fresh from nurseries no doubt with spring here)

 

The sage will quickly grow, and it wont be long before it is casting shade on the thyme. Unless of course you keep the sage well trimmed, which will work, but it does mean you're less likely to see flowers on it.

 

Thanks! I know its never good buying things on a whim (I think we all do it though :P) but there was an offer to get another 2 herbs which would work out cheaper, so I got marjoram and hyssop...where do I stand now Ill have a google and see if I can suss it out

 

Did you watch "Gardeners World" Monty was planting herbs, mix gravel in with your compost so it`s free draining, think where they grow wild, hot barren land.

 

I don't know about hyssop, but for marjoram, its the same rules as for thyme, except that marjoram is more tender. It will need protection when winter comes back round.

 

Thank you again Pam and Clueless, very much appreciated, the plants are very young yet so I will be keeping a close eye on them yet!