heathers and herbs

pink princess · Post by **pink princess** » Mon Apr 11, 2005 12:24 pm

my boyf and i are thinking of keeping a herb garden with maybe 7/8 different herbs and also setting aside a part of our garden for some heathers

thing is both of us are TOTAL novices!!

we dont really even know where to start or if these things are easy to keep, are we likely to kill them being such novices?

any help would be much appreciated

thanks x

Bothwell · Post by **Bothwell** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 12:02 am

You will struggle with the Basil outside in our climate, Mint, Sage, Rosemary, Oregano, Majoram, Thyme etc will all do well outside, however as previously advised the mint might take over.

Don't know much about heathers except they must need poor soil considering where they grow, but I am sure you will get the advice you need here.

pink princess · Post by **pink princess** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 2:36 am

thanks for the hints on the herbs, yeah we were mostly thinking of using it for cooking so things like rosemary and thyme, what abuot chives??

were quite lucky with mint we have some wild mint growing at the bottom of our garden so theres one we can save some money on!!

maybe ill buy a soil testing kit to find out what kind of soil we have..... otherwise can i buy the right kindof soil and put them in a tub of some sort? actually was planning to put them in a tub anyway...

thanks everyone

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 3:00 am

i had a fabulous herb garden in Mass. for several years. mint is like a weed, it has to be confined or it will take over everything. i did my herb garden in the English fashion, all in order and very pretty, but more importantly it was utilized constantly. lay it out in some sort of order, the most important are rosemary, basil, oregano, thyme, tarragon. depends on how you cook. no herbs like full hot sun, which is why i was unsuccessful in florida. even if PH is a probem you can bring in good soil. feed it and water it, keep it shaded. Bothwell bought some living mint when he was here last, to make a mint sauce for lamb. (he is a fabulous cook.) i am trying to keep it alive, but it's getting leggy and straggly. i am trying to keep it alive for him, i should just stick it in the ground. but it gets so hot. and the fire ants kill everything.

i miss my herb garden!

pink princess · Post by **pink princess** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 3:07 am

you up early LC!! and i saw another post from you at about 2am......

tis strange how being in hospital/feeling under the weather can disrupt sleeping patterns so much - (well assuming thats what it is anyway....)

:D

thanks for herby tips, good to know about the sun, will find a nice shady spot, im new to all this gardening stuff!

how much should i water them once we get started? sort of once a week?...

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 3:25 am

you're right, my sleep pattern is screwed up! but i have been on the nightshift for many months, a year perhaps. i like it. anyway...don't soak them, they don't like wet soggy roots. no hot sun and no soaking should do you well. also, snip them often. use them! if you snip them they will come back in full force.

devist8me · Post by **devist8me** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 4:56 am

These tips are great. Makes me want to start my own herb garden!