|
Post by daylilydude on Jun 5, 2011 18:58:06 GMT -5
Would most herbs grow well in a raised bed with all this southern heat we have here? And if so, how deep would the bed have to be?
|
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
Joined: January 1970
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2011 2:26:43 GMT -5
Herbs are best utilized interspersed throughout produce gardens. Most bugs don't like the pungent scent of herbs, plus the scent helps to foil the pest insects from locating the plants they prefer to target. To answer your questions as posed, a raised bed would have to be at least 18" deep. Basil, parsley and cilantro need afternoon shade. Lavender, oregano, thyme, rosemary, sage can do well in full sun. I think tarragon prefers a bit of afternoon shade, but it is not as delicate as basil, parsley and cilantro. (When I say full sun, I mean hot sun such as we get in the Southwest and you get in Texas.) Herbs require daily water in a hot climate.
|
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
Joined: January 1970
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2011 4:00:13 GMT -5
Um...I think the bed sides should be about as deep as the soil. JK, I think i'd have it 8 in. deep minimum.
|
|
|
Post by organicbaby on Jun 6, 2011 17:32:16 GMT -5
I agree w/ DW, the annual herbs are at their best scattered in amongst other things (don't forget to let some of them, if not all, bloom...pollinators love them! I do have a little bed for some of the herbs that are perennial for me and it's only 6 in. deep...a little deeper would no doubt be better. It tends to dry out easier than the rest of the garden especially with this hideous heat wave/drought we are in!
|
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
Joined: January 1970
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2012 22:02:00 GMT -5
What would be a good herd bed for a starter garden?
|
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
Joined: January 1970
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2012 13:18:22 GMT -5
Herbs are best utilized interspersed throughout produce gardens. Most bugs don't like the pungent scent of herbs, plus the scent helps to foil the pest insects from locating the plants they prefer to target. To answer your questions as posed, a raised bed would have to be at least 18" deep. Basil, parsley and cilantro need afternoon shade. Lavender, oregano, thyme, rosemary, sage can do well in full sun. I think tarragon prefers a bit of afternoon shade, but it is not as delicate as basil, parsley and cilantro. (When I say full sun, I mean hot sun such as we get in the Southwest and you get in Texas.) Herbs require daily water in a hot climate. Thank you for this! I've been struggling to grow herbs from seeds, and I had no idea it was best to intersperse them! Score one for me learning something new today .
|
|
|
Post by coppice on Jan 11, 2012 8:19:48 GMT -5
Thank you for this! I've been struggling to grow herbs from seeds, and I had no idea it was best to intersperse them! Score one for me learning something new today . Amy in NC; if I may, can I ask has your troubles with herbs been to get them to germinate, or does summer heat cook your herbs?
|
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
Joined: January 1970
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2012 15:20:35 GMT -5
Thank you for this! I've been struggling to grow herbs from seeds, and I had no idea it was best to intersperse them! Score one for me learning something new today . Amy in NC; if I may, can I ask has your troubles with herbs been to get them to germinate, or does summer heat cook your herbs? Coppice, For me it seems to be a matter of them getting tall & leggy and when I endeavor to correct the problem for them...they don't survive. I'm wondering if I need to sow them a little deeper rather than lightly covering them with soil?
|
|
|
Post by stratcat on Jan 12, 2012 11:43:07 GMT -5
Hi, Amy.
Sounds like your herbs are germinating fine. I wouldn't plant the seeds any deeper.
Are your herbs growing the recommended distance apart. Maybe they're reaching for the light. What do you do to correct the legginess? Pinching the plants back (if you're not snipping them to use) will make them grow bushier.
|
|
|
Post by coppice on Jan 12, 2012 15:02:20 GMT -5
Amy are you mulching them?
*Tom scratches head*
Could you have cutworm?
*More head scratching*
|
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
Joined: January 1970
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2012 20:16:54 GMT -5
Strat, Thank you for the advice. Distance is no problem, but when they get leggy I replant them carefully in another container in hopes they will make it. Yes, I agree they are reaching for the light...I turn them while under the grow lights when I see that happening. I never get far enough to pinch the ones I grow. They only have 2 leaves on them. When I have bought the plants, I have no problem pinching them and they just keep getting more beautiful.
Coppice, I don't mulch them. I don't know what my problem is ...I have been told they are not that hard to grow. I can grow just about anything else from seed, but the herbs are what makes me scratch my head.
|
|
|
Post by coppice on Jan 12, 2012 21:22:41 GMT -5
Cut worms can behead a row of stuph quick as anything...
|
|
|
Post by stratcat on Jan 12, 2012 23:28:12 GMT -5
YW, Amy. Some more things to think about:
Are you using a sterile medium for starting your seeds and replanting?
Are the grow lights close to the plants?
How many hours of light are the plants getting?
|
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
Joined: January 1970
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2012 9:23:53 GMT -5
Coppice, thankfully we haven't had a problem with cut worms so far....don't jinx me...ha! Strat, we've stuck to using manure mixed in with some rich soil that a friend provides us from his business. I did this based on the recommendation from my grandfather who grew up farming and used to have gardens himself before his health failed. I don't have any problem with the veggies growing in this mixture. Could it be that it is too rich for herbs? This year will be our first year to be able to use our compost material which I'm excited about. I plan on reserving that for transplanting and direct sowing. I adjust the grow lights as the plants grow according to instructions and videos I've watched on the internet. I let the plants get about 12-14 hours of light from the grow lights.
|
|
|
Post by stratcat on Mar 24, 2012 16:52:26 GMT -5
To prevent against damping off, all seeds I'm starting are sown in sterile, soilless seed-starting mix. After sprouting, I pot them up in a sterile potting mix. It's also important for the containers to be clean or disinfected. I have great luck with my seedlings following these tips.
|
|
|
Post by bluelacedredhead on Mar 25, 2012 22:29:30 GMT -5
Funny you should mention Cutworms in an herb garden, cuz guess what I found today? Grrrr.... I was pulling grass that had established itself amongst the many Egyptian onions here. After we moved into this house last summer, I tried to weed the area but the ground was too dry and the onions too tall. But we've had a couple of days of rain this weekend and it was easy to weed. Seemed every clump I pulled up had a cutworm beneath it. There was even a young beetle that had just hatched. I picked them out and soundly stomped on them. Seemed like such a waste. I miss having poultry to help me dispose of the juicy little morsels....?
|
|