Home grown herbs

[cherrytree Profile]

My bay tree has survived two winters outside even last year's horrendous one . I bought a fleece from the garden centre with a tie at the bottom and I tuck the bay tree up at the end of October and get it out about the end of March. It's rosemary that is struggling up here. In a moment of optimism I bought this year's parsley about six weeks ago and it looks terrible so I shall have to get some more.
A couple of years ago on the old board I recommended planting a bunch of watercress in a flowerpot and being able to have a constant supply all summer from the patio. Such a tip is no good anymore. Everywhere round here now just sells watercress ready picked leaves in a shiny packet. Cumbrian markets are hopeless-they don't have any. Is a nice bunch of watercress still with roots a thing of the past?

[Joanbunting Profile]

Hi Cherrytree

Our big bay tree in the veg garden copped it this winter but the little self-seeded one at the back of the house survived.

I grow chervil in pots in the veranda sow a few seeds every couple of weeks because, as already been said, blink and you miss it.

I stopped sowing coriander when I discovered that I can buy a huge bunch in the market for 40 cents - not worth the space growing it.

[hungryhousewife Profile]

Cherry tree - if you have a Waitrose nearby they still sell the watercress with roots - otherwise I get it in the local market.

Joan, don't give up on your bay tree - I thought I'd lost mine twice - once when it got badly scorched in the porch, and a second time when it got badly frosted. It looked totally dead - I chopped the stem off, and after about 6 months it started sprouting from the ground. I now have a huge bay tree - it survived last winter and the winter before - even though I killed it twice!!

HH

[Dena Profile]

I do buy supermarket herbs and at the moment have basil, mint and oregano on the window sill. They all seem to die off though. In the garden I have lemon time, dill, mint, curly parsley, a large rosemary bush and a small bay tree in a pot (small enough to move to put in a sheltered part of the garden), horse radish - in a pot, not a herb but some pot grown wild garlic. The French tarragon, savoury and sage don't seem to have overwintered.

[Pampy Profile]

I've grown mint from a supermarket - good job I put it in a large pot - it would have taken over the garden otherwise!
My old bay tree seemed to have died last year, probably due to the bitter winter we'd had - as it was big, I started to saw the trunk down bit by bit - and lo and behold - it started to sprout and is now healthier (albeit smaller) than it's been for years!

[hungryhousewife Profile]

Hi Dena
I think Basil is an annual, so will die down and not return. Mint will die back, but should come up soon unless it has become too dry or too waterlogged. Mine has just started to come back. Oregano should start sprouting new little leaves soon, unless it has been very badly hit. I think I lost my lemon verbenas this winter
HH