# herbs



## pixieduster (Mar 28, 2012)

Having little luck with rosemary and basil. I know rosemary is an evergreen and basil is very picky. Any suggestions?


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## Toffee (Mar 13, 2012)

pixieduster said:


> Having little luck with rosemary and basil. I know rosemary is an evergreen and basil is very picky. Any suggestions?


Are you growing forms seed? We picked up one of those living basil plants from the produce section last year. They're packed in water with a sponge. It grew out for a month or so, then we repotted it and reported it. The thing was easy 3 ft long when the frost killed it last winter.
I haven't had much luck with rosemary, but a friend had it in a planter.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

pixieduster said:


> and basil is very picky.


That's really weird because a couple years ago I had two plants of globe basil that I never pulled out of the ground in the fall and it came back in the spring. We had a lot of snow cover that year so maybe that insulated it well enough to protect it. :dunno:


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## lilmissy0740 (Mar 7, 2011)

I have 1 rosemary plant in a planter. I bring it in on cool/cold days or nights. In the summer I have it on our deck that gets FULL sun. It is 2 yrs old, and slowly getting bigger. I have never had a problem growing basil. I start it from seed and plant in garden once frost has passed. This yr, I didnt have one seed come up yet! Not even cinnamon basil. I will be replanting again, maybe a bad pack. 
I too would like to know if you are starting from seed.


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## pixieduster (Mar 28, 2012)

Tried seed last year. Got nothing. All in pots. Got plants a few weeks ago and put in bigger pots as well. I'm in south louisiana so its always hot. Maybe to much heat or not enough water. The mint and oregano are doing well. Maybe the basil and rosemary don't like the really big pots. ??


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## pixieduster (Mar 28, 2012)

Something just dawned on me. I live on old cane field and the soil is heavy,a lot of lime is used here. Don't see so much lime in other parishes, just this area. I'm surrounded by miles of active cane farming. Literally at my back yard. Chemicals, soil, ??


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## goatlady (Nov 7, 2011)

Many herb seed are very hard to germinate; some need special techniques like freezing for a week and then rubbing the seed with sandpaper to score the seed coat so it can sprout. You really have to know what you are doing with many herbs.


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## pixieduster (Mar 28, 2012)

Thanks goatlady.


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## pixieduster (Mar 28, 2012)

Gunna keep trying. For now I will buy the plants to see how I do with that. Planting fruit trees today! Yum. (Keep looking at my thumb to see if its green yet).


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## Immolatus (Feb 20, 2011)

My one rosemary plant also seems like I couldnt kill it if I tried. Planted it in the garden last year, and moved it to the front yard earlier this year. Still fine.
Maybe try to mix in some good soil where you plant it?


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## mpguy18 (Sep 7, 2011)

Pixieduster, we live close to you, not as far south but close. Our rosemary does best in either a planter that gets regular watering in a potting soil/compost mix or in the garden where it will only get the morning sun. Ours is many years old and when we moved we transplanted it in the fall to the edge of the woods. So far, it's doing well.

As for the basil. We are having the same problem. Have only my red pop up. None of the others have sprouted. The farm extension said that due to tha whacky flucuations in temperatures this spring, everyone trying to grow outside a greenhouse is having the same problem. THey told me to plant the seeds in containers in the garage to keep temp consistant, and wait until the second set of leaves pop out to take to the garden. Hope we don't have the same problems with maters this year! Good luck.


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

After I put my Rosemary in a sheltered area with a southern exposure it did very well and is about 3 ft tall now. (If I can keep my sons coonhound pup out of it.) For some reason the pup wants to sleep in the middle of it. :ignore:


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## pixieduster (Mar 28, 2012)

Better soil sounds like an issue. I figured digging and putting the land dirt would be good. The land hasn't been cane farmed in 25 years. But it is pretty heavy, almost clay like. Maybe if I add some compost.


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## lilmissy0740 (Mar 7, 2011)

Wow Andi, that is great. Do you have to keep repotting it or do you plant it in the ground in the summer?


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## pixieduster (Mar 28, 2012)

Mpguy18: wouldn't have thought to put the seeds in the shed/garage till they sprouted. Thx. Will try it. I do have all the herbs in pots, just in case we got bad weather, I could move them inside. Will be looking for a composter soon. A neighbor has horses which I've gotton poop from as fertilizer. Then realized


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## pixieduster (Mar 28, 2012)

Then realized I should compost the poop first due to the all the grass seeds now growing better than a few of my veggies. Oh well. Do and learn.


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

lilmissy0740 said:


> Wow Andi, that is great. Do you have to keep repotting it or do you plant it in the ground in the summer?


It is planted in the ground (year round) ... and has been now for three years. I lost more than few of them till I put then beside the southern side of the house, which helps keep them sheltered from the northern winds and gives them a southern exposure to the sun.

It has worked well for me ... well as long as I can teach the pup to stay out of it.


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## Toffee (Mar 13, 2012)

How much sun does rosemary need? Would evening sun be ok? Hubby and I were discussing this thread and trying to decide if we could do several types of herb bush-type plants.


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## Genevieve (Sep 21, 2009)

The thing with most herbs is that they're almost all Mediterranean in origin, so they like a somewhat sandy soil. My rosemary was over 7 years old last year when I cut and dried it all ( I'm starting with a new plant this year). I used play sand in the potting soil for it. I add sand to all my herb's pots. They seem to love it.

I kept my rosemary out on the deck all growing season( all my herbs). It had both direct sun and then shaded sun. It seemed to have liked the shaded sun best. We use a white awning over the deck, so it stays cooler ( about 20*), and it filters the sun great for plants( almost like an opaque greenhouse). The rosemary likes the heat, not necessarily the sun. If it's in a pot it'll need water almost every day during high summer, or if it's in direct sun.


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## Toffee (Mar 13, 2012)

Genevieve said:


> The thing with most herbs is that they're almost all Mediterranean in origin, so they like a somewhat sandy soil. My rosemary was over 7 years old last year when I cut and dried it all ( I'm starting with a new plant this year). I used play sand in the potting soil for it. I add sand to all my herb's pots. They seem to love it.
> 
> I kept my rosemary out on the deck all growing season( all my herbs). It had both direct sun and then shaded sun. It seemed to have liked the shaded sun best. We use a white awning over the deck, so it stays cooler ( about 20*), and it filters the sun great for plants( almost like an opaque greenhouse). The rosemary likes the heat, not necessarily the sun. If it's in a pot it'll need water almost every day during high summer, or if it's in direct sun.


Ok. Sounds good. I will probably pick up a plant soon then. I don't feel too confident trying to get it very big using a pot haha


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## pixieduster (Mar 28, 2012)

Thanks Gen!


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## goatlady (Nov 7, 2011)

My thanks also, Gen. No wonder I do not have good success with growing herbs - I normally plant everything in pure compost! Way too "rich" for those sun loving, Med. herbs I guess.


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