I didn't take the herbs to the greenhouse last fall and we had a couple of hard freezes so I thought they wouldn't survive until spring. But, the thyme is growing and starting to bloom. Thyme is blooming ( photo / image / picture from dooley's Garden ) The oregano is not starting to bloom but it has been growing and spreading itself. Oregano is growing but not blooming! ( photo / image / picture from dooley's Garden ) We have a very large rosemary bush started about three years ago or maybe four years ago from a gallon size pot from Home Depot. It's starting to bloom now, too. I planted another bush last spring for Chance and it's a couple of feet high now, too. No picture of it though. Here's the large one. Rosemary bush is blooming ( photo / image / picture from dooley's Garden ) Very large rosemary bush ( photo / image / picture from dooley's Garden ) I have basil and parsley coming up in pots but I just planted them so they are about a quarter of an inch tall now. dooley
Dooley, Those winter over here (except the rosemary is touchy...some years it does and others it doesn't. this year was a didn't year) so I am not surprised they came back for you. I have heard of the rosemary being used as skewers for the BBQ, though and those branches are nice and straight for that...
I bring my rosemary plant into the greenhouse for the Winter. It's probably 2 feet tall. It lost all it's leaves one day, when I had the heat problem, but has begun to leaf out beautifully now. I don't like whole rosemary leaves but rather rosemary powder. So I collect the leaves throughout the year a little at a time and dry them in the microwave for a few minutes and then work them through a screen strainer. It's "delish" that way.
I had my large rosemary die over the winter. I put it in the big greenhouse, but it is unheated in there. It survived the past several years, but this year was just too brutal. I harvested some of the dried branches and leaves and when I made chicken soup last week I tossed a little in. My family didn't really like it. I was bumming. so, I gave the entire batch to a friend the next day. The rest made fine fire starter for the furnace this week.
Mine is leafing out very nicely after living through all the cold. It did well until this last month before it dropped all it's leaves. My neighbor lost his also. I took clippings last year from his plant so I will be giving them back to him today.
