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First Attempt at Growing Herbs
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hope
Just Arrived
Joined: 27 May 2007
Location: Kansas
Posts: 9
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| Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 4:19 am Post subject: First Attempt at Growing Herbs |
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Hello there. I just bought my first packet of seeds tonight. This is my first attempt at growing anything and I'm SO SO EXCITED! I plan to use, dry, freeze etc all my herbs and one day make essential oils from them(in the far future of course).
The seeds I bought are Oregano, Common Sage, Sweet Basil, Parsley (single italian plain-leafed) and lavender (I know lavender goes elsewhere but eh..lol).
My mother has a green thumb, two in fact, and I'm hoping that I'm just as good as she. She's given me a lot of information, but I still have questions.
When planting the seeds, how many do you plant at a time? Do you put three seeds together, and then a few inches away put three more seeds? Or do you put half a packet together and then the rest of the packet together (in one of those beginning trays). Do you plant each seed separate?
How big do these get? Meaning, what types of pots will they live out most of their life in? How often will they be needing transplanted? Do they stay in 4 inch pots forever and ever and they just keep getting cut back?
I am VERY new to all this, so any advice will be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.
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Netty
Chaotic Gardener
 Regular Plantstew Contributor (over 1000 edits)
Joined: 04 Nov 2006
Location: Southern Ontario zone 5a (Map)
Posts: 7063
PlantStew: 10292 |
| Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 11:39 am Post subject: |
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Hello hope!
I've never grown sage, lavender or oregano from seed so I can't give you much advice there.
I grow parsley and basil from seed each year and they are easy to grow. I usually start them early in the spring inside in flats. I put a few seeds in each "cell". After they have grown and weather permits, I start hardening them off outside until they are used to the wind / full sun and them put them out in the garden. Since it is a little bit later in the season you could probably just plant them outside where you want them to grow. You don't want to plant too many seeds together in the same holes as then you will end up having to thin them out.
Good luck!
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hope
Just Arrived
Joined: 27 May 2007
Location: Kansas
Posts: 9
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| Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 2:15 pm Post subject: |
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Oh I was planning on growing these inside only. Is that not possible? I live in an apartment, I do not have land to plant. One day, but not now. LOL!
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Netty
Chaotic Gardener
Regular Plantstew Contributor (over 1000 edits)
Joined: 04 Nov 2006
Location: Southern Ontario zone 5a (Map)
Posts: 7063
PlantStew: 10292 |
| Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 3:06 pm Post subject: |
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Oh! OK, then I would just plant the seeds in the pots they will be living in!! Give them as much light as possible and make sure to keep them watered as pots tend to dry out quickly.
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TheBip
Showing Great Promise
Joined: 25 Mar 2007
Location: Indianapolis, IN (Map)
Posts: 631
PlantStew: 87 |
| Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 3:07 pm Post subject: |
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I think they should do ok inside, if they get plenty of sun.
_________________
And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.
--Anais Nin
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hope
Just Arrived
Joined: 27 May 2007
Location: Kansas
Posts: 9
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| Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 3:57 am Post subject: |
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Ok, thanks!
Yes, they will get plenty of sun. I have a large table in front of two big windows that all my pots will be on. Not too many though, I don't want them fighting for attention. LOL!
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dooley
Official Garden Turtle
Joined: 03 Jul 2005
Location: Texas (Map)
Posts: 4204
PlantStew: 2 |
| Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 4:00 am Post subject: |
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I would give them a pot that is a little bigger than a 4 inch pot. Some of them have a lot of roots and will soon be pot bound in a 4 inch pot. You will need to pinch the tops to keep them from getting leggy too. Dooley
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minigarden
Just Arrived
Joined: 25 May 2007
Location: Penrith, Australia (Map)
Posts: 6
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| Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 11:54 am Post subject: |
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Hi, when I was living in Japan I had a small windowsill where I placed some small pots with herbs. They all managed to grow with the little sunlight they did receive. My parsley and basil grew quite large. Try and grow these in a larger pot. Sage stayed small. Common rule is: the more you use them, the more they grow.
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TheBip
Showing Great Promise
Joined: 25 Mar 2007
Location: Indianapolis, IN (Map)
Posts: 631
PlantStew: 87 |
| Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 2:41 pm Post subject: |
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I cant believe I forgot to mention my success in growing basil indoors  When I lived in Connecticut, I grew basil in a small old butter container on a kitchen windowsill, and it did really well  Grew nice and big ^_^
_________________
And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.
--Anais Nin
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hope
Just Arrived
Joined: 27 May 2007
Location: Kansas
Posts: 9
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| Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 3:46 pm Post subject: |
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Parsley and basil...larger pots. Got it.
I will be pinching before flowering as I am drying them for my own many uses.
Thank you all!!!
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hope
Just Arrived
Joined: 27 May 2007
Location: Kansas
Posts: 9
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| Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 7:37 pm Post subject: |
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I planted them last night, but I'm not sure how often to water them??? My mom said to use a spray bottle, but I didn't.... Do you think I disturbed the seeds to much? I didn't BLAST them with water, but the soil sunk when I put the water on them...
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