Spring Herbs
Spring is a time for new beginnings. If you’ve always wanted time to plant some flavour, now is an ideal time to pop some in. Think basil for adding zing to your tomatoes, parsley for instant fill in a salad, flavour to soup or pop of green to your hand made pasta! Mint is a no brainer for summer; it’s perfect for drinks, desserts, spring rolls, south eastern curries and so much more. But there is a whole world of herbs out there to explore, and our extensive range will inspire you to start a potted gourmet garden or patch of taste explosions! We stock huge varieties of thyme, sage, rosemary, fennel, dill, coriander, salads greens and so much more.
Terracotta Potted Herbs
Growing herbs in terracotta, or baked earth, is about one of the most ancient gardening practices. Ancient Greeks grew them in their courtyards and temples, as did the Romans, and they have been used continually through to the most modern looks of today, championed by the like of environmentalist Joost Bakker in Australia, who used eleven thousand of them to form the exterior cladding of his Australian residence, then filled them with strawberries.
How much water?
The porous nature of terracotta means that the contents quickly dries out. This can be a real advantage in humid areas, where many Mediterranean herbs (that like dry conditions) can sometimes rot. Painting the inside or outside of your terracotta pots can be a great way of brightening them up, and reducing evaporation if they are drying out too quickly. Clustering pots together will also increase the humidity and counter pots drying out as quickly. Watering terracotta pots daily in summer will ensure that your plants get enough moisture to grow and thrive, yet have adequate drainage. Really thirst herbs, like mint, can have saucers under them so that a reservoir of water can be drawn upon throughout the day.
How much sun?
Most herbs enjoy full sun, and it is this energy that helps plants grow and produce the essential oils that give herbs their flavour. The more oil rich the herb, like rosemary and thyme, the more sun you really want to give that plant to get the most from it. Leafier herbs like parsley and chervil will cope with half a day’s sun, and mint will even grow in the shade.
What size pot should I plant my herbs in?
The pot size depends on the space you have available and the ultimate size of the plant you’re growing. Larger shrubs like rosemary should be planted into pots that have a 300mm diameter, but small prostrate versions of rosemary could be ok in 200mm pots. Similarly, groundcover herbs such as thyme would be ok in 200mm sized pots, and small clumping plants like chives are able to survive smaller pots, though will grow to fill water sized container you have room for. If you like the look of herbs in smaller pots for gifts, or these are the only size that will sit on your window sill, remember this is best treated as a temporary measure and will only last a few months. Also, small pots need watering more than larger pots, so If this is too onerous, plant you herbs into larger pots that don’t dry out as quickly between drinks.
