I love herbs and I grow many of them as much for their ornamental value as for their culinary use. I always let them flower and they are much loved by the bees and butterflies, particularly the Salvias (Sage), Borage, Chives and Nepeta (Cat Mint) to name just a few. The picture shows the wonderful patterns the frost made recently on the purple Sage.
So as I wandered around the garden in the sunshine this morning (sadly it has clouded over now) I was pleased to see fresh green shoots on the Chives, Fennel, Garlic Chives, Oregano, Pineapple Mint and Orange-scented Thyme.
On the other hand the bulbs are still taking their time to put on any decent growth. I've got buds on about four Snowdrops but they have been like that for weeks and Narcissus Tete-a-Tete and the dwarf Iris are still only just showing whereas this time last year they were in bud. That said, the Dutch Iris are well up as are Narcissus Jet Fire.
I did some tidying up of the perennials, started to cut back the Jasmine and swept up more leaves. I watered the plants in the greenhouse and was pleased to note that all the Parsley seedlings I pricked out last week are looking healthy. I was less happy to see that the few remaining Spring Onions from last year had a number of aphids on them. At this time of year!
Georgie
4 comments:
I hope to grow more herbs this year purely for the wildlife as I don't use them for my culinary delights!
It'll be good when the bulbs decide that spring is on the way and start growing. xx
Let me know if you want any seeds, Flighty, as I normally have more than I need.
G x
Many thanks Georgie I'll do that. xx
Hi G,
I would like to grow more herbs this year. I always grow mint as it goes down really well with my home-grown spuds, but I don't seem to do very well with my chives. To be honest, I don't really know how to grow them. I think I'm packing too many in to too small a space. I'm going to experiment this year and prick them out more than I usually do. They do seem to grow for me, but end up very spindally specimens. I love chives too, in a sarnie with cheese!
Speaking of spuds, you asked if I was growing my potatoes in pots this year. Yes, is the answer. I have grown Pentland Javelin (a first early, I believe) the last couple of years, and they have done really well, but this year I'm experimenting and I've bought two which I haven't grown before. I've got Charlotte, which I believe is a second early and Rooster which I think is a red skinned. I usually put about three seed potatoes into a pot and on average I harvest about 50 spuds from the bucket.
I think it's well worth growing in pots as the potatoes taste divine boiled with a little mint and smothered in butter, and I've never had any waste. I know when you grow in the ground you can have problems with things like slug damage and blight, but I haven't had one spud damaged in a pot.
My daughter, Eleanor brought home a crocus in a pot from Guides just before Christmas. I put it in the cupboard 'under the stairs' in the dark until it's shoots could be seen, and then put it on the kitchen windowsill. It's now come into flower and it's lovely, pure white. She's thrilled!
Jo.
xxx
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