Why do I have to replant my herbs year over year? (flowers, grown)

[misterno]

I live in Houston and I am planting parsley, mint, basil, purslane and arugula.

Except mint, all the above has to be planted every year. But how come they do not regrow from their own seeds again?

Am I doing something wrong?

I am in Zone 8.

[nuts2uiam]

Mint grows like weed here, but all the others are annual plants and need replacement every year. You are not doing anything incorrectly.

[Dirt Grinder]

Mint is a perennial, it'll overwinter.
Parsley is a biennial, it'll flower and drop seeds when cold weather hits.
Basil, purslane, and arugula are annuals, you have to replant each year.

I live in North Alabama; our mint grows like a weed and parsley sprouts from the previous year's seed drop.

[Cambium]

Originally Posted by misterno

I live in Houston and I am planting parsley, mint, basil, purslane and arugula.

Except mint, all the above has to be planted every year. But how come they do not regrow from their own seeds again?

Am I doing something wrong?

I am in Zone 8.

I have a few herbs that regrow like Oregano, and something else I forget. I was going to say "Time" maybe? Give it more time? But I assume you did. Another thing to consider is the heat down there maybe drying out any seeds that did fall back down into pot?


To be honest, I find the regrowth annoying. I like to start fresh with seeds I'm 100% certain are what I want in that pot. Plus, have you ever seen the soil underneath? I like to till or change the soil in those pots. Some are just so root bound.


plus like I said, the wind may have carried other seeds into the pot so you'll never know until its grown long enough.

[KathrynAragon]

I live in east Texas and here's what came back this year (but we had a mild winter): Mint, sage, oregano, lavender and rosemary (never went away), lemongrass (also never died away), and thyme. In fact, my oregano is going crazy. I did have to replant basil and cilantro. My sage isn't looking so great either - I think I'll have to replant that too.

[gentlearts]

Mint, Rosemary, oregano, lavendar and thyme last year after year, here in zone 8. Interestingly, I had sage come back every year in the frozen north, but not here in GA.

[LoriNJ]

Chives, oregano and thyme will come back every year. And thyme has the prettiest little flowers! So does chives, now that I think about it.

[Dirt Grinder]

Originally Posted by LoriNJ

Chives...will come back every year. And thyme has the prettiest little flowers! So does chives, now that I think about it.

Not only will chives come back every year - they'll multiply. Our few chives turned into a 5' x 5' chive garden over the course of four years.

[nmnita]

I think I need to try chives. when we lived in NM we couldn't keep the mint under control. I hated it. There is only so much you can do with it. One herb we have planted (again in NM) that came back was parsley. I haven't had it come back here, but could be the climate.

[LoriNJ]

Originally Posted by Dirt Grinder

Not only will chives come back every year - they'll multiply. Our few chives turned into a 5' x 5' chive garden over the course of four years.

Ours in a big planter, so they must feel frustrated. Forgot to add that young chive flowers taste great in salads. Yum.