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Sure, but that is not the case. It’s just the two of us, so I don’t use a lot of herbs. I have well established oregano and rosemary, but things like basil, cilantro and parsley tend to bolt. Really, with a few exceptions, I think dried herbs are fine.
Cilantro bolts for me too, even when I used to live in Thunder Bay it would bolt eventually (though more slowly than in suburban Toronto). But that's not too much of a problem if you ask me, just let the seeds drop and a few months later you'll get a bunch of new seedlings for free for no effort.
I haven't had parsley bolt on me in its first year in either Toronto or Thunder Bay. Only second year, as it is supposed to due to being a biennial. In Thunder Bay I had huge plants, close to 3ft tall of leaves, and the leaves were thick with individual lobes on the leaves 2-4" across. Not sure if it was the long days, the compost, or the mild temperatures (summer was mostly in the 60s-80s in the day, 40s-low 60s at night) but it really liked it there.
In any case, parsley should be pretty low effort to grow. Let it go to seed in its second year, and you'll get an infinite supply of new seedlings in that part of the garden bed.
My rosemary is small though, wish it could be bigger but I have to grow it in a pot since our winters will kill it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by twinkletwinkle22
Cilantro has always been challenge for me to grow. This year I've moved it to north side part shade, fingers crossed.
Parsley and basil I've grown in south Florida and now in North Carolina without bolting in heat.
But I also do a big gather of basil before it goes to seed and make pesto for the freezer, lasts all year.
Fresh basil in the summer tho...so wonderful.
Oregano is year-round for me but I just don't use it as often as basil, parsley and cilantro.
Basil always goes to flower for me, although sometimes sooner than others. The best basil I've grown was in Thunder Bay in a spot that got direct sun from about 8am to 2pm. It was also the spot where I got the best cilantro, dill and parsley. Those herbs have struggled a bit in suburban Toronto. We'll see how it compares at my new place north of Toronto (Centre Wellington) where it's a bit cooler.
Parsley is a biennial, it overwinters and then goes to seed in its second year. Maybe really far north it's unable to overwinter, but at least in the Toronto area, it has reliably overwintered for me.
OK. It's never overwintered before but last year I planted it in a different location where it must have had enough shelter. Mystery solved, thanks to you.
Yes they have! I was intending to buy some herbs at Lowe’s last week, but they were $9.98. I can buy plenty of grocery store herbs for what that would have cost me.
And that is why I bought an herb seed collection from a seller on Amazon. To my surprise, herbs are exceedingly easy to grow. The seeds were cheap, they all sprouted, and they taste and smell wonderful.
I've got them up-potted into decent size pots and they are sitting on my front porch. Those I don't use fresh, I will dehydrate.
Cilantro has a short life and it is tricky to get the tomatoes and the cilantro ready at the same time. I plant the seeds successively so they sprout at different times, and I can extend the useful life of cilantro by cutting the plants off short and letting them grow back. But yes, timing the salsa ingredients is a good trick.
It’s not spring, but here in the south, the fall is the best time to plant perennials and shrubs. DH spent the past few days weeding and mulching the bed of daylilies on the south side of our house, and I just planted 4 new ones in some bare spots. So good to have that done.
Some Rosa rugosa are enroute from the grower, and they will go in the same area. I saw these roses in Alaska and they supposedly are ok in my zone, so here’s hoping. Many things have failed to thrive in this area.
Last edited by gentlearts; 09-03-2023 at 04:04 PM..
Can't remember if I posted that I'm making an iris bed for the 12-15 of them purchased in the last 12 months.
2022 was a better bloom year for my iris in pots but we had a weird cold spell at the time they should be blooming in 2023 and not many bloomed.
Purchased some deep pink phlox, purple vervain and Starship Blue cardinal flower to add to garden, hope the rabbits hate the taste and let them live. I have to surround many plants with chicken wire to preserve them and that worked well. Looks good once things get growing, the wire disappears.
Dahlias.... dahlias hate this heat and strong sun--I have no shade to offer them. Bought many in the last 12 months and gotten little joy from them except for the 4 put into a "self"watering" container. Those 4 are blooming really well. Won't buy more, will try and put the ones I own in better places (voles eat the tubers if I put them directly in the dirt and I suspect rabbits eat the tops.)
Non-perennials=Cilantro (above post) didn't make it--this NC summer has been hellish heat after a fantastic long spring. Fall herb seeds have been started: cilantro, dill, bronze fennel, flat and curly parsley, big leaf basil and a few more. Still have basil and parsley growing in garden, heat didn't take them out (I watered) but Eastern Tiger Swallowtail caterpillars have cut the parsley down to stalks that are regrowing. I grow more herbs than we can use just for bees, butterflies and small birds. Goldfinches like lemon basil seedheads after bees are done with flower blossoms.
One artichoke plant grown from seed finally lived (2nd year trying), cut one head to eat and left another to flower. It's just too hot here to grow artichokes so won't grow them again.
Can't remember if I posted that I'm making an iris bed for the 12-15 of them purchased in the last 12 months.
2022 was a better bloom year for my iris in pots but we had a weird cold spell at the time they should be blooming in 2023 and not many bloomed.
Purchased some deep pink phlox, purple vervain and Starship Blue cardinal flower to add to garden, hope the rabbits hate the taste and let them live. I have to surround many plants with chicken wire to preserve them and that worked well. Looks good once things get growing, the wire disappears.
Dahlias.... dahlias hate this heat and strong sun--I have no shade to offer them. Bought many in the last 12 months and gotten little joy from them except for the 4 put into a "self"watering" container. Those 4 are blooming really well. Won't buy more, will try and put the ones I own in better places (voles eat the tubers if I put them directly in the dirt and I suspect rabbits eat the tops.)
Non-perennials=Cilantro (above post) didn't make it--this NC summer has been hellish heat after a fantastic long spring. Fall herb seeds have been started: cilantro, dill, bronze fennel, flat and curly parsley, big leaf basil and a few more. Still have basil and parsley growing in garden, heat didn't take them out (I watered) but Eastern Tiger Swallowtail caterpillars have cut the parsley down to stalks that are regrowing. I grow more herbs than we can use just for bees, butterflies and small birds. Goldfinches like lemon basil seedheads after bees are done with flower blossoms.
One artichoke plant grown from seed finally lived (2nd year trying), cut one head to eat and left another to flower. It's just too hot here to grow artichokes so won't grow them again.
I guess you’re in NC, but I planted $75. worth of dahlias in GA and got no flowers. Still, I persevere. Gardening is about hope and patience. Iris, no. Dahlia, no. Don’t feel,bad.
I've been putting some lovely local blooming weeds behind my garage. Have noticed a number of younger neighbors are allowing their yards to go back to natural or augmenting the natural with wildflowers.
So far I've got a couple of healthy butterfly weeds, milkweed and native yellow coneflower. I'd like to add toadflax and some harebells. Searching high and low for the harebells and catnip. Don't know where they all went.
I've been putting some lovely local blooming weeds behind my garage. Have noticed a number of younger neighbors are allowing their yards to go back to natural or augmenting the natural with wildflowers.
So far I've got a couple of healthy butterfly weeds, milkweed and native yellow coneflower. I'd like to add toadflax and some harebells. Searching high and low for the harebells and catnip. Don't know where they all went.
Amazon as well as Etsy, etc have catmint seeds and small plants - Nepeta Cataria
If you are looking for fancy catmint and don’t mind the price - Bluestone perennials, outside pride have various catmints in stock
Campanula (Harebells?) is available as seeds and plants as well - different colors, growing habits, size, etc
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