April 15th, 2010 by Geoff Marks
My absolute favorite type of pot for growing herbs is the strawberry pot (those adorable small containers with all the openings on the sides) because I get to cultivate so many different herb plants in one pot. With the right arrangement, cascading vines, long spikes, spindly and bushy herbs can all thrive together in the strawberry pot. Be aware that these pots dry out fast, so unless you are a good waterer you probably will want to stay with herbs that are drought tolerant.
In this case size does matter. If you get a pot that’s too little, your plant can only grow so much and will eventually die. The nutrients tend to settle in the bottom of the pot, and if it the pot is too large the short roots can not be able to reach them.
Terra cotta pots are a lot better than plastic pots because the …
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March 3rd, 2010 by Geoff Marks
One of my first herb gardens was in the middle of a clay field and it was not a cinch to get herbs to grow right. When you are planning your garden, you’ve got to put sunlight and soil quality at the top of the list of things to consider. Without the right amounts of both natural light and water, your garden will not thrive. With the right combination of water, soil and sunshine, you can grow just about anything.
To solve my clay sod problems, I turned to rock gardening, which focuses on adding lots of rocks to your landscape and focusing on herbs that only need a few inches of good dirt.
A rock garden focuses on the positive features that you may have in your yard already or those that you want to create. Usually this type of garden is found in dry, rocky areas that have …
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February 17th, 2010 by Geoff Marks
You can bring a new image to your balcony by adding a few potted herbs. Using containers is helpful because you can easily change their location as you experiment with the quality and amount of natural light they get. If you grow your balcony herbs in pots, they are portable—so you can bring them inside at the end of the season.
Your best bet for your balcony herb garden is any plant that does well with lots of sun, like a morning glory. These little plants will tolerate the reflection from the windows and doors and also the heat that a metal balcony captures. Check out your balcony at different times of the day to see the quality of natural light, the heat and the intensity. Check to see which way your balcony faces and whether it gets more morning or afternoon sun.
A good rule of thumb for balcony …
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Tags: Gardening, Growing Herbs in Pots, growing herbs in pots outside, Herbs, outside, pots