Help with herbs please.

If you're just starting out in the world of kitchen garden growing, then this is the place to ask for help. Our experienced forum members may have the answer you need!

Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter, Chief Spud

User avatar
Ricard with an H
KG Regular
Posts: 2145
Joined: Mon Jun 11, 2012 10:16 am
Location: North Pembrokeshire. West Wales.

I bought these well-rooted plug plants earlier in the year, French tarragon and apple mint.

I really don't know what to do them, in the case of the mint it's always leggy and wanting to flower producing those dark leaves. In the case of the tarragon it just want's to be leggy and woody.

The mint will probably cope with a good pruning but look at the tarragon, it's all woody. It'll be a bush by next month. I have other tarragon plants that aren't quite as leggy/woody though I don't really know what I did to make the difference.
Attachments
IMG_0644.JPG
IMG_0644.JPG (177.93 KiB) Viewed 6588 times
IMG_0643.JPG
IMG_0643.JPG (168.81 KiB) Viewed 6588 times
How are you supposed to start and maintain a healthy lifestyle if it completely removes a wine lover’s reason to live?
Richard.
User avatar
FelixLeiter
KG Regular
Posts: 830
Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2009 12:18 pm
Location: East Yorkshire

Your apple mint doesn't look much like apple mint that I know. I've made a few investigations, though, and it turns out that there are several mints known as apple mint. None of them seem to have dark foliage, however. The leaves may have turned colour due to stress of some sort, or lack of certain nutrients. Mints do tend to be leggy, growing as a colony of single stems arising from a creeping underground rhizome. Next year it should have quite a different character. Dig down, or turn it out of its pot, at the end of the season and you'll probably have a nice cluster of runners.

Your tarragon looks exactly like tarragon tends to look towards the end of August, which is a bit tatty. Tarragon is indeed very woody. But woody is good, indicating a robust plant. At the beginning of the season next year (which is early with tarragon), prune it hard back to emerging shoots to encourage lush growth,
Allotment, but little achieved.
User avatar
Ricard with an H
KG Regular
Posts: 2145
Joined: Mon Jun 11, 2012 10:16 am
Location: North Pembrokeshire. West Wales.

Thanks very much Felix.

I'm now wondering if I got it wrong with the name of the mint I bought. When the plugs arrived the few leaves were a dark and variegated colour. The green leaves have only turned up recently. It is a very nice mint, almost a cross between basil and mint in it's taste.

Pheweee, sigh of relief as a result of your comment on the tarragon.
How are you supposed to start and maintain a healthy lifestyle if it completely removes a wine lover’s reason to live?
Richard.
User avatar
Ricard with an H
KG Regular
Posts: 2145
Joined: Mon Jun 11, 2012 10:16 am
Location: North Pembrokeshire. West Wales.

I went into my 'Time-Machine' to find the order for this mint, it is called Apple mint.

If you go to the Marshalls website and type 1080-5358 into 'search'.

All three plants I have are throwing dark leaves at the top
How are you supposed to start and maintain a healthy lifestyle if it completely removes a wine lover’s reason to live?
Richard.
User avatar
FelixLeiter
KG Regular
Posts: 830
Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2009 12:18 pm
Location: East Yorkshire

This one? Certainly their pictures look like yer actual apple mint as I know it. So I don't know what's gone on. It's not like Marshalls to deliver the wrong goods (and with their prices, they had better not). It might be that growing it in a pot has given it a different character. It's robust, needing the freedom of the open border. I can understand you wanting to keep it within bounds, though. I'm not convinced that mint is as invasive as it is reputed to be.
Allotment, but little achieved.
User avatar
Geoff
KG Regular
Posts: 5569
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2005 5:33 pm
Location: Forest of Bowland
Been thanked: 128 times

Like Felix I'm not convinced that is Apple Mint or even a mint. If you knock it out of the pot are the roots thick runners going round and round in the pot or just normal plant roots? Are the stems square or round?
User avatar
Ricard with an H
KG Regular
Posts: 2145
Joined: Mon Jun 11, 2012 10:16 am
Location: North Pembrokeshire. West Wales.

Yes, it's the second one Felix.

As it happens i'm looking for ways of planting direct rather than using pots. Anything in pots takes extra looking after and from my short experience doesn't perform in the same way.

I took my parsley out of pots and planted it where the onion and garlic was, it's so-so happy, prolific and doesn't need the daily attention.

My problem is that whilst I have more than an acre I only have the raised beds and a few other areas that i've 'broken-in' for planting. The broken-in areas still need work doing on the soil and there is only so much I can do each year.

This years summer is catch-up time from last years wet summer when I didn't get any of my routine work done and this year started off by me planting 100 sea buckthorn in a trench that had to be de-stoned. That was a lot of digging.

The new raised bed will be used as a home for perennial herbs and a few annuals but that won't come on line until early summer next year.

My neighbour kept offering me mint from her large-woody bush for the last few years, it doesn't taste like mint that I enjoy. Is that because it's all been left to grow into a bush four foot high and a ten foot spread. Same with my lemon balm, I planted that into the ground and it took-off growing from the size of a small bucket it came in to two foot high and wider, presumably I need to lift it and split it. It makes a lovely tea.

All the sage I grew from seed last year is out of pots, the plants that are in carefully tended soil are massive. I can't use that much sage though it flowers for almost two months and insects love it.

I'm trying to give away stuff but no one wants it, chives, I have masses of chive splits sitting in buckets waiting for new homes.

Geoff wrote:Like Felix I'm not convinced that is Apple Mint or even a mint


It tastes like mint crossed with basil, i'll knock a pot out later and have a look at the roots, maybe take a close photo if it'll help.

I've had it with Marshalls, this was part of an order they had failed on. They sent the tarragon and apple mint then offered me a credit for the other stuff. They always take your payment then everything goes under the radar. I had problems with the last years winter onion and garlic order not turning up, they had the payment for six weeks already and the order was on hold for spring delivery this year. Their management is entrenched in the system they have and you won't change it other than by taking your custom elsewhere.
How are you supposed to start and maintain a healthy lifestyle if it completely removes a wine lover’s reason to live?
Richard.
User avatar
FelixLeiter
KG Regular
Posts: 830
Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2009 12:18 pm
Location: East Yorkshire

Ricard with an H wrote:My neighbour kept offering me mint from her large-woody bush for the last few years, it doesn't taste like mint that I enjoy. Is that because it's all been left to grow into a bush four foot high and a ten foot spread.

A bush, or a thicket? Mint isn't usually woody, although if previous year's stems are left I suppose it can give the appearance of being so. Four feet high: maybe this is apple mint. Or at least, one of the mints known as apple mint. Size shouldn't have any bearing on its flavour / aroma. Mints are very varied, with many species and even more hybrids which, to muddy the waters further, vary between individuals. If you find one you like, strike cuttings. This means you can buy some from the supermarket and propagate from it.

Ricard with an H wrote:MySame with my lemon balm, I planted that into the ground and it took-off growing from the size of a small bucket it came in to two foot high and wider, presumably I need to lift it and split it. It makes a lovely tea.

It does make lovely tea. But you'll never be without it unless it's taken in hand. You may do well to split it and discard most of it. It does tend to self-seed somewhat.
Allotment, but little achieved.
User avatar
Geoff
KG Regular
Posts: 5569
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2005 5:33 pm
Location: Forest of Bowland
Been thanked: 128 times

On the supplier front, not sure you'll get on any better with the others. Seen loads of complaints about T&M and I've got an ongoing issue with DT Brown. Took up their recent offer on the new strawberry 'Centenary'. They took my money on 11th July, nothing happened and I couldn't trace the order in 'My Account' so emailed 7th August, replied 8th of August said shipping w/c 19th August, nothing happened so emailed again 27th August, phoned me this lunchtime to say hoping to ship next week! So early July to first week in September. Blamed their new computer system.
At least they haven't noticed I managed to order without a shipping charge.

On restraining herbs, why not make some large planters out of your raised bed offcuts?
User avatar
Ricard with an H
KG Regular
Posts: 2145
Joined: Mon Jun 11, 2012 10:16 am
Location: North Pembrokeshire. West Wales.

IMG_0645.JPG
IMG_0645.JPG (132.2 KiB) Viewed 6546 times
Oh-wow, lot's of help and I do appreciate the effort to get me on the straight-and-narrow.

Firstly on the Apple mint I have, I can't get it out of the pot because I just gave everything a good watering. Maybe tomorrow. This mint I have is nice and I like it but it isn't mint-sauce mint, it really does taste as if it's a hybrid mint/basil. Included a closer shot of the lower foliage.

Regarding suppliers, I judge everyone by Ashridge nurseries standard where I bought my sea buckthorn and more recently ten lavender hidicote. Their website is up to date for stock control, if they debit your chosen account at the time of the order the order is completed with courier details that day. Orders for future delivery are debited in the future and communication is superb.

Regarding planters for herbs, what a good idea but I don't have offcuts that are suited. I'm on the case though I need to find a position, decide on a suitable size and run it past the management who always come up with a better idea. Because i've seen the difference when plants are taken from pots and put into ground i'm loath to go small though I really do need to control my need for big. Do you have established sensible sizes for me ?

Felix.

The mint at neighbours is a thicket and tastes vaguely like mint, I don't think they ever use it and don't doubt that the mint would be better if the whole thicket was floored and we harvested the new growth.

And back to the issue of suppliers, next time I order anything i'll not place an order until I have a delivery date. Even the much maligned e-bay/paypal organisation now invite you to pay after delivery.

A huge thanks to you all for continuing to encourage me.
How are you supposed to start and maintain a healthy lifestyle if it completely removes a wine lover’s reason to live?
Richard.
User avatar
Geoff
KG Regular
Posts: 5569
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2005 5:33 pm
Location: Forest of Bowland
Been thanked: 128 times

Yours is a mint - square hairy stems. I suppose something called Mentha x piperita f. citrata 'Basil' Basil Mint is a possibility. There is a picture in this list http://www.jekkasherbfarm.com/plants?s= ... &offset=10 it has the purple stems but your leaves seem less toothed than most mints. You could always send a picture to Marshalls, you never know they might send you what they were supposed to have sold you foc!
User avatar
Motherwoman
KG Regular
Posts: 1000
Joined: Sun Sep 06, 2009 6:03 am
Location: Isle of Wight

I grow my mint in a half barrel about 2ft across. Every three years I'll hook it out discard half and re-plant with some fresh compost, I don't replace it all. Can't tell you what it is as it's 'the piece given me by Bill from up the back of the second plot'... Good fresh green in colour and very minty. We get enough for sprigs in spuds, mint sauce etc.

I know you don't have many close neighbours but begging a piece of one you like the smell of might be the way to go!

MW
User avatar
Geoff
KG Regular
Posts: 5569
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2005 5:33 pm
Location: Forest of Bowland
Been thanked: 128 times

You could make a fancy deep bed. A 4½' square with a 2' square in the middle and four diagonals linking the corners would give you five equal beds, if I've done my sums right, and stop the vigorous ones swamping the others.
User avatar
Ricard with an H
KG Regular
Posts: 2145
Joined: Mon Jun 11, 2012 10:16 am
Location: North Pembrokeshire. West Wales.

Wow, that is one fancy design Geoff, fortunately I still have the workshop tools required to build this. Presumably if this herb bed is installed on reasonable ground that drains I don't need to make it any deeper than my raised beds unless I want to save bending.

And takes less soil to fill it.
How are you supposed to start and maintain a healthy lifestyle if it completely removes a wine lover’s reason to live?
Richard.
User avatar
Geoff
KG Regular
Posts: 5569
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2005 5:33 pm
Location: Forest of Bowland
Been thanked: 128 times

Back to the supplier sub-thread about my strawberry order, just received this:

Thank you for your recent reply,

I am very sorry about this, my nursery department have just informed us that these are running around two to three weeks late this year. Due to the ‘tip’ cuttings taking longer to root than in previous years (probably due to the hot July). Plants are inspected regularly and we are getting very close to despatching all remaining orders. Despite being a little late, plants are despatched as large plugs and will have time to establish before the shorter and colder days.

These are now due for despatch around mid-late September.

Please accept my apology for the delay and inconvenience caused


As I said above, took money on 11th July - underwhelmed!
Post Reply Previous topicNext topic