Why are supermarket herbs better?

[sandy_v]

Embarassing but true
why are those little pots of herbs you buy from the supermarket really good, but when I grow my own on the windowsill they are virtually tasteless - just slightly bitter. I'm talking annuals here like basil and coriander, my perennial herbs are fine. What is going on?
Having said that when I grow basil and coriander outside, they are far from impressive!

[peter]

Grown with better light & warmth?

[Monika]

I am sure Peter is right, Sandy. They are grown in ideal conditions for light and humidity. I find that they keep for quite a long time in the cool greenhouse and will even grow a bit but are totally unsuited to the outside conditions.

[Jude]

I think it's a bit of a waste of time and effort trying to grow basil before it gets really warm and light - it seems to need long periods of sunshine before it develops an intense flavour. If you move indoor started basil outside in the summer it's leaves get tougher and stronger in taste but it seems to go to flower more quickly. Having said that, I've got basil and coriander on the go at the moment, so don't pay any attention to me, I will probably never learn from my mistakes!

[solway cropper]

Why buy herbs from a supermarket when they are so easy to grow yourself?

There are many varieties of basil, for instance, and it's a question of finding the right one that suits you and your conditions. All my herbs taste fine to me and the ones I don't use fresh are dried for use later.

[Monika]

How do you keep something like basil or coriander over Christmas, solway cropper? I grow a lot of herbs and many of them are fine in the cold greenhouse over winter if not outside, but basil and coriander I always have to buy in winter, spring and early summer until my own come along.

I freeze a lot, too, separately and mixed, but sometimes you really want fresh ones.

[PLUMPUDDING]

If you pinch the tops out of a few of the shop bought basil and put the stalks standing in water they root very easily and you can pot them on to keep a few plants going through the winter on the windowsill.

[solway cropper]

I try to keep a few plants growing on windowsills if I can but mostly I use dried herbs in winter. I rarely buy anything fresh out of season, knowing that huge amounts of energy have been used to either grow it or get it to me but then I'm funny like that. It's not too difficult coping without fresh coriander if you put your mind to it.

[Geoff]

Nobody questioning that they are better?
We have Basil on the kitchen windowsill continuously and I think it has enough flavour. Admittedly the over Winter pot is looking a bit manky but the fresh one is just getting its first proper leaves. They get good light and the kitchen is always warm.