Annie is an expert furniture and interior design writer. Her current area of specialism is Design, Art, Beds
Supermarket herbs
Many common kitchen herbs are now available from supermarkets as potted plants, but they can be tricky to keep going. However, the majority of these, such as basil, coriander and parsley, are actually a collection of seedlings crammed into the pot rather than a single established plant. You can use this to your advantage and it can be an easy, convenient way to get a lot of herb plants. Just separate the individual seedlings, and re-pot separately.
Growing from seed is the cheapest method for annual herbs. Cut parsley, coriander and chives to within 5cm of the base before re-potting, and separate the individual plantlets and re-pot each one in its own container. Take care when dividing coriander, parsley and basil, as they all resent having their roots disturbed. If basil has become leggy, you can re-plant it more deeply to encourage stronger growth.
How to grow basil
You can start sowing basil towards the end of March in a greenhouse or on a sunny windowsill. It's very sensitive to cold and will blacken at the slightest hint of frost, so make sure your early sowings are protected. Once the young plants reach about 15cm tall, remove the shoot tip to encourage more leafy growth and a bushier plant. When the warmth of June arrives, you can sow another batch outside and move any indoor plants outside to the patio. Make a final sowing in August to give you fresh basil into autumn.
Alternatively, you can buy basil in posts from the supermarket or garden centre. Look for bushy plants with lots of side-shoots and no sign of flowering. You can then make more plants by taking cuttings.
Keep your basil in the sunniest spot that you can find - preferably a south-facing windowsill or patio, once there's no risk of frost. Water sparingly and remove flower spikes - if these are allowed to mature, your plants will stop growing new leaves.
Pick individual leaves from the top of the plant and feed with a liquid fertiliser afterwards. Then leave it to grow again. If you find that you have a bumper crop at the end of summer, pick the lot and make it into pesto. It freezes really well if you leave out the parmesan, which can be added before use.
Recommended varieties of basil
Sweet basil, often sold as 'Sweet Genovese' has the classic basil taste. Greek basil is compact and bushy with tiny leaves, so there's no need to chop them before cooking. 'Green Ruffles' has the classic basil flavour with a crinkly leaf texture, while 'Thai basil' is spicy and hot.
'Cinnamon basil' has a flavour rather like aniseed sweets, or for a fresh lemony tang try 'Mrs Burns' Lemon'. For ornamental use in window boxes or edging beds, try 'Purple Ruffles' for its crinkly purple leaves.
How to grow coriander
Coriander doesn't like being moved, so it's best sown where you want it to grow, either in the ground or in large pots. Sow in late spring or early summer, and in August sow some more in pots on the windowsill for a supply during autumn and winter. Well-drained soil in a sunny spot is essential for growing coriander, and if you're growing it indoors on a windowsill, give it plenty of light and don't over water.
Coriander is annoyingly quick to flower and set seed before it has produced much leaf, so it's best to sow little and often. Watch out for fine, feathery leaves - a sure sign the plants are about to flower.
Keep picking mature leaves as and when you need them. Regular cropping should delay flowering, but once the plants do flower, allow them to set seed. The seed is ripe when it stops smelling unpleasant. Collect it and use in cooking, keeping some to sow for another crop.
Recommended varieties of coriander
If you want the leaves choose 'Cilantro' and 'Leisure', which are slow to form seeds. If it's seed you're after, go for Moroccan coriander.
How to grow rosemary
Rosemary is widely available as established plants in garden centres for planting in spring. For more plants, take cuttings from young shoots in spring or summer. Rosemary is slightly tender and needs a sunny, sheltered position in well-drained soil; it does well in chalky soils. If you are growing it in a container, add some grit to the compost to aid drainage and don't over water. After flowering in March, trim into shape and feed.
You can pick leaves from this evergreen all year round. It's a good idea to dry some leaves at the end of summer if you want to use lots of rosemary over the winter, or add a sprig to olive oil for salad dressings.
Recommended varieties of rosemary
The Common rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is the hardiest form and most used in cooking. 'Miss Jessopp's Upright' is a more vigorous and upright variety and makes a good focal point in a herb bed. The Prostratus Group are low-growing forms ideal for the top of a wall or rock garden. Corsican rosemary has a more pungent scent.
- Related Videos
- Related Articles
- Ask / Related Q&A
- How to Tame a Growing Herb Garden
- Why Grow Herbs Gardens?
- The Types Of Herb To Grow In Your Herb Garden
- Discoveries In My Home Herb Garden And Talkin Dirt On Chives Herb Plants
- The Best Herb Garden Plants For Inside Your Home
- The Best Herb Garden Plants For Inside Your Home
- The Best Herb Garden Plants For Inside Your Home
- The Growing Herb Industry Boosts Green Campaign




Grow Marijuana
By: Iris Caesar | 24/12/2009http://www.bcnorthernlights.com How To Grow Marijuana for the Medical Marijuana User who wants to grow their own.
Medical Marijuana & the Greenhouse Effect
By: joyce | 24/12/2009How to maintain your Medical Marijuana garden, year-round.
Chippers shredders / mulchers
By: Rok | 24/12/2009Find some information about chippers shredders and chipper mulchers. Why are they useful, which types are there on the market and many other things.
Protect Your Hot Tub
By: Tod Martin | 24/12/2009Arctic Spas Red Deer are among the best companies which offer excellent hot tub supplies and hot tub covers. Our products are world renowned and assure 100% customer satisfaction. We have been offering hot tubs and other related products for the last many years.
Sports Garages
By: Kathleen Terrana | 24/12/2009There are many individuals who live for adventure and excitement. These are the sorts of individuals who are very passionate about any number of adventure sports and outdoor activities. Having a garage where all kinds of sports equipment can be easily stored and maintained is the perfect fit for these kinds of individuals.
Different Kinds of Canadian Flowers
By: Adriana N. | 24/12/2009Canadian flowers are majestic in their looks and often can be found growing wildly within Canada's many forests and fields. You will find most of these treasure within their own habitats they have grown in for many a year. In Saskatchewan the West Red Lily can be located and was named...
A Mini Herb Garden That Goes a Long Way
By: Eustache Davenport | 24/12/2009A lot of folks live in small apartments and lack space as some people just don't wish to get into a bigger size garden project for lack of experience or might not dispose of much time, no matter the reason, a mini garden is a fantastic solution to consider. It is an occasion to start small and let you test your skills at this highly rewarding hobby. Some parents initiates the young ones to life, evolution and the practicality of cultivating through a mini herb garden for kids.
Recycle your Christmas Tree
By: Richard n Williams | 23/12/2009Christmas is a busy time, not just with all that eating, drinking and being merry. At Christmas time there is a huge deluge of recycling to be done; all that wrapping paper, empty boxes and left over turkey – not to mention the Christmas Tree.
How A Nest Of Tables Gives You Decorating Flexibility
By: Annie Deakin | 25/12/2009 | FurnitureDeciding how to make a room in your home attractive and appealing can be a tough thing to do. The reason being there are so many choices in furniture, designs and styles it makes our decisions harder on how we can accomplish the special look we are striving for. If you are looking to complete an open space, a nest of tables may do the job.
The Eras of Furniture Past
By: Annie Deakin | 24/12/2009 | Home ImprovementFurniture is any movable object in your house that makes it possible to live or work. This includes anything that you use for storage, to sit on in and any flat surface you use to eat at or to write. Furniture is seen in a number of different ways. Some...
How to Find the Best Materials For Your Decking
By: Annie Deakin | 24/12/2009 | Home ImprovementIf you want to add comfort and increase the quality of your home then adding a deck may be for you. There are a lot of different options for the materials you can use for your decking. In order to make an informed decision about the best deck for your...
DIY Projects and What They Can Mean
By: Annie Deakin | 24/12/2009 | Home ImprovementDIY projects and what they can mean for the homeowner or automobile owner in terms of money-saving work will mainly rely on the ability of the person contemplating doing such activities to at least realize that a small bit of research before carrying out do it will be in order....
Where to Get the Best Furniture
By: Annie Deakin | 23/12/2009 | Home ImprovementToday we are especially lucky in the fact that furniture is available in such a great variety when it comes to the colour, size and the way in which it is designed. You do not have to follow any sort of rules and you can do whatever you want, you...
Choosing Furniture For a Small Space
By: Annie Deakin | 23/12/2009 | Home ImprovementMany people have difficulty trying to figure out what the options for to accommodate the furniture needs that they need in a small space. For most people this is made even more difficult because they have been using traditional pieces of furniture throughout their lives. There are many options available for...
The Popularity Behind DIY Projects
By: Annie Deakin | 23/12/2009 | Home ImprovementThe big diy projects are becoming ever popular. Why is this? There are a number of reasons, but everywhere you look, there seems to be a new thing that you can do yourself. Here are some of the reasons why people do it themselves. They get tired on waiting for people....
Tips to Choose the Right Furniture For Your Home
By: Annie Deakin | 23/12/2009 | Home ImprovementChoosing the right furniture for each room is extremely important. Our home is more than a place where we come to rest and relax after a day of stressful work; it's an extension of our personality and a true refuge. We want modern furniture items at affordable prices. Unfortunately, the quality...