You cannot beat rosemary with your roast lamb, or parsley with your scrambled eggs, and its not too late to plant them for winter. Given that the ground is quite cold right now we decided to install some vertical pockets onto the side of the garden shed. Two rows or six pockets up as high as was possible to capture the sun until it lasts. So far they have done very well considering the ever-changing weather patterns!
What to plant?
Our herb garden consists of: Rosemary, Parsley, Mint, Sorrel, Lemon Thyme and a double dollop of Coriander as we love it. We have also Sweet William and Pansies as they are both pretty and edible - great in a salad!
You can also plant: Lavender, Borage, Peppermint, Lemongrass, Kawakawa, Sage, Calendular to name a few. Great for your health.
Placement:
It is quite important that the herbs get the right amount of sunlight. It would be good to get at least 4 hours of sunlight. You can see the recommended exposure on the back of the tags, and this should be seriously considered if you want the plants to thrive. As mentioned we felt the ground on our property was likely too cold and damp at this time of the year (we are prone to heavy rains & a clay soil), so fixing a couple of 4x2 wooden planks to the shed and screwing in the vertical planters seemed a good solution, or a raised bed at the ready. Each herb has its own pocket which you can swap around. You can put these pockets on just about anything, but sun is important.
Preparation:
Always find the strongest plants to buy. Whilst that may seem obvious, look out for any dead or discoloured leaves and carefully select the best plants. Purchase good quality potting mix, we used Tui Herb Mix for pots & containers and tucked them neatly into the pockets, topping up with more potting mix. Give them a good watering once in (moist, not waterlogged).
Care:
Make sure that they have enough water and light. Pick any struggling leaves and also de-head your edible flowers to promote more growth. When the winter herbs have done their dash, tip your potting mix into your compost & replenish the pocket and plant your spring selection. Enjoy!
