Saturday 6 May 2017

Tidying up the herb troughs ...

Hi everyone,

As much as I am willing warmer weather to arrive, it does not stay for any length of time & I am still layering up everyday.

Are you a fresh herb lover?  I like cooking & prefer to cook from scratch using fresh ingredients without preservatives & like using some freshly picked herbs for cooking, salads & for water.

I have a little herb selection that grows in troughs on the raised bedding between us & our neighbour. There is a service pipe that is in the raised bed so everything has to be able to be lifted off if need be.

The other advantage is that these planters are close to the kitchen door so it is quick to pop out in all weathers for fresh herbs & they can be covered with a long horticultural fleece strip in cold weather to protect them from frost.


 The planters enjoy a sheltered position between the wall / fence & the house which suits them.


I have 2 sets of terracotta herb markers which are brilliant because you know exactly what you are picking & the advantage is after winter, you can see what has not survived & needs replacing. The markers are also handy if someone else pops out to get herbs for cooking because it takes the guess work out of it.

No sign of the fennel & chives ...


A little clump of parsley won't be enough so a few more will be needed.


 My chamomile (used as a tea) & the dill has not survived.


This angelica was a gift from my friend Kathy - that is looking very healthy already.




Thyme is always hardy - it needed a trim as it was a little woody.


 Lemon balm is lovely in food & a few stems are refreshing in cold water ...


The trough that is tucked behind the hedging plants for shade, contains various mint plants. They are our most used herb in summer & the various ones are always interesting - chocolate, pineapple, spearmint, peppermint etc


The troughs have been topped up with fresh potting soil & a feed so hopefully they will soon be at their best again.

I have a list of plants I need thanks to the markers ....

After cutting back the rosemary which is a little woody, I stacked some more wood in my chimnea on the patio & added the rosemary cuttings to it. They will add a lovely fragrance to the air when it is lit.


A very pleasant afternoon & a job well done. Which herbs do you use the most? Which can you recommend for the gaps that I am not yet growing?

Thank you for stopping by & taking time to read & comment.
Dee ~♥~

5 comments:

  1. Such a good idea. I have a similar space that I might use. Lemon Balm can grow quite big though.
    Jenny.

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    1. Hi Jenny, that sounds like a great use of your space too - I have 5 identical black troughs & find they work well & I like that height for picking & cutting too. They are also by the kitchen door so it is quick to pop out in all weathers to get some fresh herbs. Good luck with your planting - please pop back & let me know what you have planted!

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  2. Mint, cilantro and basil are my go-to herbs. I have been planting all week, so I should have some "good stuff" soon!
    Funny story: I love the house wrens, and they are prolific around our feeders, porches and water pans. I planted a big pot of thyme seed a few weeks ago. It came right up and was about 1/2" high and looking very healthy!! I looked out the window as I was dressing for work one morning, and there sits Jenny wren...IN the flower pot, and she had eaten nearly all of the thyme that was coming up. I wanted to strangle her, but I just had to laugh!! I bet she was the best "seasoned" bird in town! I fooled her after that and used bedding plants to refill the flower pot. She won't fool with the bigger plants!!
    Have a great weekend, Happy Mother's Day and blessings to you!!
    J

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    1. Hi Jaybird - little wrens are the sweetest birds but yours has clearly decided that you are planting for her. Hope your Mother's Day is fabulous. We have our Mothering Sunday in March in the UK x

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