Growing Herbs In Containers, Part 2: Soil, Fertilizer, Watering, etc...

It’s a given that an herb garden is a wonderful thing. Herb gardening in containers is relatively easy and most varieties can be grown successfully, either on a windowsill, a patio or a balcony.

       Containers were discussed in a previous posting, so let's start out discussing Soil

When you grow plants in containers, it's important to provide them with a high quality potting soil or soil-less mix. You can't just run out to the backyard and dig up a little dirt! Why Not Use Soil from the Garden? You certainly could use soil right from your garden in containers. However garden soil comes with 2 major disadvantages: 1. Lack of Drainage - Garden soil tends to be somewhat heavy and without tilling, either by you, earthworms or other insects, it begins to compact after several waterings--That is, IT LACKS STRUCTURE! This loss of structure is especially hard on the tender roots of young seedlings just getting established. Ordinary garden soil, especially those so frequently found in the DFW area, is much too heavy and lacks structure for containerized plants. What you're looking for is a soil that is loose and well drained. 2. You Don’t Know What’s Coming in With Garden Soil - Disease spores, bacteria, plant eating insects, weed seeds and assorted other unwanteds can easily hitch a ride with your garden soil There are all kinds of natural predators and weather phenomenon outdoors that help keep these things in check. To use this soil indoors, OR IN CONTAINERS IN GENERAL (INSIDE OR OUT) first you’d need to sterilize it with some sort of heat treatment, and then do something about the structure...A LOT of work and risky business... First off, if the soil is workable at all, you have to dig it up... Back Yard Garden Soil Screening out sticks, stones and other foreign matter And now it can be sterilized with heat...Even after that, it still lacks STRUCTURE... So we have to add Perlite: Perlite for adding Structure  (the white stuff you see in good potting mix--it's actually crushed volcanic rock and allows for drainage) and some Peat Moss or Sphagnum Moss Spaghnum Peat to build structure with an organic material for more structure and organic content...  A perfect ratio is one-third each of; the sifted, sterilized garden soil, Perlite and Spaghgnum--all mixed thoroughly together to make for good soil structure, rich in organic material-- Sounds like a hassle, doesn't it? IT IS!!! THE SOLUTION: Purchase a quality potting mix! Available at Into The Garden   Fertilizer ALL plants need both Macro and Micro Elements for proper growth Nitrogen (N), Phosphrous (P) and Potassium (K) are the main (Macro) elements REQUIRED for plant growth and health and are listed on all fertilizer packages as a three number formula such as 20-20-20 Most good fertilizers ("Plant Food") also contain the smaller quantities of "Micro Elements" too. Although the "micros" are needed in much smaller percentages, they are just as important for the successful growing of all plants--and herbs are no exception! While most herbs require little fertilizer, you do need to pay closer attention to container grown plants. Because the amount of soil around the plant is limited to the size of the container, it dries out faster and requires more nutrients than the soil in your garden. If your plants lose their color or look a little peeked during the growing season, apply fertilizer at half the recommended strength every few weeks. NOTE: Apply fertilizers sparingly to herbs. Heavy applications will produce large plants, but the essential oils that produce their flavor and aroma will be greatly reduced. Watering When it comes to watering containerized herbs, keep in mind that they will dry out faster and require more attention than plants in your backyard gardens! Containerized Purple Sage How much you water will depend on several factors, and, in containers, we can pretty much control them all: 1. Plant all of your containers in the same type of soil/soil-less mix and, essentially,  they will all dry out at the same rate… Try to use the same soil in all your pots 2. Be aware of, and make allowances for, the amount of exposure to sun, rainfall and wind… 3. Keep in mind that the average temperatures vary throughout the season… Trailing Rosemary Herbs Grown In Small Containers Need Frequent Watering, Maybe Daily! 4. Pot size—and plant size-- also determine the amount of water each needs… If temperatures are warm, a container may require water once or twice a day. Watch closely, and water when the potting mix appears dry and pale, or has shrunk away from the sides of the container. Also, poke your finger in the soil. If it feels moist, it's all right. If it feels dry, start watering. Keep in mind, that many herbs prefer drier, as opposed to wetter conditions. Make sure you check the watering requirements for individual plants! Sun/Light The essential oils, that give herbs their flavor and aroma, are produced in the largest quantity when they receive plenty of light. For best results, most herb varieties require at least 6 hours of sun per day —A bit less during the grueling hot summer in Texas. If you see that your herbs are not getting enough sun, just pick them up and move them to a sunnier spot. If they are in too much sun, move them to a shadier location. Shifting container locations is also desirable as the amount of available sunlight changes with the seasons. If growing indoors, many plants will do fine on a south facing windowsill. ONE FINAL NOTE: Read the light and water requirements found on most individual plant labels—It’s not “Rocket Science”            ALL OF THE PRODUCTS SHOWN ARE AVAILABLE AT: SEE YA THERE!!! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE USE OF ANY COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL IS USED UNDER THE GUIDELINES OF "FAIR USE" IN TITLE 17 & 107 OF THE UNITED STATES CODE. SUCH MATERIAL REMAINS THE COPYRIGHT OF THE ORIGINAL HOLDER AND IS USED HERE FOR THE PURPOSES OF EDUCATION, COMPARISON, AND CRITICISM ONLY. NO INFRINGEMENT OF COPYRIGHT IS INTENDED