Basil, Coriander, Flat leaf parsley
Jonesk
Posts: 205
Hi all,
We use Basil, Coriander and flat leaf parsley by the bucket load in this house.
Last summer I sowed approx. 20 seeds per pot into compost and grew them on the windowsill (had about 2 basil, 2 flat leaf parsley and 4 coriander plants growing at any one time) I gave them liquid fertiliser every 2 weeks (I think it was the miracle grow for flowers variety). This winter I went back to buying short lived supermarket plants that cost a fortune.
This year as-well as having some indoor windowsill crops I'd like to try and plant some outside in my herb garden (the slugs ate them all last year when I tried to plant out!)
My question is what is the most productive way to do this? How many seeds to plant for quick harvesting windowsill varieties? Should I plant less seeds in those I plan to transplant outdoors? Should I grow more outside than inside for best productivity? When should I sow for those I intend to plant outside and when should I plant out? Any tips for slugs? (not slugs pellets as we have toads and hedgehogs) Any tips on fertilizers?
I have the Garland grow light garden (a small indoor light system) for starting things off, but no access to a greenhouse. Just use of a conservatory windowsill.
Apologies for the mass of questions but I don't want to give those supermarkets another penny for what I could easily grow myself 
Thanks in advance
Posts
Hi Jonesk. We also use lots of all of those. I usually grow the parsley and coriander outside and sow quite a few seeds per container (though perhaps not as many as 20 depending on the size of the container). Basil I grow in the greenhouse and transplant to only 2 or 3 plants per 6 inch pot and they grow into very large plants. I don't see why this wouldn't work in a conservatory as well if they're getting plenty of light and sun.
Slugs aren't a problem for the parsley but for coriander and basil I put the pots on top of copper rings so that the slugs/snails can't get access.
I would change your fertiliser - anything designed to produce flowers is not the one you want - with parsley, coriander and basil once the plants have produced flowers they'll stop growing.
You want something with higher nitrogen content to encourage the production of leaves rather than flowers.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thanks singing gardener.
I've just started my flat leaf parsley off by seed. About how many parsley/coriander would you transplant into a 6" pot ready to grow on for outside? When would you plant each of those plants out?
Previously I harvested the pot to the base then threw it away, how much of each outdoor plants do you harvest at a time and how many plants of each do you generally grow? we usually use 1 medium sized supermarket pot of each per week. (There is a massive saving to be made here if I can get it right!)
Thanks dove from above,
any particular product recommendations? should I look for one aimed at vegetable growth?
I'm afraid I don't have a very scientific approach to these so am not sure of exact numbers. I don't transplant the parsley and coriander but just sow them quite thinly. I've had parsley in my garden container all this winter because it's been so mild and basil and parsley on the kitchen windowsill (the basil looks quite sorry for itself though because I let the room get too cold when we went away last weekend).
I harvest fairly sparingly and let the plants regrow.
I don't use any fertiliser on any of them.
I think the problem with supermarket pots is that they plant loads of seeds in each pot so that they look great when you buy them but then start over-competing with each other very quickly.
If you use a good multi-purpose compost you shouldn't need to use fertilizer for at least 6 weeks after planting - after that I would use an organic liquid seaweed diluted at half strength directed on the pack - that should be fine for herbs.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Dove, you took the words out of my mouth
We plant in old wooden boxes OH has, they last the summer in a good compost
A A Milne
I find that parsley can be a bit slow to get going from seed so I treat myself to one of the larger pots from the supermarket in March. I harden it off outside over a few days and then divide it into smaller plants. I usually get about 10 or 12 small plants and just stick them straight into my raised beds (outside) about 6" apart.
I can start harvesting almost straight away and each small plant quickly becomes larger than the original pot. If I was working with containers I would probably put 1 or 2 small plants per container (depends on the size of the pot obviously).
I have done the same with supermarket coriander and basil but these were not as successful so I prefer to grow these from seed.
I find that parsley can be cut very hard several times and comes back well over the whole season until the leaves are frosted. Coriander will take 2 or 3 cut backs before it starts becoming spindly and weak so I do successional (usually 3 or 4) sowings to keep it going until the frosts. I find basil quite difficult & temperamental outside unless it's in a really sheltered, sunny spot.
I have planted at least 10 parsley plants in my herb garden where everything else grows beautifully - rosemary, thyme, coriander, sage etc. But the parsley just dies every time. I have never managed to grow enough to use even once. Any advice? Thanks
Barbara - rosemary, & thyme like sunny, dry, hot conditions and will tolerate poorer soil - parsley grows best in slightly cooler, moister conditions and tolerates some shade. I find it prefers a slightly richer soil. Perhaps you are trying to grow it in less than ideal conditions?
Coriander likes somewhere between the two extremes (but will run to seed quickly if it gets too hot and dry) and sage (I find) likes it sunny, good drainage but with a bit more moisture.