This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
Filling container pots with herbs
selina.shields
Posts: 7
in Plants
Hello there,
Can anyone please let me know if I can plant some herbs in a large container with a small willow tree planted last July.
Thanks Selina
0
Posts
You could, but they would not be happy!
Young trees need to establish without competition - a circle at least a metre across kept free of other plants is the usual recommendation.
Willows need lots of water soil and don't mind shade, while all the Mediterranean herbs - thyme, rosemary, lavender, sage and marjoram/oregano need poor, sharply drained soil and revel in full sun. The herbs that could cope with the soil and moisture, like mint and lovage, are too rampant or grow too large.
The only one that might work well, if the pot is large enough, would be a circle of chives around the edge. That will cope with shade if need be. but probably flowers better with some sun and is less choosy as to soil.The purple flowers would look pretty too
Is it one of these Kilmarnock willows you have put in the pot? Otherwise a normal willow will outgrow the pot in a few years unless the pot is humongous!
Herbs in a pot? Yes as long as you mix sun lovers together or shade lovers.
Willow in a pot? No. It will die of thirst or starvation as they are vigorous growers and like to send their roots deep in search of water. Even those pretty pink and cream Japanese ones want to grow huge so will need constant pruning. A Kilmarnock will shade out anything below.
Thank you to all. Advice very much appreciated!