Companion Planting Herbs in Pots
rabbithutch
10 years ago
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fatamorgana2121
10 years agoAindra
10 years agoRelated Discussions
Companion planting with herbs and flowers; how close is too close
Comments (4)I'm mainly thinking of herbs such as lemon and bee balm to attract bees and enhance flavor... Ok, attracting pollinators is always a good thing! Even tho most veggies are self pollinating it is always handy to have them for the squash and such. All around the edges of the garden works well for that purpose. And they aren't picky either - most any flowering plants will get their attention. Improving taste is another matter since it simply can't be proven/documented in any way and some problems can result depending on how planted - shading from the bigger plants, needing very different nutrient and water needs, competing for nutrients and water, attracting pests that can harm the primary crop (as marigolds do with aphids), etc. Again borders work ok, mixed in with the vegetables needs to be done with care. A herb garden or patch or even in a separate row that is just herbs is a great thing to have and since herbs prefer much lower nutrient needs than vegetables they thrive best when away from all the heavy fertilizing is. Mixed in with the tomato plants and such - not so much. Experiment with some placements and see what works for you best. I posted this question in the companion planting...and got no replies Yeah that's a problem and a clue as to the fading popularity of it. There is still alot of information to read there but it isn't active. When the fad was hot and heavy years ago it was pretty aggressive in this forum with all its claims and things got pretty heated so was given its own forum. Over time and with experience and questionable results the fad and the forum has pretty much faded. It just never developed into all it was initially cracked up to be. Dave...See Moretulip bulb in pots....any companion plants?
Comments (4)Calistoga is right; the tulips will last a couple of weeks, and then you'll have fading, browning leaves and nothing else. Take the pots out of their showplace (replace them with something else) and at the end of the season sift the bulbs out and store them in the refrigerator if you want them to bloom again next season. Otherwise, toss the spent bulbs and plant something else in the pots. I have "leftover" tulip bulbs that I've forgotten/missed, and they've survived after something else has been planted and watered all summer in the same pot; they grow again in the spring, but since it doesn't get cold enough here (Sacramento), they don't bloom....See MoreCompanion herb Planting
Comments (4)Lemon balm spreads by seed quite readily. It is a valuable herb for tea, but could easily take over the whole patch eventually unless you plant it downwind. The other mints should be kept as separate as possible to minimize cross pollenation, but most mints only come back true from cuttings rather than seed anyway. In my zone 5 experience, chocolate mint needs a bit of coddling to do well; it would probably not be able to stand up to the more vigorous mint varieties. Thyme, of course, needs protection from the larger herbs or it will be shaded out. In my area, it overwinters only with sharp drainage (eg in a pot) but the soil here is heavy clay. Basil and parsley are not perennials, so you could position them in spots that your perennial herbs would gradually fill. Parsley will overwinter and reseed if you let it, which is advisable since it also is host to a butterfly (swallowtail, I think)....See MoreWorms in indoor herb plant pots
Comments (2)Earthworms are not a good idea for container grown plants. Worms feed on organic matter, right? That's what they do.....feed on the bits and pieces of 'stuff ' and turn it into worm poop. In our gardens and lawns, worms are very beneficial; within the confines of a container they reduce a nice, coarse textured medium into.....well, worm poop. Good stuff in the garden as part of the big working mechanics and chemistry of a soil system, but mucky and sticky in containers. After all, our objective for any potting medium must be that it remains porous, coarse, and fast draining. Worms muck that up in a container. I suggest that you find a good, porous potting soil which will allow the roots to develop robustly and use a soluble fertilizer of your choice. Containerized plants rely on us to provide nutritional support....there's a million products on the market to help us do just that, including organic fertilizers. Earthworms just aren't of any benefit in the containers with our plants. Do you want to talk about the issues with your plants?...See Morerabbithutch
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