Just to let you know, some of those plants reach a decent size, Valerian is medium sized, peppers make a small bush, the St John's Wort can become a very large bush. Basil, dill and the peppers are annuals and need warmth to germinate. Aloe needs perfect drainage and I've never seen it started from seed, not that it can't be, I've never tried it.
Roses are excruciatingly hard to start from seed. I've tried, and I've started seeds from years and didn't get germination.
Other than that, should be okay. :D

I had already planned to get a small aloe and wild rose rather than a seed. Can I keep cutting the St John's Wort back to keep it smaller?

Not wishing to dampen your enthusiasm but I really wouldn't want a wild rose on MY balcony.(Assuming you mean Rosa canina) Not if I ever wanted to go out there myself. They grow long arching canes clothed in ferocious thorns which can cover an area of many square yards. I doubt it would thrive in a pot. You would need to prune out last years canes every year which would be a painful and awkward job in a confined space. The word 'bush' does not really describe a wild rose, more like a 'thicket' outside your window! Then you would have to dispose of the prunings some how. I have grown them from seed and the secret is to sow fresh seed in Autumn, put them outside and forget about them. They need a period of chilling and germination will be erratic. They may take two or even three seasons to decide to come up. There are loads of more amenable herbs you could grow on a balcony and use all year round in cooking rather than just harvesting a few hips or petals. What about bay, rosemary, myrtle, blueberry or a patio apple in a pot if you want something shrubby? You do not mention some of the herbs which are relatively happy in pots such as sage or parsley. Calendula is also easy and pretty.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:886683}}

Keep in mind that several of the herbs you want have weed potential - gotu kola, St. John's Wort (which is banned in many areas as an environmental thug), dill (which self-seeds readily) and lemon balm (which is a member of the mint family and can spread far and wide by its roots and its seeds.

Aloe vera (there are many aloes, so you need to be specific which one you get) can also spread quite a distance by producing pups. You'll need a very large pot for that one.

Similarly, cayenne is a particular kind of chilli plant (Capsicum frutescens). Chillies are easy to grow in warm climates and may grow for several years, but in colder climates they should be treated as annuals. See the link below.

It's easy to search through this forum, and elsewhere on the internet for the cultivation details you're after.

As for other 'staples' - there are hundreds to choose from. Most culinary herbs have medicinal uses as well. I suggest you take a tour around a herb nursery; touch, smell and taste the ones that appeal to you, take notes, then go home (or to your library) and look up the uses of each one you've selected.

If you're just starting out, I suggest you start with no more than half a dozen or so, then as you become more experienced, expand your collection. Beware, growing herbs can be an addictive hobby! Remember, too, that most beginners are surprised to learn just how BIG herbs can be, and how far they can spread!It's really important that you do some homework on the requirements and habits of each plant you select.

Here is a link that might be useful: cayenne

Be aware that valerian used medicinally generally isn't harvested until it is at least 4 years old. You might want to consider waiting until you have a permanent home in the ground for it.

As to wild rose, you may be better off starting with a cutting for faster results. Thyme starts very easily from cuttings as well.

Dear Sir/Madam,

Could you please advice me where I can find gotu kola branches with roots ( i guess a very small one is ok*)+ the price of it/Shipping to Turkey and that I can quickly plant it to my garden and grow it because I think it is very hard for me to germinate them.
Best Rgds,
rahim
A PASSAGE fROM INTERNET
*Truth is, once you've got it, you've always got it - in superabundance! It can quickly become a weed, and can become an environmental thug. (Roots will grow from every stolon that touches the soil - and there's a stolon every 3-4cm or so along every runner!) The climate in SE QLD is perfect for it.

Please use the SEARCH WINDOW at the bottom of these pages. There are MANY 'SIRS' and 'MADAMS' who post and lurk here, and no one can help very much without your helping yourself first, by doing a SEARCH for some KEY WORDS of what you need to know. This is a USA based site, but an help for some tropical and subtrocpical plants. No plants are sold or traded here either, so you need to go to the 'plant and seed sharing' forum.
Good luck!

ksrogers, when you type in upper case it looks like you're screaming at others. Are you a moderator? You tend to come across very hostile in my opinion.

Hitturkey, we in foreign countries may not be allowed to send plants to you in Turkey. You need to check with your Customs people for the rules, which may prohibit plants from certain countries, but permit them from others.

I suggest you search your local plant nurseries and ask one to order plants in for you. Alternatively, you could hunt through your telephone directory for herb suppliers, or you could check out Turkish websites.

It's possible you might find a source in India for Gotu Kola. That's a little closer to you than most of us here at the forum.

Seeds for Gotu Kola may be difficult to obtain, but you might do better to hunt for plants or cuttings.

Wherever you begin your hunt, you need to know the botanical name for the plant you want. Kotu Kola is Centella asiatica, sometimes called Hydrocotyle asiatica. Another common name for it is Pennywort.

Hostility is in the eyes of the beholder. With massive doses of Prednisone, its very hard to deal with some inane, redundent, or too generalized issues. My emotions are on the edge, kidney failure is in the next few months, and mediations have been increase to twice the doses (22 prer day). I have good reason to use UPPER CASE, as its a way to WAKE UP a few people. Luckily its NOT ALL 'SHOUTING! Gimme a break, I am sick, getting sicker, and have no inclination to be as nice as I always try to be. Also, in ths USA, there IS still 'freedom of speech and expression' ?? Unless all that was taught is gone in anticipation of some worldwide overthrow.. If you read the inital note from "hitturkey', the english wordking is a bit 'curved', and it seemed to tell me that that the poster was asking for a sir or madam to buy a plant from. This forum isn't a buy/sell as far as I know, BUT there is another forum that DOES offer that, so I just simply tried to point out that the person may need a bit more searching effort, after find the WHOLE GARDEN WEB SITE. I search every day nearly 90% of the time, for EVERYONE ELSE. It just seems to get under my skin at times when a simple question like 'how do I grow herbs?', or "what herbs grow in the heat?" is asked. Obviosly these are just ripe for the picking (on). Herbs are many, and a single sentence asking for so many answers can fill nearly a 20 pound novel of explainations just for something that cannot be done here, unless YOU would like to volunteer??

DaisyDuckworth is our long time resident TROPICAL plant expert here, and if she pops in for a reply and its to simply tell the poster to look in his/her own back yard, can that also be offensive???

I LIVE IN AN APARTMENT AND I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM--A GARDNER'S SPIRIT IN A SMALL SPACE AND NOT ENOUGH LAND!! I THINK YOU WILL BE FINE WITH THE ROSE. I WORK IN A NURSERY AND WE KEEP OUR ROSES IN POT UNTIL THEY ARE BOUGHT. AT THE END OF THE SUMMER, THEY ARE STILL THRIVING AND BLOOMING IN THE POTS. YOU MAY WANT TO TRY A "KNOCK-OUT" ROSE. THEY ARE DISEASE RESISTANT AND THEY ARE CONTINUOUS BLOOMERS.

GOOD LUCK!!

Ksrogers, I've debated long and hard whether or not to comment on some of your responses lately, and the reactions others have had to them.

I can truly sympathise with you over your illness. I, too, have been very ill for the last 18 months or so, having been diagnosed with a serious and potentially fatal disease for which there is no cure. It only adds to my woes, since prior to that I was already a disabled person due to entirely unrelated problems. It's one of those nasty conditions which causes other diseases, and if one doesn't kill me, another will.

I, too, have been on large doses of steroids and a cocktail of other drugs, all of which have had their own unpleasant side-effects (not least of all near-fatal allergic reactions).

I, too, have had the emotional stress of having to come to terms with it all, and to deal with it on a daily basis. I spend much of my time in hospital, travelling to and forth by ambulance, and my GP, the pathologists etc come to me at my home in between hospital visits because I'm unable easily to get out and about.

Although I get angry and frustrated at times (lots of times!), I don't see the need to take it out on other people. I, too, spend a lot of time searching for information on behalf of other people, and in repeating myself for the umpteenth time to newcomers, or pointing out the obvious to them. I don't see the point in getting cranky about it. You, and I, and every other person, are not obliged to do it. If it makes you cranky, the simple solution is not to reply. Why add unnecessarily to your stresses?

It's all part of the sharing process in a forum such as this. It's nice to give the newcomers a time to find their feet here, to become familiar with the search facility, to browse through earlier posts. Aside from that, it would be a boring old place if nobody asked questions (no matter how inane) and you and I and other regulars had none to reply to! Wouldn't it?

Daseyduckworth,
Have you seen the new post above shouting?? If you read through my many THOUSANDS of posts here in herbs, gardeningm fruit trees, alliums, and in the now very active Harvest forum, you will soon realize that frustratiion and continual repetion can get to anyone, no matter what they are on to help calm them down. Today, from 11am until now, I have been just here, and the Harvest forum, emptying my poor overtaxed 63 year old brain over and over again. Thats still a whole day, that I don't feel as totally wasted effort or negative input. But if you feel that I am way too angry and wish to chastize me, go right ahead. I made mention to the term 'Spoon Fed' recently, which was never originally stated by me, but was a quote from me to another person under teh am context. Another recent poster had made that remark in my defense that a big trend towards continual, and almost daily repeated questions seem to be coming here. We all get hot under the coller and some more than others. If we were kids in school trying to learn by jusy sitting there waiting for us to be told what to do, do you think the teachers would want to pull a single student aside and try and cram more knowledge into a single brain. Not today, its just too much for the lowly teacher, unless they have the time, energy, and prolonged patience. I have nearly none left at times, and with definate renal failure ever closer, and no other medical direction to turn for help, I find that sometimes people DO want to be spoon fed and simply do not know to do a few seconds of simple research. US health care here is Medicare, and inappropriatly named that, as it should be called MEDIKILL. Insurance companies now control the doctors, and dictate what we are allowed to take as treatments, as opposed to our trust in a doctors knowledge and decisions. 22 medications per day, and triple the amounts of insulin are in my future now. The insurance company said I can't have more, the doctors say yes I need more. Who wins? Its surely not me...

Another typical example of person asking for an item they have not been able to find and source to buy from in Canada.. I posted a direct link to a company that sells that same exact item in small bulk sizes, but at a little higher cost of a tiny little box. I dont make the prices and shipping/tax, the sellers do. I get back a very negative overtone reply about its just too expensive to buy a tiny little amount to be used in home canning, and have to pay extra for S&H...! If your doing ONE SINGLE home canning project, then YES, but if your planning on doing a LOT, and for YEARS, and NEED this very necessary item, and you dispute and shoot down the original, thoughtful,and helpful person who is just TRYING THEIR BEST to help others. My 'terse' reply to that was, you can buy it anywhere you like at any price only you want to pay, I only offered a SUGGESTION.. A SUGGESTION of a source in MY USA, where they sell it in a little larger bulk amount at a LOT cheaper overall cost but you still pay a bit more for it Canada. That same, (now a complainer) has been lamenting about not finding it anywhere, and has been shot down by every single place they look at. I do LOTS of stuff in a big way. If I need supplies that are not perishable, I buy a LOT, because I use a lot, I hate to run out. Frugality only goes so far, and if an herb or seed needs to be located, I try to provide MY favorite SUGGESTION, again, SUGGESTION about where to find something. The word SEARCH is VERY powerful now with a World Wide Computer linked network. 20 years ago, you had to resort to phones, letters, and phone books, or word of mouth, begging, and futility.

Say I wanted a big amount of Angel food cake mix for making them anytime, and one that has no sugar added, I would do a SEARCH first, before asking a very broad based and quite common question on a forum that has many many mismatched people, subjects, and virtually, no way to combine informaton that can be put in a few simple words. A tiny little bit of xtra effort by the questioner, saves a lot of extra energy for others, if most of the info is already published publicly, and is easily found even here, even with a terrible Search feature that pulls up way too much for a quick reading. I think that about 85% of the people who use computers to find information don't really know how or where to search for ANYTHING. Every single web browser today offers very powerful search tools.

One recent situation I needed a specially made specific electronic component recently (among my MANY hobbies and other interests). Went on the internet and spent two days with hundreds of possible sources, with no luck. I simply did a tiny bit more digging only to find that part is obsolete and now renumbered/renamed. I still needed it, but now, its only available and sold in England, not here. I paid extra, nearly TWICE the cost of each component, just to get 4 of these little parts, averaging price of .79 cents for 10,000 quantity, or $12.00 EACH for 1-10 pieces. Do the math, and obvously a 10,000 pc. quantity is way too many for my needs, but I must bite the bullet and pay dearly at a much higher, inflated cost for only what need.

A final 'and not so winded' note, an 'herb forum', is a place to find herb info, but just asking a simple repeated question is going to get to a few people if the members here read the same thing over and over every day.. Doesn't ever use anyone use a scroll button or a mouse, or even know what they do? Oddly, I found me feet here in about 5 minutes of speed reading a few hundred posts!

Actually I just joined yesterday but have noticed within the past 24 hours of viewing this site that you are very hostile and it is completely unnecessary. I understand that many people ask silly or mundane questions in your opinion, but you are by no means required to therefore respond. I picked up on this and wasn't going to say anything, but am rather glad someone else did. I'm not trying to gang up on you, but it needs to be pointed out. Gardening should be a peaceful, loving hobby where other can relate and share and enjoy the experience and find help when needed. This is no place for anger and hostility.

If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.

If you can't offer advice without hostility, we'll find advice from someone else. It's fine. We don't need you that badly.

I am sorry if you are ill. Take care of yourself first and then you can attempt to "help" others.

If we are mistakenly taking your words as wrongly hostile, then take this as a kind way of saying, please watch the way you type. It is a rather offensive. Try to use encouragin words, helpful suggestions and constructive criticism.

How about, "so-and-so, could you please be more specific about which herbs you are wishing to grow as there are thousand of species all of which are unique" and "so-and-so this question has been answered in previous postings. Please try to do a search on your specific needs before starting a new thread"

Thank you.

Name calling and labeling gets you an arguement. Since I was trying to WAKE a few people up, I now see that all my helpful advice is just taken in the wrong context. For me to see a new person and a very well respected person jump down on me due to my being OBVIOUSLY frustrated by a few people who expect all the answers handed to to them on a silver platter, is just too much aggrevation and frustrion. This is it, I give up. Far too many idiots in the flock to deal with, no matter how you feel about me, I will close up shop here and move on. I don't need this crap anymore, nor did I ever want it to be dragging on for so long.

Say goodbye! This forum is now deleted from my future computer activity, as its not helping me, only continually slapping me in the face now, and just yesterday, starting to punch me down even more.. You are all welcomed to jump on me now, but I will be elsewhere where I am still respected for being VERY FRANK, and to the point. Stress does not come easy for me, but the line has now been crossed way too much for way too long.. I have been brought up as a giving person, but if I am stabbed in the back, its a battle I have on my hands. A fighter, no, a lover yes.. Freedom of speech and expression were still our greatest liberties, but if they are stomped on, they are not worth the extra fighting from anyone who doesn't want to defend their basic beliefs.

Daisyduckworth you are a gracious font of advice as always...and I don't see where you are doing any stomping or jumping.

However, as a physical therapist I'm all for exercise.

I work with people who are sick and in pain 5 days per week. Its easy to let pain/frustration boil back out as anger. Its hard to channel it into productive energy.

Now, to the original post. The wild rose, St John's wort grow to be large plants and are not likely to be happy campers in a small balcony container garden.

Basil loves sun and plenty of water and benefits from regular harvesting from the tips of the branches to prevent flowering ----it is fairly easy to grow in a container as long as you remember that.

Chives are happy in the ground or in a pot; again lots of sun and regular watering; harvest 1/3rd of the height of the plant as needed for cooking. If you notice a harder, thicker stem/leaf growing up through your plant do not cut it back as it is getting ready to bloom.

Dill has a long carrot-like root and tends to grow straight up and produce a large flower head. Again, it needs lots of sun and water. If you are growing any container tomato plants; place the dill as far away from the tomato as possible as for some reason dill stunts tomato growth.

Lemon balm is in the mint family and will spread to fill any size pot you wish to give it. It will also set seeds from tiny blossoms located along the stems under the leaves (not a big noticeable flowerhead like others in the mint family). Again, it will need a good amount of sun. It is perennial so you should be able to keep it going if you bring it indoors for the winter. It might survive on your balcony if you wrap and protect the pot for the winter.

Thyme is a perennial herb that needs moderate to full sun and great drainage. Be sure to add sand or vermiculite to the soil mix so that it doesn't just pout and mold in the pot. My sister leaves her potted thymes out on her deck through the winter in NC and they are now ~ 7 years old.

I've grown Aloe Vera in pots for years; outdoors in the spring and summer and indoors for the winter. It will produce young sideshoot plants and once the pot is full divide the clump for more plants or gifts. Partial to full sun and lots of water for that one, as it is a succulent plant.

Pepper plants are grown as annuals in some areas and perennials in others. Give it lots of sun and water and fertilize regularly (don't fertilize most herbs!). I've grown some peppers that formed tall willowy plants and needed staking/caging and others that were pretty sturdy stems and stayed upright without any assistance. You can judge for yourself and provide support if you think its needed (or just to be decorative, have fun!).

I am not familiar with the other herbs. Have fun with your portable garden and post some pictures to let us know how you are doing!

Ksrogers, if you feel so badly (ill) why bother coming here to respond to others? You strike me as a very intolerant and impatient person. I had considered never coming back to this forum because of your attitude, but after seeing how reasonable and kind most of the posters were, I decided to stay.

I empathise with you (I have been the caregiver to dying members of my family), and sometimes on edge or not feeling well myself, but I won't come here acting so cross. You need to take a break and take care of yourself. It is obvious you don't like giving advice or you would do so graciously instead of using your illness to attack others.

Now please have a nice day, and do take care.

Granite, I got a packet of St. John's Wort and was going to wait until next year to plant. My plan was to put the plant in the ground. Will it go through a winter in the ground, or must I take up?

Here is a link to info about growing St. John's Wort. I have only grown the plant once, when I lived in Edenton NC. It never bloomed!

Here is a link that might be useful: St John's wort