Oh, Sierra, you had me laughing out loud with your comments about deadheading. I do spend many hours deheading. There is simply no way to keep up with the volume I have. For the two months of their flowering season, I probably spent an hour and a half a week just deading sunflowers last year. Those aren't so bad because they are easy to reach. But honestly, I'd rather yank them than break my back bending over to deadhead those low growing marigolds. Though I have to admit they were rather spectacular, flowering in that volume. That many marigolds have a distinctly skunky odor. They've all been pulled out of the plot and burned, but there are nonetheless thousands of seeds left behind. This spring, early on, I'll water to encourage sprouting, then I'll dig them in as green manure. Lorna

I would like small parsley and rosemary plants. Also any mint. I do have peppermint though. I have lots of DVD's for trade. Including I would love some Valerian seedlings. Since I am new to GW My plant list is small but I have tons of DVD's that are new I would like to trade. Including Double Cross, One way out, Honeymoon in Bali, Dishonored Lady, Carnival Story, The Ape, Bruce Le in the Super Gang, Tangled, Rage of the Masters, Duel of the Iron Fist, Monsoon, Kansas City Confidential, Miracle of Faith (the evolution of Christian Heritage), A Farewell to Arms, Rivals of the Dragon, Roy Rogers in the Arizona Kid, Heroes of the West (120 minutes of Western TV) including Roy Rogers and Annie Oakley and Wild Bill, Kiss me, Kill me, The Great Dan Patch (about a horse?) He Walked by Night) Boot Hill;, The Lady and the Highwayman, The image of Bruce Lee and many many many more....

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).

They are in the sun with some shade in the morning and late afternoon, in a redwood planter box on a deck. I have had them there for several years without this problem-- I have to hand water them. Thank you for answering --I wonder if I am over watering or under watering? both the Italian parsley and the mint re-seed. Again I appreciate any help.