Urban for herbs

Options
s1lence
s1lence Posts: 493
in Food and Nutrition
So my husband and I decided to do urban gardening last year and we had a bunch of tomatoes. Since we had such a success last year we are trying our had at it this year, expanding our plants to include tomatoes, bell peppers, chives, basil, spinach, and strawberries.

Now here are the questions:
Who does urban gardening and why, what do you like to plant?
How do you harvest herbs once they have reached adulthood, and are strawberries a year round fruit if you bring them inside?

(Hoping this thread goes farther than my last one did)

Replies

  • misskerouac
    misskerouac Posts: 2,242 Member
    Options
    Sadly I only have a rosemary plant. I use it a lot. I had a bigger herb garden but they died over the winter. I do NOT have a green thumb lol
  • CouldBeAHotMom
    CouldBeAHotMom Posts: 22
    Options
    Do you have facebook? The dinner garden often posts info on urban and apartment gardening. Check them out. I have gotten a LOT of ideas through them, and Pinterest.

    http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Dinner-Garden/

    Strawberries have a season, at least they do here. My herbs I don't harvest the first year. Then just with kitchen sheers.
  • s1lence
    s1lence Posts: 493
    Options
    Thank you very much. I will check that out :)
  • s1lence
    s1lence Posts: 493
    Options
    @ misskerouac Thank you for posting :)
  • bluestocking06
    bluestocking06 Posts: 66 Member
    Options
    My mom plants basil every year, ( at the jersey shore) and it grows like CRAZY all summer. When we want some, we just go out and strip a few leaves off. They easily get at least a foot tall each and she plants like 4 in the same pot. You just have to pick the flowers off before they bloom because it changes the taste of the leaves. They also only lasted one year, but with the amount we got off them it was totally worth it.
  • trixirn
    trixirn Posts: 130 Member
    Options
    I was going to try it this year since on my balcony. I have a brown thumb but gonna try anyway.
  • PoeRaven
    PoeRaven Posts: 433 Member
    Options
    We grow tomatoes and cucumbers and I also grow several pots of herbs every summer. Sweet Basil, Rosemary, Chives, and Oregano.
    I just trim the herbsand use them fresh in recipes throughout the season. At the end of the season, I harvest everything and make pesto from the basil and dry the rest for use throughout the rest of the year.

    Bon apetite!
  • CouldBeAHotMom
    CouldBeAHotMom Posts: 22
    Options
    My mom plants basil every year, ( at the jersey shore) and it grows like CRAZY all summer. When we want some, we just go out and strip a few leaves off. They easily get at least a foot tall each and she plants like 4 in the same pot. You just have to pick the flowers off before they bloom because it changes the taste of the leaves. They also only lasted one year, but with the amount we got off them it was totally worth it.

    I am terribly jealous! My basil never grows right!
  • cygnetpro
    cygnetpro Posts: 419 Member
    Options
    Year round, I've been pretty successful with basil (my favorite!) and rosemary. Haven't tried the others, but they sound awesome. Do you use grow lights?
  • cygnetpro
    cygnetpro Posts: 419 Member
    Options
    I think I wan't totally truthful (unintentionally). My rosemary did great all fall/winter/spring, but then I moved it out of my kitchen window to make room for other things (it was only about four inches away from its previous spot, but didn't get as much sun), and it just gave up the ghost about a week ago. No complaints-- I got a ton of use out of it. The basil comes and goes. Our grocery store sells the plants. Sometimes they thrive for a month or two, and other times a week or so. Outside in the summer, they grow like mad, but indoors it can be hit and miss. So I have fresh herbs all year, but in truth, I do occasionally kill them. :-)
  • Just_Dot
    Just_Dot Posts: 2,289 Member
    Options
    Up until last year, when I finally got my garden, I did a ton of stuff in pots on my front patio.

    Chives: they will come back year after year and they last a bit after the first frost. Mine are in a huge pot, so I've never brought them in, but I bet they would do okay indoors.

    Rosemary: mine did awesome last summer and it's doing well indoors now.

    Basil: keep it in a sunny spot and I've brought mine indoors. They don't last all winter, but I can get it to produce until December or January.

    Tomatoes: If you pick a type that is good for containers, ypu'll have better luck.

    Peppers:I've only done jalapeños, but they've done well.

    Have fun!
  • s1lence
    s1lence Posts: 493
    Options
    Thank you everyone :D This has helped me out a lot. Have fun gardening

Categories