Herbal arrangements in containers
Many herbs feel great and grow in pots and containers. Different species can be planted in one container.
However, when choosing plants, remember that your neighbors should have the same job needs and similar growth force.Rainwater or watering from watering must not be allowed to linger at the bottom of the container. Drain holes or a drainage layer are necessary. The substrate should consist of one part sand and two flower soil.
Herbs should be fertilized and watered regularly, because the soil in the pots does not store water and nutrients.
Regular cutting stimulates the growth of herbs
The herbs on the flower bed will be he althy and thick if we provide them with good care. The most important thing is to get a good pruner.It is used for regular cutting of shoots, which stimulates plant growth. Flowering herbs such as Jerusalem artichoke, basil, and peppermint sprout new shoots covered with lots of delicious green leaves when cut.Basil, chives and bloodworm taste at their fullest before flowering. Cutting the shoots with flowers still undeveloped extends the harvest period.
Pests also arrive on the herb list
White or whitish-yellow spots on the leaves are most often a symptom of a plant attack by a pest from the fringes of the Mediterranean Sea.It is an insect from the jerboa family with the Latin name Eupteryx melissae (there is no Polish yet). This leafhopper feeds primarily on plants from the Lyme family, such as rosemary, sage, mint, lemon balm, lavender, marjoram and thyme.
The insect sucks the juice from the leaves, on which the characteristic spots appear.After some time, the leaves die off.The yellow decoy tablets help to fight the pest. The natural enemies of the jumper are predatory insects, incl. golden-eyed and ladybugs. Their larvae can be bought online or in larger shops and garden centers.
The next generation in a fragrant garden
Manually propagating plants will save us some money and, in addition, give us satisfaction.One-year herbs are most often grown from seeds.Whereas perennial, such as lavender, rosemary and sage, from cuttings:
1. First, fill a few pots with soil for propagation.
2. Cut the cuttings, green at the top and soft and slightly woody at the bottom, cut to a length of about 8 cm and remove a pair of lower leaves.
3. Before planting, the ends of the lavender cuttings are dipped in the rooting agent. The lowest leaves of the planted shoots should be above the ground.
4. At the end, carefully water the plants and put them in a sheltered place, e.g. in a mini-kettle, or cover them with transparent foil.Young plants take 3-5 weeks to take root.Then we can transplant them into larger pots or a flower bed.
Dung strengthens
Regular watering of herbs with diluted nettle slurry is an excellent treatment for them.Liquid manure helps plants to defend themselves against aphids and provides various minerals such as iron, potassium and calcium.Besides, nettle is a good source of nitrogen. Shred fresh shoots and pour water (10 l per 1 kg).
The mixture should stand in a sunny place for about 10 days. It should be mixed thoroughly every day. The addition of rock flour will reduce the unpleasant smell. We dilute the strained liquid manure 1:10.Water the plants around the roots with the solution.
Practical and pretty bedding
A sunny position is an ideal for many herbs. On the other hand, undemanding plants do not like excessively moist soil.However, during periods of summer dryness, they also need more water.To prevent moisture from evaporating too quickly, it is worth covering the area around the herbs with mineral bedding, e.g. heat-storing gravel or even shells in arrangements with coastal plants.
In addition, the mulch makes it difficult for weeds to live by preventing them from growing. The mulch layer should be 3-4 cm thick to allow air to reach the roots. Most herbs do not like humus soil, so avoid organic materials such as bark mulch.
A rug of thyme instead of a lawn
Short, barely regrowth from the ground herbs, and in addition resistant to trampling, will easily turn a garden path into an alley filled with fragrances. Creeping plants with an intense aroma, such as Thymus serpyllum or lemon thyme Thymus herbabarona var. citriodora.
1. Use your fingers to separate large clumps of plants into parts that will fit into the joints.
2. Place the tufts at intervals of approximately 20 cm.
3. We dig out small holes, plant the plants and press the soil around the roots tightly.
4. At the end of the plant, we should thoroughly water it.For thyme to take off well, water moderately in the early weeks.After that, a fragrant rug will need no more water.
Freezing or drying: ways to extend the herb season
Lavender, rosemary, marjoram and other Mediterranean herbs only release their typical aromas after drying.The cut shoots of the plants are bound into small bunches, which we hang upwards for two or three days in a bright and warm place. When the dried leaves rustle, remove the bundles. For longer storage, place them in jars with twisted lids.
Herbs that crumble after drying, such as parsley, lovage or chives, are best frozen. As frozen foods, they will last for months until there are very few herbs. It's a good idea to arrange the shredded herb leaves in ice cube molds.Flooded with water and frozen, they will be available in ready-made portions.
