It's been a month since I planted some seeds in small pots. Six packs of assorted herbs namely: rocket, herb mix, Italian mix, thyme, basil, and chives.
Can you guess from the photos the thriving ones?
I watered them with the same amount of water, and I decided to leave them all together in one location. That decision was based on previous experience I have had with growing these herbs, and secondly, I have no choice, as there's limited space in the bow of my narrowboat where I store them above my water tank.
Here's a link to part one, if you'd like to check it out:)
I could glorify my efforts and tell you some amazing things that I did to get these leaves looking green, lush, and oh so tempting for me to crunch my teeth in, but the reality is that I did nothing special.
Herbs can grow easily once you use quality soil that's free from weeds, and when watering them, the main thing is to make sure that the soil is moist. This suits me perfectly on the boat because as you might imagine living on a boat, I am conservative with my water consumption. Therefore, I store a large bottle of water, and then I refill and water plants whenever I stop by a water filling station. Otherwise, I rely on rain; especially during these months when light showers seem to be the norm.
Once a week is perfect for all these herbs, especially the way I water them. On very hot sunny days, I find it effective and easier to water my herbs by using a spray bottle. This way I can mist all the leaves and still pour water at the roots. Plants need hydration just like humans; however, it's important not to oversaturate the roots, because that could cause the leaves to wilt, or change to a yellowish colour.
It was a tad big surprise with the rocket left, and the Italian mix to the right.
After only a few days it started to sprout, and they continued to thrive as the best of the bunch.
The cream of the crop here!
I'm resisting the urge to pick any of those rocket leaves just yet. I hope the birds won't help themselves to it.
The Italian mix looks promising, and I had lost the tag for the Herb mix and was a little confused to see the variety of leaves, then it occurred to me what it was. These should be nice in a salad:)
Yummy yummy in my tummy :)))))
The Thyme needs more time
Why do I struggle with thyme? I've never had success with growing these. The seeds were so tiny to start with, but you can see a few stems sprouting out, so maybe I just need to give the thyme some time to grow.
The big surprise for me is the basil. I normally have gold fingers (well, a green thumb I should say) when it comes to growing basil in a tropical climate, but it's my first time growing my herbs here in the UK. So I have no idea what's happening with it, the same for the chives, but I continue to nurture them all.
I'm gonna pop outside when the sun comes out... it's a bit on the chilly side, but I figure the sun will come out in an hour or two... and I will tidy up the soil by removing these little white petals that make their way into the pots.
That's what my portable garden is looking like after a month. I'll be tasting the rocket soon. Rocket is one of my favourite greens. I like the peppery kick it has. Hopefully, my crop will have a strong taste too.
Are you growing any potted plants in topical or cold climates? What are your experiences with them?
In essence:😉
#TheRocketRocketed
#TheThymeNeedsMoreTime
All images are belong to Camille Forbush (yours truly, millycf1976)
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