successfully growing vegetables and herbs in containers

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Growing Herbs & Vegetables in containers--for Fall and Winter!

Luray Garden Club Paula P. Brownlee

Northern Shenandoah Valley Master Gardeners 8/8/17

2. Choosing Your Containers

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3. Where Do I Put My Containers?

• Sun

• Untreated water source nearby

• Outdoors: near the kitchen

• Indoors: South- or East-facing large window.

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4. Buying Small Plants.

• Herb and vegetable plants hard to find now.

• If you do, check root systems!.

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5. Your Own Plants: Slanting seeds.

• Soil or soil-less mix

• Watering essential!

• Seed-starting in tiny containers; no fertilizer

• Once germinated, weak fertilizer

• Once 2 sets “real” leaves: transplant

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6. A Few Tips for Planting Seeds Indoors

• Use germination planting mix • Sow thinly (easier for transplanting!) • Check light needs, days to maturity on packet or

Internet • Try e.g. basils, dwarf dill, parsley, lettuce.

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7. Divisions of Perennial Herbs

Divide healthy perennials by

jabbing a sharp tool right through

the root mass.

Trim foliage by 2/3rds and pot in

potting soil.

Keep well-watered.

Leave rest of plant in garden.

Try e.g.: chives, mints, oregano, thymes, winter savory.

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8. Rooting a Cutting (e.g. sage)

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Dip base in hormone powder Place in soilless mix containing perlite

Take ~4” shoot tip Strip leaves from base Cut base of stem

Make holes in mix to receive cuttings Water in well Keep warm, moist, and in indirect light Should root well in ~8 weeks

Try: basils, mint, rosemary, sages, thymes.

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9. What Herbs do YOU Like?

• Most people like:

– basil (annual)

– dill (dwarf only!) (annual)

– mint (invasive!) (perennial)

– chives (perennial)

– parsley (biennial)

– thyme (perennial)

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10. Some Herbs to Consider

Purple basil Dill in flower Mint

Parsley Lemon thyme 8/8/17

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11. Some Vegetables to Try

• Fall-winter: e.g. of good possibilities:

–Bok Choi, lettuce, radishes,

– spinach, beets (for greens), green onions

• Note:

–Many vegetables are too large for pots

• Many vegetables need outdoor sun

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12. Using Herbs all Year

• What lasts fresh through the winter?

– Outside: oregano, Arp rosemary, sage, tarragon, thyme, winter savory

– Under heavy cover: mint, parsley, some leafy greens?

• Grown indoors:

– Basils, chives, dwarf dill, parsley

• Herbs for drying: basils, mint

• Herb vinegars: purple basils, garlic chives, garlic flowers, tarragon

• Pesto (oil based); basils, parsley.

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My Meyer Lemon Tree

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Do try some of these, inside or out.

These plants taste so good in the Winter--because you

are growing them yourself!

Thank you very much!

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