Grow log by Shawn · Original thread
What you can learnA high-value continuous herb rotation covering layout management, harvesting, pod replacement, moving plants, overgrowth, preservation, assisted maintenance, and final sanitation.
*The days were calculated automatically and approximately.
You certainly make it look easy! Beautiful herb gardens, thanks for sharing.
Those are beautiful, Shawn. It is so nice to see plants with room to spread out and breathe!
Thanks. I don't like clutter.. In my house or plants lol
I just love how full the chives are. I currently have one AG chives pod. The two chives that are growing are nice and green but look oh so lonely with only the 2. I am planning to plant some more chives and other seeds today from the ones that you sent me. So maybe I can look forward to a nice looking chives pod. Wendy
I ended the one Windowbox Basil as it was HUGE! I harvested a huge container of basil. I moved around some other pods. THe Devotion basil needed the space and light from the over shadowing one I removed. I need to prune down the thyme too. That will be done later today.
Don't you feel rich when you have an abundance of herbs flourishing? I do! And I also think that chives are a pretty ornamental. They look especially nice in the Farm.
Yes I love looking at them too
They didn't grow very well back in the CFL days. Then I tried growing them in dirt and had a bug problem with the dirt. I will never use dirt indoors again. I'll have to try the chives again, though.
I have been growing the Renee's Chives (both the culinary and Fine) and they are still going strong. I will get a picture posted later.
Yesterday I removed the Thyme as it was getting out of control. I harvested it all and had another container full of it. I also trimmed the Rutgers basil, chives and cilantro. I moved the oregano from the right to left side. Lastly I planted new chives as one of the two I have will be ended soon. I added nutes after all the moves and harvesting I had done.
These are still growing. I will get a picture in a few days when the new chives grow a little more
Shawn, I froze all the herbs from my out of control basil, parsley, and seasoning celery crop like you do. I expected them all to be mushed together, but the leaves all separated easily. And they taste so fresh. So that will be my preferred way of saving them from now on. Thanks!
Hmmm...I may consider freezing more herbs tomorrow. Farm+ machines are due for an R&R tomorrow & looks like it would be a good time to end some projects. Glad I read this today. I may still dehydrate some too.
Yes they stay nice. If you let they defrost then they will most likely get mushy. I have let full basil leaves defrost and place it on pizza. They cook well on the cheese as the heat will dry them out and cook them.
Shawn & Sher, might I ask what you put the herbs into for freezing? I have some Rubbermaid Freezer Blox, but only 4 of them & I cannot find them anywhere in stores, these days. So, how to you do it?
I do not have room in my crammed freezer for storage containers. I just put mine in quart freezer bags, squeezed most of the air out, and stood them up in a freezer door shelf.
Thanks, good to know! I have space concerns too! Ice cream, herbs...Ice cream, herbs...tough one!
I use freezer containers or ziploc bags. Whatever works
What kind of "freezer containers"?
While I can no longer find these, here are what I have an use.Bernardin Freezer Jar and Ball Freezer Jar. I prefer the Bernadin as they screw on.
Thanks! I'll keep an eye out. Maybe one of the farm stores will have something in the canning section.
Check these out: From Ziploc and these are smaller from Ball
Thanks, Shawn!
I will be ending some herbs and moving some around. I think I will do some R&R's this week and them also plant some new things. I already removed one of the two chives I had. I gave it to a friend as I have another fully growing one and another starting. Not to mention the container in the freezer.I am thinking of new herbs I have not tried yet. So I need to go shopping (online) to see what I would use.
I think I'll start herbs soon, too. I always use dill and basil. Since I took down the tote, I'll have to start over. I think some parsley, too.
Parsley! Yes that I need to grow. Thanks mike for reminding me.
AG parsley has so much more flavor that store bought!
Make sure you allow a lot of room for the root system of parsley, it is a very hardy plant and will grow large thick roots if kept going for a couple months or prunning. Had to cut the basket to get the plant out after a couple months. Stuck the stub (no roots) in the soil outside and it survived and is growing.
Might I ask what kind of parsley you are growing? Just asking because I have a Curly Parsley that is over 6 months old and the roots aren't bad. It is the one survivor of the ending of my herb garden, as I just wasn't ready to part with it yet. It is in a small jelly jar with water, on the kitchen counter. Mind you, I do trim roots, monthly. Maybe that makes a difference?
Well this was Parks, Giant Dark Green Italian. My wife always has me grow the Italian flat leaf and I didn't trim the roots. I cut the cage and root mass to get it out of the grow deck. The cage was all stretched out from the larger 1/8 -3/16 thick roots. Maybe the curly is different?? The below picture is the parsley and cage sticking out of the grow deck and then what was left that I planted . Just looked.. this was planted Feb19 and the picture were May 1When I dismantled a larger outside planter last year, I removed flat leaf parley that had finger thick roots.. it was probably 3 or more years old, kept coming back every spring..
Yes, I think the Curly leaf is very different!
I have grown parsley with no problem where roots are concern. Plus I turn all my plants to form a soft root ball. AND I also am a root trimmer.
I terminated both sides of the Farm. I cleaned the units and both are ready for new plantings I need to figure out what I will be growing. I did order some new seeds so may start with one side and then plant on the other. I will start a new thread. All my herbs have been harvested, frozen and or used.I am pooped out LOL...
Relax. Take your time.
It is so attractive.. It almost looks like a backyard kitchen herb garden in the Farm!
Ditto! Good job, gorgeous!
With the way the chive are positioned and the image is framed.. keep waiting to see the fish swimming around!
That's a really well designed layout. I always plant too many pods.
LOL...yes, that is it! I knew it reminded me of something else...
Made some swapouts and adjustments. I harvested all the Genovese and one of the Windowbox basils. However I planted two new ones. I also harvested the older of the two oreganos. I may end one of the chives and start fresh. There is moss growing at the bottom. Not mold or algae but moss. LOL Go figure. I needed to do this in order to be able to handle them one handed and on a step stool. Something I can not have the reaper do. I have to say I am loving the variety of chives I am getting from Renee's. My cilantro is doing well too!
My chives are not growing. Maybe I should look at Renee's for herbs, too. I had never heard of windowbox mini basil before. May your gardens stay safe from the reaper!
I have an order coming from Renee's...but no chives. I've made a new spreadsheet to remind me of things to order. Added Chives from Renee's! Thank you for recommendation!
I recommend the Culinary Chives
The new Windowbox and the Rutgers Devotion are up. I did end the Oregano and planted new.
Yesterday I trimmed up all the herbs. They will need another trimming but I will have Mark do it when it is time. The chives will need to be cut way before I am sure. I do not like anyone else touching my gardens but I will let him do it for me since I wont be able to. I will do all I can one handed like feeding but what ever I need two hands for he will be my hands. LOL
I am picky about anyone else touching my gardens, too, Shawn. I hope they do well, and I trust that Mark will baby them for you.
Hi Shawn! I am curious as to how many chive seeds you planted. I have a stand of them at one end of one of my raised bed and the come up every year but would like to have them fresh through the winter. I had not thought about chive until seeing yours..How behaved are the roots on the chives?
I honestly do not count. I place then in the pod and then I take my pointed tweezers and push some intil the top of the sponge as well. Sometime I wonder if I should add more.