Growing herbs for national gardening week

Nurtured in Norfolk’s gardening expert Martyn Davey answers all your questions.
If you would like any horticulture query answered please do e-mail our head grower at martyn@nurturedinnorfolk.co.uk to add your thoughts to our weekly horticulture hacks.

Dear Martyn,

National Gardening week is next week so would be amazing to know 5 top tips for growing herbs at home.

Young & Co’s Brewery.

“National Garden Week is the nation’s biggest celebration of gardening and raises awareness of the difference that gardens and gardening can make to the lives of everyone in the UK. Inspiring more people, particularly the next generation of gardeners, to experience the joy of growing and visiting beautiful green spaces. Helping to highlight that everyone has space to grow something delicious to eat, whether it’s a single pot of herbs on the windowsill or an allotment overflowing with courgettes and potatoes.”

– Rhs.org

 

Dear Reader,

1. Select the herbs that are most likely to grow in your soil condition and aspect. Some like well drained soil like rosemary and others need moist soil like chervil.
2. Many herbs grow easily from seed and it is worth sowing a few seeds every two weeks to keep a succession of plants ready to harvest through the season. Chives, parsley, coriander and dill all grow well from seed especially sown indoors.
3. Plants purchased from supermarkets are often grown from lots of seeds sown in the pot these can be divided and grown on to give you more plants and a better chance of growing them on to larger plants.
4. When the herbs are growing well you will need to cut them back regularly to stop them from flowering, once herbs flower many will just die off.
5. Beware of diseases that will infect the leaves such as powdery mildew which occurs when herbs like sage are grown in dry areas with little air movement. Pests can also be a problem, aphids love herbs as much as we do so keep an eye out for aphids. As you want to eat the herbs cultural controls are much better than spraying with chemicals.

Martyn Davey – Head Grower

EDP Gardening Expert Columnist