Planning for Some Herbs in My New Raised Bed

[retiredwith4acres]

I am thinking herbs will be my focus for my new raised bed that I am working on this fall. What do I plant? The bed is 16X8 so don't figure the whole thing will get filled with herbs but a start anyway. I have oregano out by the garage and my honeybees love it, so thinking of them as I plan also. I guess this winter with catalogs and Herb Companion magazine I will come up with a plan. Suggestions and help invited.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Your climate is probably not a lot different than mine. I suggest oregano, thyme, sage, and chives. The oregano will try to spread, but use a shovel to keep it cut back and contained. All these should come back the next year.

I would not put mint in there. It takes over. I cannot get rosemary to live through the winter.

I'd suggest every year you put in parsley, basil, and dill. Cilantro if you like it, but mine is gone every year by the time anything else ripens that I'd use with cilantro. It does grow well though. Several of these will come up again from volunteer seeds if you let them. All these do pretty well here.

 

[the1honeycomb]

I think this advice is going into my herb garden also!!! sounds like some yummy meals!!!
I thought Rosemary wa:happy_flowers supposed to be an annual?! I have it in my garden and hope it will make it through

Here is to herb, and some great meals in the spring!!!

 

[StupidBird]

Here in 7b Georgia, rosemary is a short-lived perennial that hates wet feet. Mine that are in neglected raised areas, top of slope type things with not all clay soil, last pretty long and get large. I can dig up and transplant the lower branches that root (dump mulch and soil along the lower branches and next year some will root). But if I don't water the transplants they die.

My herbs: Parsley (I let reseed and transplant to different spots. Some areas are getting heavy thrip damage), Rosemary, oregano (be sure the plant you buy is heavily fragrant there are duds), pots of mint, voraciously spreading lemon balm (oops), chives, some cilantro in winter but its never there when I want salsa), and dill.

 

[lesa]

Herbs are fun and easy to grow. I would recommend looking in your spice cupboard. What spices do you and your family enjoy? There are probably a few exotic things in there- but for the most part you can grow most of them. Oregano is definitely a favorite of my bees. I see them on the basil flowers- but not like the oregano! Happy Herb Gardening!

 

[vfem]

I prefer to put all my perennial herbs in one bed... then I leave a bed for the seasonal ones like garlic (yes its an herb to me) and basil.

 

[HunkieDorie23]

This is my first year to grow parsley (and do it well). How long will it survive? I had been covering it when it was below freezing because I wanted to use it for Thanksgiving (which I did) but I haven't been covering it and it still looks really good. The bed is a border bed to the house, which is brick with southern exposure. It's in the back of the house and I was thinking that maybe I could set an old window in front it and maybe it would live through the winter.