Grower’s Corner – herbs
Basil seeds or seedlings can be planted out after all danger of frost has passed and soil is warm. It requires a fertile soil in a spot that gets direct sun for at least six hours daily and you need to pinch out tip from the central shoot after around six weeks to force side growth and prevent early flowering but if flower stalks develop, simply snip them off. Basil needs a steady supply of moisture and warm soil temperatures to produce well. It’s a heat-loving plant that will succumb to the mildest frost.
Dill is a beautiful herb growing to around three feet. It produces a strong taproot like its cousin the carrot, and so won’t do well if transplanted so sow seed in place. Sow seeds a quarter of an inch deep. Plants should emerge in ten days to a fortnight, and after another fortnight, thin them to 12 to 18 inches apart. Plants thrive in rich, friable soil and full sun. Make small sowings a few weeks apart until midsummer to get a season-long supply of fresh leaves. If your garden is in a windy spot, stake the tall plants to prevent wind damage, or grow a dwarf variety. If you let a few plants mature and drop seed, and leave the area undisturbed, seedlings will emerge naturally the following growing season.
Although parsley is a biennial, it’s best to start new plants each year because the leaf flavour is not as good in the second year and the plants may be tough. To hasten germination of this slow-sprouting seed, pour boiling water over seeds and let them stand overnight before planting. Sow seed in individual pots indoors or plant them outside in the garden. It’s a very hardy herb so you can direct sow seeds a fortnight before the last spring frost, watering them in with hot water. Plants do well in sun or partial shade, and prefer a rich, moist soil. Thin plants to stand six to eight inches apart, and provide an steady supply of water all summer. They make a fantastic edging for raised beds.
Perennials
Sage will grow almost anywhere as long as it is in full sun for a good part of the day. The best soil is a well-dug medium one and it dislikes like is soil that is usually moist. Because it is so slow to germinate, the best way to start a sage crop is to buy a plant from a nursery or take a cutting from a neighbouring plot. Sage can stand by itself most of the time, but the odd strong wind may snap the brittle woody stem so make sure it has a stake or a wall or support behind it.
Rosemary, thyme, bay, and fennel can all also be grown as allotment shrubs. They do best if you can get a cutting from another plant already on your allotment site, as that plant will be acclimatised to the soil and weather conditions in that area.
Dill and Rosemary photographs by MGShelton and Zoonie, used under a creative commons attribution licence