Originally Posted by
BamaVol
I'm sick of paying top dollar for a measly handful of fresh herbs - that are usually moldy from being repeatedly sprayed by the produce sprinklers.
I bought flat-leaf parsley, greek oregano, basil, cilantro, sage seedlings and a rosemary bush. I also planted italian oregano and chive seeds. I've had to scramble through 2 late frosts, but I haven't lost anything yet.
Any varmints or particular diseases I need to watch out for?
Great idea! Main pests will be slugs, but if you've got your plants in pots they should be safe. With the basil and oregano etc don't let them flower - pinch out the flower buds, otherwise they will just go to seed. You could also add lemon balm, mint (but keep it confined or it will take over, especially in damp ground), lemon grass (will need to be kept warm), bay tree and savoury. If you like to experiment a bit find a specialist herb seed place (mail order) as there are so many different basils, mints etc. I grew a fabulous lemon basil last summer, really intense flavour.
And herb seeds make great travel souvenirs (quarantine laws permitting!)