A while back I bought some herbs at one of the local plant fairs thinking that I’d pot them on and that would be that. Well, it wasn’t - for ages they were just nestled in one of the grey oblong planters that we brought from our old house, and which previously edged our greenhouse. The weather did nothing for my inclination to garden, and even if I’d planted them where I’d left them, I wasn’t sure that was the best place for them, so indifference won.
I knew I needed to do something about them as when I tried to move them I realised they’d rooted through the pots and were making themselves at home, and then inspiration struck - herbs are most useful when they’re close to where you want to use them. Having them close to the kitchen bi-folds didn’t work, but I did have a spot, that got the sun, right by the back door.
And so a plan was formed.
The herbs were detached from the home they’d made for themselves and left to soak in a trug of water, and the planter was cleaned up and moved into place. It’s a heavy old thing, and I’d emptied some of the earth from the three of them before we moved, partly to make it easier for the removal team but also so that my pots of tulips could easily nestle below the top and the pots could still be stacked without damaging them.
It wasn’t long before the soil levels were topped up, the plants were planted and small gravel was added to the top - to finish it off, and as a mulch to prevent weeds and encourage water retention, well that was the plan anyway!
I’d also spotted some pretty ceramic plant labels on Etsy by the Florentine Cottage - aren’t they fab?
They also help MOH identify which herb is which - though I realised that I had two mints in my planter, and I had no label for coriander, which although I had no plant yet, it’s a herb we regularly use.
The rosemary remained in a separate pot, as I’ve a feeling this one will grow much larger.
I also realised I had a separate pot of thyme which I moved close by, but which also didn’t have a label.
The labels were so good, I ordered more - for the missing coriander and thyme, with extra labels for thyme and basil which I’m likely to have more than one pot of, and ‘more mint’ for the second mint in my main herb planter.
I’m not sure of the varieties of the mint I have, but now they’re mint and more mint!
And today, the herb planter is thriving. I’ve even squeezed in some coriander, it’s a brilliant place for our herbs and reusing the grey planter couldn’t have worked out better. I’ve plans for the other two too, but that’s for another day!
