Herb gardens.

[sylvie]

do different flavors of the same plant cross pollinate? (lemon basil, cinnamon basil, Italian basil, etc.)

The only way a plant would cross pollinate would be if you saved the seed, and planted it next year.
If you want to save seed, the way around that is to only let one variety flower and produce seed. You would trim the flowers off those that you didn't want seed from. I'm pretty sure that if you bought plants from a retail source that they would be hybrids that wouldn't grow true to variety anyhow. If you get open pollinated seed like from Seedsavers then you would have to do the above. Isolating the flowers by distance doesn't always work because bees fly, wind blows pollen,etc. More info than you wanted, isn't it?

 

[okiegirl1]

granted, I know I'm a complete geek, but that is FASCINATING!!

 

[ORChick]

I have heard that herbs aren't generally hybridized; they are still, more or less, as Mother Nature made them. They have been bred to have different characteristics, but not hybridized as such. This would be the general rule, but no doubt there are exceptions.

 

[2dream]

I do most of my herbs in big pots. Pretty easy. That way if I don't like the way I "planted" one thing near another ... I just move the pot!

Pots here too. Mostly because I grow a lot of mint and they are so invasive. But also because I just really could not decide on a garden layout. And also because I love looking for colorful things to make into flower pots and vintage pots.

For medicinal info I highly recommend The Herbal Medicine Makers Handbook/A Home Manual by James Green.

Most websites that sell herbs are a wealth of info. Sand Mountain Herbs, is a great place but there are also lots of other.

This website is a wealth of info:http://www.herbalremediesinfo.com/growing-medicinal-herbs.html

Blossom Farm has wonderful mints: All mine survived and thrived.
http://www.blossomfarm.com/plants_m.htm

 

[meriruka]

If you're looking to buy herb seeds, I recommend Richter's. The catalog has an amazing selection.

I am limited on space for my herb garden, so only perennial herbs go in it. The annual herbs get planted in the vegetable garden with the added benefit that some of them repel insects from my veggies.

 

[Farmfresh]

I grow my mints in the horrible no man's land strip between the house and the gravel drive way. They are tough enough to thrive there and trapped between the house and the gravel.

 

[meriruka]

2dream, that's a pretty display! I've wanted to try something like that buy I think my chickens would wreck it immediately.

 

[kimnkell]

I might grow mine in pots like that too. That's a good idea. I'll have to be collecting pots now. lol...

 

[Wifezilla]

Pots can be handy, but in Colorado, if you aren't careful those pots become cooking pots instead of growing pots. No terra cotta...dries out to fast. Be prepared to water at least once a day. Moisture holding crystals added to the soil is a good idea too. Better yet, set up a self-watering system.

 

[Blackbird]

We covered some good books on this thread;

http://www.sufficientself.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=3089