Because I documented the first few steps of my three herb pots here, it only seems right that I continue to chart their progress. I’m not even sure I have a green thumb, but the sweet basil, rosemary and mint haven’t died yet, so I think I must be doing something right – daily watering, and that’s just about it. After a few weeks, even I was surprised at how well they’ve taken to the environment!
The least bit temperamental of the three would have to be the rosemary. The soil doesn’t dry up as fast as the other two. And I have yet to experience problems with this one.
On the other hand, the mint has been giving me a few problems lately. For one, starting out it was the only herb that has obviously been attacked by a few minute predators – as evidenced by the white specks on some of the leaves. It hasn’t been a problem for a while, only to be replaced by a new one – the leaves keep on shriveling up and dying. It’s almost become a daily habit of mine to pick off leaves that have turned yellow. Consider this as a meek cry for help. Is anyone out there?
The basil has grown in height substantially. Small branches have become main stems in their own right, and I did notice a single purple flower bud perched on top of the apex. Now, it photographs well and is kind of pretty, but I’ll eventually have to cut that out because I part of basil care is removing any flowers that might grow because it would inhibit the leaves from growing.
Because I don’t see any reason why I should stop myself, I’m beginning to consider expanding the ‘collection’ to include a few more herbs. The only problem is the herb grower (on sulit.com.ph) who I was counting on hasn’t been contacting me lately, so I have a feeling it’s a dead-end. That’s where you come in. Yes, you. I need a pot of parsley/kinchay. If you happen to know someone who knows someone who has a grandmother who knows someone who can send me a pot of parsley – I would appreciate it so much. This is a long shot but I’m counting on you. Yes, YOU!!!!
That’s all for now. Hopefully the next time I’ll be blogging about the herbs, the basil would have become a tree, the rosemary a burning bush and the mint would overtake us and wrap the house in its vines (which I know is impossible, because mint doesn’t have vines). And I’ll finally be tending to a little pot of parsley.
The Hungry Giant 
Hmmm there is this herb grower in Putik Purok 1 I think that grows really really amazing herbs. I discovered this place through Alan of Lantaka. He grows sage, parsley, rosemary, basil of various types, tarragon etc. the place is amazing really you have to see it for yourself.. It has been two years though since I went there. Don’t know if its still there, you might just care to visit Alan and ask,tell him that Chef Angelo told you so about that info. Anyways, happy cooking! 🙂
Wow, that’s good to know!!! Thank you for the info. 😀
Glad to hear that your herbs are growing well and that you want to expand. It is the time of year here now (North UK) that our herbs are really starting to shoot up after their winter slumber. My wife has been around and trimmed off all last years dead growth, in some cases taking them almost down to ground level and we now have lots of fresh young growth appearing. 🙂
good for you! here in the tropics, I don’t know i’m going to have the same problem with herbs ‘hibernating’ but I hope they don’t! haha!
There is the basil that’s summer-only, but there is a type that will last also in winter. My mother has pots with gigantic basil in Greece, simply by watering it a lot! And I think sending you parsley from Spain is not a good idea..
You’re doing a good job! It’s great to grow herbs, right?
it’s extremely rewarding! I never want to go back to the dried mccormick ones! haha
yey herb update! 🙂 i cant find the text message i was telling you earlier… basta will update you….sana this weekend na… pero i don’t think may parsley sya, but malay mo he’ll know some source and might be able to help us… hehehe
i’ve tried using my basil already… with prawns for my lemon garlic pasta… 🙂
http://www.promdingchamimay.com/2012/04/lemon-garlic-pasta.html
Oh… I wish I could send you some, Gio!
Yes, basil doesn’t last too long, it gets “woody” and just dies. I learned the lesson the hard way. So I don’t plant basil on the ground – always in pots for easy “disposing” hahaha.
Parsley is hard to grow, in the sense that it is slow. Very hardy, though – mine survived the winter frost. But it doesn’t sprout as much.
As with mint… not sure what kind you have because it doesn’t look like our mint. Based on experience, mint doesn’t like a lot of water. We have some “wild mint” growing in our yard (which I never water but they seem to have almost taken over a spot in my garden) but I dare not eat it. I keep safe by using the sweet mint that I have planted.
Anyway, looks to me like you have a green thumb. 😉
basil dies even in the tropics? I never knew that up until now. 😦
Don’t worry about the mint, that’s exactly how it behaves: after a while the leaves turn yellow/brown. But mint doesn’t die, it never dies… it can kill any other plant growing next to it, but it won’t commit suicide ;-P Just keep cutting them stems every now and then, even if you don’t need it, cut it anyway, and new stems with fresh green leaves will keep popping out from the soil. Mint is indeed the easiest herb to take care of!
I would love to send you a pot of parsley (besides, I also have rosemary and basil, of course, and thyme, oregano, sage, chives and a kind of small red chili peppers), but it would take too long from Italy, and I suppose it wouldn’t be safe for the plant itself 😉
A tip: keep herbs exposed possibly at south-east, in any case never in plain sun during the warmest hours, and there’s no need to wet them every day: in plain summer, when temperatures here are really hot, I wet every two days, and only when they’re in shadow. If you take care of them, they will keep growing every year, except basil… basil is yearly, so you’ll have to get new plants (or plant the seeds) every year.
I hope this can be of some help for you… enjoy your cultivations! ;-D
PS: did I ever tell you I tried your Chinese style crispy pork belly? http://muffins4all.blogspot.it/2012/03/chinese-style-crispy-pork-belly.html
It was so delicious, yummy!!! 🙂
Thanks for that! Aaand for trying the pork belly recipe. I’m glad it went well for you!