Basil

Summerlong Basil is supposed to give the biggest harvest for the longest time, which is why I chose it.

Rumor has it that if you plant basil with other things, the oils will kill most other herbs... originally it was intended for the wine barrel, but I ended up potting it separately as a precaution. The sprouting rate was horrible, only 3 out of a semi-generous sprinkle popped up. I placed the basil nearest the tomato for emotional support... rumor also has it that they are companion plants, with the basil protecting the tomato from pests.

This seedling is a 4th of an inch long.

Chives

Mmmmm, Garlic chives.

I'm planting these too close together... me, thin to 12"?? It grows in clumps in the wild anyway. The seedlings are very easy to identify, and usually have the black seed coat still attached when they emerge.

These took a long time to sprout, almost 3 weeks.

Cilantro/Coriander

I had no idea that cilantro and coriander were the same thing!

Due to planting the entire seed pods, the cilantro's coming up in small clumps... though the packet says to thin them to 12 inches, I am leaving many together as I've seen in photos from gardens where the patch is frequently harvested.

Here are the seedlings at 4 weeks and 2 inches high... finally looking like cilantro!

Mint

Peppermint & Chocolate: a great Mint combination

I passed some mints outdoors at Longs, and could not resist. I potted them together and they appear to be loving their sunny spot. The darker one is the chocolate, and it does indeed have a hint of cocoa flavor!

Here's the mints right after potting, 4/8/09:

Here's the mint as of 4/24... interestingly, the chocolate mint is a totally different color! I keep picking and munching leaves, but the mints are more than keeping up with the harvests.

Oregano

Mediterranean Oregano took the longest to sprout, about 3 weeks. It seemed to wait for warmer weather.

The seeds were so tiny I just sprinkled them all over, and the seedlings were microscopic... definitely need to thin!

In the bottom left corner is a 3-leafed mutant... of course I'll keep that one.

Rosemary

Rosemary, the missing herb element! Brought this one home on April 26, 2009.

I've killed rosemary 3 times so far, but probably because there is no direct sunlight indoors and I've started with tiny plants. This time I'll do it right!

Here is my rosemary baby... or teenager...

The pot's not exactly pretty, but at least it's bigger! When I popped it out of its 4-inch pot, the thing was so root-bound that it gave me the same protective instinct that makes me rescue beta fish from Petco.

Sage

Common sage is in the center of the wine barrel, because it is supposed to grow the largest and stay alive for a few years. I began the seedlings indoors 2 weeks before anything else because I was so impatient.

The sage attracted the first pest... one of the 3 seedlings was leaning over from the weight of a pile of baby aphids at about 4 weeks. I need to thin the seedlings, as there's supposed to just be one every 15".

This is the strongest seedling on easter, along with one of the zinc labels my mom gave me.

Shepherd's Purse

Shepherd's Purse is another plant which grows near my parents... the seed pods are very spicy. They tend to grow in difficult areas such as the edges of roads, which can make them taste a little like car exhaust, so I wanted to grow a small patch.

The seedlings are microscopic when they come up.
At the widest point, this one is the width of a pencil lead.

Thyme

I purchased a small plant of Thyme, because I felt like it was the missing herb element (these days fresh thyme is my favorite, but so expensive).

When the radishes in the wine barrel are ready for harvesting, I will plant the thyme in their place. As an added benefit, it should help keep the aphids away from the sage!

The Wine Barrel

There should be a page devoted to the Wine Barrel, which was what began the descent into gardening madness. We picked it up in Napa after a romantic weekend planning wedding things, and it was the first thing we filled and planted. The remains of wine are flaked over the insides of the barrel, and it smells heavenly when freshly wet.

Map:
- Center: Sage (and garden gnome)
- North (Right): Oregano
- East (Bottom, near door): Radishes... to be replaced by Thyme
- South (Left): Cilantro/Coriander
- West (Top, near porch railing): Garlic Chives (and rain gauge gnome)

We used an entire tub of the worm compost, which had been going for about a year and was a rich crumbly black, plus a bunch of unfertilized cheap soil, and a few inches of pebbles at the bottom for optimal drainage.

I'll post photos of the progression here!

April 20, 2009: 1 month old