THE FRESHEST POSSIBLE HERBS!

There is no better herb than the one you select from your own garden mere moments before use it in your kitchen.  An herb garden allows you to grow the herbs you prefer year round and herbs growing in containers near your kitchen door are even more convenient. Many of our favorite herbs, the ones termed perennial, live for many years and can grow far larger that a small planter can accommodate. But judicious trimming will lengthen their life in the container until its time to transplant them into the ground or a larger container of their own.

Herb Square Planter Box 12" X 12" Mocha color Pictured: African Blue Basil, Rosemary, Parsley, Oregano, Thyme and Winter Savory

Some of the herbs that do especially well in our Herb Planters include:
Parsley, Curly This is a compact parsley that grows nicely with others.  Harvest outer stems and leaves.
Dwarf Sage, Golden Sage, Tri-Color Sage We select dwarf or small varieties that can be harvested from the center, to encourage side branching.
Rosemary, young plants Eventually, all rosemary will overwhelm a container, but consistent picking will slow it down.  Rosemary can be root pruned to extend its container life and control its size.
Thyme, all types We are especially partial to lemon, silver, English and German thymes that are
small plants easily maintained.  Harvest from the tips of the branches.  Woody
plants are not as attractive but are easier to harvest.
Munstead Lavender A compact little lavender that sends up a small flower. Great scent, and the leaves can be chopped in with oregano and thyme for a meat rub.
Oregano and Marjoram, young plants These plants will eventually outgrow the planter, but you can get a lot of use from its young stems before that time.
Dill The fern leaf variety is a compact, short lived annual.  Harvest the outer stems and leaves like parsley.
Basil Pinch the center leaves to encourage branching and discourage flowering.  African Blue Basils are perennial flowering basils that can be allowed to flower, though an occasional pruning keeps the plant vigorous in the container.
Stevia Treat much the same as basil and discourage flowering.
Edible Flowers such as pansy, viola, African Blue Basil, scented geranium

Salad Bowl (Close Up) 14" Round Pictured: Dill, Chervil, Endive, Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce, Continuity Bibb Lettuce

Herb Square Planter Box 12" X 12" Cedar color Pictured: Rosemary, Parsley, Italian Basil, Lemon Thyme, Silver Thyme, Greek Oregano, Sweet Marjoram, Golden Sage

“LOVE POTION” Window Box 12" Oval Pictured: Flat Leaf Parsley, Purple Sage, Creeping Rosemary, Silver Thyme, Pansy and Dill

PLANTER CARE

Where should I keep the planter?
Our planter boxes do best outside in full sun (six hours or more) with good air circulation.  You can bring them in from time to time, and especially if the weather dips below 30 degrees.  In the hot summer months, partial shade protects from sun burned leaves.

How much do I water?
Give the planter a thorough watering, making sure the water reaches into the bottom of the planter.  A little run off is a good sign of complete watering.  Allow the planter to dry between watering, but not so much that the soil withdraws from the side of the planter.

How long will the herbs live?
We plant the herbs when they are young and assume they will live at least one season – 3 to 4 months – in the planter.  At that point the plants may be removed, separated, and transplanted.  One or two may be replanted back into the planter with fresh soil.
Annuals such as basil will survive one season.  When they die, you can cut them at soil level and let the perennial plants take over the roots space. 

How much can I trim?
It’s best not to remove more than one third of the leaves at any one time. 

What pests should I watch out for?
Aphids are attracted to dill and basil but are easily washed off with a vigorous spray of water or insecticidal soap.  Keep care that ants don’t take up residence during winter – they are much tougher to eradicate.  It’s best to move the planter, spray the area under the planter, and repeat till they get the message.  In general, herbs are not as attractive to pests as other garden plants.

Can I have mint in my planter?
We offer mint boxes and herb planters, but we don’t mix the two.  Mint is an aggressive plant that can overtake all other plants in confinement.  Here are some plants that we avoid: 

Chives – the scent of the root is intense and can affect the other herbs.
Italian Parsley – this plant has a deep taproot that is quickly frustrated by the bottom of the planter, causing the parsley to go to seed prematurely.
Cilantro – this plant grows much too quickly and goes to seed in confinement.

Mint Box 12" Oval Pictured: Orange Mint, Apple Mint, Chocolate Mint and Kentucky Colonel Spearmint

Mint Box Close up of 12" Oval Window Box

Types of Herb Planters Available from Cole Canyon Farm
LOVE POTION
12"; oval window box planted with Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme plus a surprise or two
MIXED HERBS in Window Boxes
12"; and 20"; window boxes filled with variety of seasonal culinary herbs
AUTUMN BOXES
12" ovals filled with Trick ‘R Treat Pansy, Mexican Mint Marigold, Rosemary & Thyme
HERB SQUARES
Deep 12" square boxes arranged with kitchen-ready herbs
MINT BOXES
12" ovals of spearmint, peppermint, chocolate mint and a unique apple or orange mint for tea, drinks, savory dishes or an aromatic.
HERBES DE PROVENCE
20" ovals filled with the herbs most commonly combined into Herbes de Provence, including lavender, rosemary, thyme, basil, summer savory, and sweet marjoram.  Please note that we plant a limited number of these each summer when all the herbs are at their best.  They sell quickly.
SALAD BOWLS
14" round container of salad fixings and unique lettuce varieties; may include dill, chard, corn salad
LETTUCE BOWLS
12" round container of unique leaf lettuces for cut-and-come-again harvest

Salad Bowl 14" Round Lettuce blend with Chervil, Corn Salad, Amaranth, Endive and Radicchio