All My Herbs Died :(

[SherylMurphy]

I'm very new to gardening and I seem to have killed my little herb garden I'm not sure how I did it, I planted basil, peppermint, parsley, rosemary oregano and thyme in little pots, each herb in their own pot, and filled the pots with coconut fiber.

The herbs all sprouted within a few days but then within 2 weeks all started to wither and are now mostly dead. I didn't over water them but I also didn't fertilize them (I didn't know if I should or not).

Am I beyond help or did I do something dreadfully wrong?

Thanks for any help you might be able to share.

[gumbo2176]

If I understand correctly, you tried to grow herbs in coconut fiber???? If so, there is the problem. Grow them in potting soil. I just bought a new hanging wire pot for a fern and it has coconut fiber used as a liner to help with drainage but you still need to fill with soil for the plant to grow in.

[applestar]

There are many things that can go wrong when starting from seeds. Gumbo is right about coco fibre being questionable. I would perhaps mix equal parts milled coco fibre with potting soil.

Another mistake often made by beginning gardeners is failing to provide sufficient light for seedlings. they should grow sturdy stems with first set of seed leaves close to the top of the soil. Another frequent mistake is to sow too many seeds too close together, and failing to thin or separate them.

Although they're often sold together in kits, basil, peppermint, and parsley have very different cultural requirements to rosemary, oregano, and thyme, and should not be grown together in the same area.

Good thing about growing from seed, though, is that you can always try again. Don't be discouraged.

[rainbowgardener]

Yup, agree. Seeds don't need any nutrients to sprout, because the nutrients are in the seed. After that they need soil and nutrients. Potting soil that you buy usually has fertilizer in it, which is all they would need for a while. After a couple months if you are growing them in pots, you will need to start adding fertilizer even with the potting soil, because the nutrients that were there get leached out with watering as well as taken up by the plant.

The most basic needs of a plant are soil, water, light. You appear to have left out the first one. The coconut fiber would provide no nutrients.

[Sage Hermit]

Herbs like air flow and sandy soils. A herb likes humidity and usualy attracts insects. Usually outdoors the air brings moisture to the foliage and minimally to roots the soil at certain intervals during the season.

Indoor herb plants get choked for moisture both in pots and inside. You must attend to the needs of the plant in order for it to grow.

Try again. Use a mist bottle and clean your foliage by hand. You will get the hang of it. Don't feel sad! You did a good job!Bless your heart and hands.
They will grow 'em to seeds and you will have plenty of tries - takes getting used to maintenance.

MInt Sage Rosemary Thyme Lemon Balm Tomato Plant Catnip is what I have been growing indoors and also outdoors for maybe 3 years or so?

Don't mind me


Basil:

Hot, pH 5.5-7.0, sow 1/4", row 12-18", full sun


Mint:
70 ...°F, pH 6.5, row 12 - 18'', full sun - partial shade

Rosemary:
65°F, pH 4.5-8.7, row 12-15, full-indirect sun




Let them share a big pot its way easier if you don't intent to eat em as much. When they get bigger move the mint into a big container. A thyme can have a small pot no problem. They are the easiest one but I have no experience with oregano believe it or not. Rosemary and Basil maybe the hardest. But they like some heat and some balanced humidity. I enjoy misting them every day. Looking at them and smelling them is a nice stress reliever.



Air flow - Small fans work great. At the lowest setting left running for a good hour or 2 a day really really helps the plant.

[Sage Hermit]

The temperature variations of the 3 herbs I listed seem to be part of the problem:

Basil like 85 -90

Mint likes 70

Rosemary like 65

Temperature is going to be maybe 1 of 3 problems you are facing. The other 2 may be spacing and soil pH.

[dave.c]

Sorry, new here. what's coconut fiber? I always get herbs growing good when I plant them together in one big pot, in a partially sunny spot.