How Often Should I Repot my Herbs
Hi All! So I have basil, thyme and mint all in my kitchen windowsill and they have done great the past year until lately when the thyme started turning brown. I know plants get their nutrients from the soil so I was wondering if the soil is "old". I tried putting miracle grow's liquid food in it but still brown....should I re-pot it? How often should I be repotting my plants? Thanks!
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GardeningCook
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applestar
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For all of these, it's more a question of root system space. "kitchen windowsill" doesn't sound like a very big space unless you live in an older or southern house with very wide windowsills. In small containers, they probably filled the available root space and are getting rootbound. Try tapping them out of their containers and see what the roots look like.
Thyme could probably manage in a 6" container for one year but would need something bigger or need to be divided after that, and basil and mint will need at least 8-10" container. Basil is an annual, but the thyme and mint are perennial, and mint will need to be constantly divided -- I would say divide in half and repot annually.
If your windowsill isn't wide enough, consider using ALL of the windowsill space with LONG rectangular containers like windowboxes. If absolutely necessary, I would consider putting the thyme and basil together in a container, but the mint should be in its own container.
Thyme could probably manage in a 6" container for one year but would need something bigger or need to be divided after that, and basil and mint will need at least 8-10" container. Basil is an annual, but the thyme and mint are perennial, and mint will need to be constantly divided -- I would say divide in half and repot annually.
If your windowsill isn't wide enough, consider using ALL of the windowsill space with LONG rectangular containers like windowboxes. If absolutely necessary, I would consider putting the thyme and basil together in a container, but the mint should be in its own container.
I repot the herbs as soon as the roots fill them. How often depends on the herb.
Mint needs to be repotted as soon as it looks full. If you wait too long to divide they roots will wind around the pot and strangle the mint
Oregano and thyme need to be cut and used regularly. The center will eventually become woody and won't come back well. I ground layer the branchlets to make more oregano and eventually I will make a new plant and discard the woody center.
Rosemary, can be kept in a pot, but prefers to be in the ground in full sun. It should not be given too much water or fertilizer or it will have rank growth and become a tree.
Lavender, can be in a pot, but will become a much bigger mound in the ground. It likes poorer soil and must be well drained. Prune it regularly, but only prune new growth. Make more cuttings. Lavender in pots should be placed in a dry spot when it rains a lot otherwise they turn black.
Sage and Dill do better with neglect. I can grow dill by putting it where my sprinkler can't reach it right before a big rain and I kill and replace sage regularly. I still haven't figured it out. I grows wild for my mother.
Mint needs to be repotted as soon as it looks full. If you wait too long to divide they roots will wind around the pot and strangle the mint
Oregano and thyme need to be cut and used regularly. The center will eventually become woody and won't come back well. I ground layer the branchlets to make more oregano and eventually I will make a new plant and discard the woody center.
Rosemary, can be kept in a pot, but prefers to be in the ground in full sun. It should not be given too much water or fertilizer or it will have rank growth and become a tree.
Lavender, can be in a pot, but will become a much bigger mound in the ground. It likes poorer soil and must be well drained. Prune it regularly, but only prune new growth. Make more cuttings. Lavender in pots should be placed in a dry spot when it rains a lot otherwise they turn black.
Sage and Dill do better with neglect. I can grow dill by putting it where my sprinkler can't reach it right before a big rain and I kill and replace sage regularly. I still haven't figured it out. I grows wild for my mother.