Rjcoon
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Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2015 12:32 pm
Location: Wisconsin

Beginner herb growing needs some assistance!

Hello! My name is RJ and I've noticed this site can come in handy for many people. I'm having a slight problem with three of my plants and possibly one other. I'm syill learning a lot about these plants and I believe for the lavender I just over watered it and it seems to be doing fine now that I'm not watering it every other day (Just found out that was a no no!)

My spearment has random white spots and slight discoloring (A little yellow and a patch of dark brown) to the leaves. I've only had this plant for about a week and a few days ago it was just fine!

My basil plant looked as if it was dying when I first got it. It shrivled up and nearly died until I put some coffee grounds around it shot up within a few days. How much am I suppose to water the basil? I still don't get it. The leaves are small and keep curling in. One of the leaves even has a brown spot on it. Help!

I have chives and those are doing o.k, but I am noticing some strands are limping and withering away.

Suggestions? I would love to know what I'm doing wrong. I've read a bit about spidermits and mint rust. I live in a rather sunny area right now but every other day it's slightly cloudy. They get a good amount of sun and all of these plants live in pots until I can have a big garden of my own. I wonder if the spearmint needs a bigger pot? I've been considering bringing the pots closer to the house they live by. Seems as if they attract daddy long legs and I hear the spiders eat harmful bugs.

I don't see any webs on my plants and I've checked the underside of the plants as well. There is nothing?! Help!! :?
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imafan26
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These plants are in pots.
Herbs are great plants for pots. They take to them very well, but herbs are a diverse group of plants that like different kinds of conditions.

Herbs that like rich soil and moist conditions. Usually have large soft leaves.
Mints, lemon balm, basil, and stevia.

Herbs that like poorer (less fertilizer), and well drained (don't water too much) soil have gray or gray green leaves. Leaves may be fuzzy (to capture moisture in a dry environment) Leaves are usually thicker and firmer in texture
thyme, sage, rosemary, and lavender.

Generally the difference between and herb and a spice is this. Herbs are the leaves. Spices are the fruit, seeds, roots, stems, and other parts besides the leaves. A botanical herb by definition is a non woody plant. Bananas, papaya, and all of the leafy vegetables like lettuce, cabbage, kale, beets, fit the definition. Herbs are distinguished from vegetables by their use. If you are using the herb or spice generally for flavoring rather than a substantial part of the dish then it is a culinary herb. Herbs can have culinary, medicinal, household, or landscape uses.

Mint and basil likes moist but not really soggy soil. It will tolerate partial shade but if it is too shady it will get lanky and thin. If the plants get at least 4 hours of sun (needs to be trained to the sun if it has been indoors), the plants will be fuller.

Lavender does not like the shade, it needs good light. it is a Mediterranean plant so it is fairly drought tolerant once established in the ground. It has fuzzy gray leaves so it does not like for the leaves to be wet. The soil should be well drained and they don't like a lot of fertilizer. They do well in slightly alkaline soils. The culinary lavenders grow in zone 5-8. Lavender multifida, a landscape lavender, tolerates warmer zones 7-11. In pots, lavender will not grow as big unless it is potted up. Culinary lavenders bloom only for a few months in summer. Lavender multifida will bloom most of the year. Soil should be well drained and water when the soil is dry. how often that is depends on how fast the soil dries. Feel the soil about an inch down with your finger, if it feels damp then wait until it feels almost dry before watering again. Water at the base of the plant. Water that sits on the leaves will turn them black. Do not put a saucer under this plant and do not let it sit in water.

Mints do attract a few bugs. Look under the leaf with a magnifying glass and see what you find.

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GardeningCook
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Looks like you need larger pots & less watering. Your plants look like they're drowning.

Rjcoon
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Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2015 12:32 pm
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Thank you! :D I definitely think the watering is my biggest issue. I was thinking of moving the spearmint into a bigger pot since it's so large. Thank you! :D

imafan26
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Mint needs to be contained. It usually stays in a pot by itself and needs to be divided frequently or it will choke itself. If the roots are winding around the pot it needs to be divided. You can put it in a larger pot if you want more mint or divide it and put it in other pots and give them away or sell them. I divide my mint because I don't need anymore and I donate the herbs to the garden center plant sale.

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rainbowgardener
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It looks like maybe your camera/ flash washed things out. Is what we are seeing really the true color? The bottom one is your lavender? It looks like a ghost of lavender.

Depending on variety and conditions, lavender plants can be bright green, dark green, blue-ish green, or grey-ish green. But not white!

Image
https://nativeson.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83 ... 28a4-800wi

Otherwise, other than looking a bit pale (which may be just the pictures), your plants look fine. You can worry too much about every little mark. Nothing in nature is perfect.

Rjcoon
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Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2015 12:32 pm
Location: Wisconsin

The photos are a little washed out, yes! After taking some of the above information into consideration my plants look a little better. I believe I was watering them too much, but everything seems to be o.k.



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