Fresh herbs, how big of a pot do I want?
Question:I just bought a lemon basil (yum) plant in a 4" pot. How much bigger do I go? any other tips? (it's going on my balcony- no windows to speak of)
Answers:
Agrees that 8 inch will do altho I like a little herb garden in a good size pot. (good bug repellent :-P)
Tips PRUNE!!
basil loves to be picked even when you're not gonna use it prune/pick some leaves/stems off daily or so, and it will go into a nice little bush.
I prefer to have a dish at the base and make sure there is water in it at all times so the plant can drink at its leisure and you don't have to worry about fungus, mold or disease.
When it comes to watering, I tend to do my potted basil like African violets :-)
You'll want to go to at least an 8-inch pot Hon, as your basil plant will be fairly good-sized by the end of the season.
My favorite is the old stand-by clay pot. Herbs need really good drainage, which you might not get with plastic or ceramic. Other good herbs to try in pots are parsley and rosemary; the latter is actually a tender perennial, and can go inside when the weather gets chilly next fall. Happy gardening :)
The bigger the pot, the more room for the herbs to spread. You could grow it in a thimble if you wanted to.
Martha would say just go up one size, I ususally go up two sizes.
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