Hi,

I started growing my herbs - again. I wish I could get them to grow beautiful and lush. I usually only end up with a bunch of spindly looking plants. They grow tall - just thin. Not sure what I'm doing wrong. :-(

Hello Dianne,

What herbs have you chosen to grow?

They are or should be easy to grow but it is so irritating when someone says that and then when they don't grow and you think it is something you are doing wrong. Well of course it could be but I do not think you are setting out to fail, that's what make those kinds of comments irritating! There is so much I can guess on but below I cover the basics, see if any of it helps you? Hope so.

Light and sunshine are very important. Not touching glass or walls or other plants in other containers next door as it were. They need their own space. Many like morning sunshine to 14h00 or so then shadow sun or dappled shade is nice for many.

Good drainage, good POTTING soil (not garden soil, compacts and bad for tender roots). Mix soil with half compost (just go for store bought compost) unless you have a friendly gardener living next do who will give you some of theirs they made. Mix together with the potting soil. Buy established seedlings and plant them well spaced and do not overcrowd them. With the potting soil mix put in good handful of bone meal. Watch out for weeds stealing soil and food goodness.

Fertiliser I go for is liquid and organic - I do not use chemically based fertilisers with anything I eat. I feed every 10 days to two weeks until the plants are well established - say the first 6 weeks or so, then after the first harvest I go for once a month. I do not spray with chemically based insecticides or herbicides. I only use my home made stuff I make with garlic and dishwasher-laced water and chillies. I just add crushed eggshells that I have collected to the soil. I do this just because I have them and collect them and there is calcium there, but I do not have a fancy argument to offer as to why. I have never (or perhaps hardly ever is better to write) had poor herbs and my recipe is this one, promise.

I have left watering to last because this is probably the most important element of growing herbs and herb care. Herbs need a lot of water and the soil should be moist always, no wet feet, but do not let your containers dry out. Herbs do not like sharp winds or drying winds, so some shelter is useful even if there is a tree/trellis windbreak closeby.

The only clue you give me is that they grow tall and spindly. Spindly usually means they do not have enough light and are reaching out for it. Also when you harvest cut across the top so the the herbs will bush out 'in defence' and grow again. You may get a bit of lush too. Keep harvesting this way, feed regularly, keep moist and lastly mulch if in direct sun.

Do not use stones for mulch, use only natural mulches like bark, peanut or other nut shells, strips of newspaper can be used too. Doesn't look so sexy but the newspaper keeps the moisture locked in and is biodegradable. Stone chips or smooth river stones may look nice with cacti but here they get too hot or too cold depending on your weather and these changes in temps do and will not suit your herbs.

Good luck and tell me how you get on, maybe I will be able to help with something more specific.

Cheers now

Hi Lestie,

What to do if one follows all of your Earthy sage advice-light, good drainage, potting soil, compost, fertilzer) and ones' herbs and flowers are being ravaged and attacked by an infestation of these tiny "white flies?" Just more adversity to overcome as I have not been able to use our fresh mint to make tea and cook with in months.

Hello there Les and everyone,

Oh dear! I fear you will not like to hear what I have to say but here goes - but see I am a poet in the making, tee hee.

Whitefly go around in hoards as you know are are very good mates with and attract sooty mould (you are likely to have this gunk, leaves are dark-coloured and dying too because the sooty mould stops photosynthesis)

There is not much you can do except start again.

Remove your plants, BURN them throw away the soil (not into the garden) and soak your containers for around three days in a strong vinegar/water solution. If the containers are too large, then plug up the drainage holes somehow and fill them with the vinegar solution. Let your cleansed containers dry thoroughly in the hot 'midday' sun and start completely afresh. Avoid any mad dogs and Englishmen.

Now whose fault is it that you have an infestation? Not really yours! So don't beat yourself up. This pest is minute and hardly noticeable until it is too late. The minute larvae from eggs are usually laid on top of the leaf, mature to the minute adult fly which frequents the underside of the leaf, so most often us gardeners do not notice them. It is only when you go to touch to trim or prune or harvest etc. the shrub, plant, bush or tree that they suddenly burst forth in a white cloud of dropped heart disappointment.

There are commercial *systemic insecticides available which can help if the plant that is infested is not for eating but just for looking. Your nursery will help you with these. The thing is too that the lifecycle of whitefly is pretty short so an infestation is best dealt with completely and swiftly and ruthlessly.

What causes this darn pest? Moisture on the leaves, watering sprays from under the plant, moist atmosphere as found in misty conditions that go sunny then misty again too soon for the plant to dry outer leaves etc, or the moist atmosphere found in greenhouses. Sometimes deep shade and too cool an atmosphere (like inside the monk's walled and mossy garden) can be the open invitation. And then too, could be a part of the garden you rarely visit to fuss over until you do want to visit and offer some fuss.

I don't know of a natural way of dealing with this pest (you know, like ladybugs eat aphids etc) and there could be one, but this whitefly sucks the sap from your plant, weakens its immune system then there we are, the plant looks sickly and can't fight back and you will lose it anyway in time.

*Systemic means an insecticide/fungicide/herbicide that is watered into the plant via the soil, taken up via the stem (roots stems and leaves) from the inside out. Then you get the foliar sprays sprayed on the upper and lower leaves etc according to instructions the come with the foliar preventive or feed etc.

Wish I could have said something more happy!

Cheers now and well... say cheers

Hi Lestie,

Bless your conscientious, knowledgable and experienced heart for writing such a comprehensive assessment of the whitefly situation, even though you were the harbinger of such bad plant news. Maria will be following your suggestions to ultimately start her garden over again. She had thought that the infestation's consequences were as dire and unreversable as you described.

Thanks,
Maria (the lurker) and Les

Hello Maria and welcome to the CG chatter space,

You may want to think about separating your favourite containers WITHOUT edibles and trying a systemic insecticide with your flowering pants to start - it could work and your whole garden may not be decimated in one fell swoop. And you should know that this pest can be beat with chemicals.

Can you believe it, some people hoover their stronger leaved plants like a rubber plant etc. And others use spurts of water, but this is labour intensive and may not get rid of it all anyway. It is heartbreaking for edibles because of the time and love invested in them all.

I say this so that you will have some garden to tend. But oh brave one, I congratulate you on writing off anything edible; or everything if needs be. That is a given, and with a bit of deep yoga breathing gives you a chance to correct anything and 'pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again!'

By the way, this (near full garden patch/container replacement) has happened to me twice ... once with whitefly and once because of a misunderstanding over watering and fertilising regimen. But it gave me a chance to grow something else instead and as well. It blew my garden budget a bit but I also cadged some heritage tomato seeds and healthy seedlings from friends at the garden club, so I got a bit of a boost too.

Thank you for your kind words Les and I am pleased to be able to help, I really am. Oh and Maria, keep lurking, all lurkers are welcome in this forum.

Cheers now

Great questions and of course our Lestie, is so kind to share all that great knowledge - I am truly appreciative.

I don't what do wrong trying to nurture my poor little spindly babies...LOL... I grow - parsley, cilatron, basil, lavendar, thyme, pretty much the basics as I like to call them.

I will definitely be trying your suggestions and will keep you posted.

The little white flies are a new one to me, I had not heard of those - I guess that's a good thing judging by the advice....

Thank you, thank you, thank you. It's like having a expert in my own "back yard" so to speak.

Have an awesome day!

Hello Dianne and yes, it is good that you have yet to come across whitefly. Just in case you think it would be a white-coloured type of house fly looking insect or pest it is not. It is a minute thingy and about three or four or so might fit onto one spot of a ladybug ... they are that small!

Thank you for your comments and compliments, the tips of my ears are pink with pleasure - and all are welcome at anytime to as much as I know. In turn I tell you, I have been taught by many clever people and by the plants themselves.

Observe look, note, listen, see ... and they will speak to you, they will tell you what they need. Don't grow more, just keep those you have chosen and use. And if you find you are not using one or two of them in your kitchen, then drop those and get others that you will actively use.

We are all so busy in this life and if I am right, I remember it was Shirley Conran who said "Life is too short to stuff a mushroom." Growing herbs and veges we don't use or eat for any reason is just a waste of effort and time and all and all. Well, she was right. Life is too short to grow and nurture herbs that we do not actively use in our kitchens or homes in some way. My dear Mom used to say and mean something similar when she said 'why have curry powder in the pantry if you do not eat curry?'

Your choice of herbs sounds great and very useful and fragrant and just plain nice to grow. They will payback you will see, tell them Lestie sends best wishes and says they had better behave themselves when you give them their water and sunshine for the day!

Cheers now...

Lestie,

I just wanted to pop in and share that my basil is looking beautiful, very thick and lush looking. The parsley and cilantro - not so much....

Hi Dianne,

Well there we are - Basil speaks Lestie!

Just keep persevering, keep doing what you are doing.

You could try to give half of your cilantro and parsley a small haircut and leave the other half as is. Use what you harvest in soup or freeze in ice blocks or have some pasta tomorrow night and some fish and parsley sauce on Friday!

But this haircutting is not necessary, just keep on doing what is right and as your basil is responding well it seems that you are doing things okay.

Pleased to hear it though, you have made me smile and I love my gardening smiles so thanks.

Cheers now