I have tried the 'resistant' basils, chuckl, not working...I just need to set up different conditions - but we are hitting mid 80's in Feb already this year, no cool anywhere.

welp - if basil balks at my horticultural 'hospitality' this summer, then maybe I'll be kinder to that purple-leaved Perilla weed that grows wild around here - not a foody replacement for basil, but when sunlight hits those purple leaves, then it gives the garden a 'cathedral' effect.

At the risk of really going off subject here - speaking of a 'cathedral' effect - I once had a neighbor that laid bricks out in the design of a cathedral window, and then she allowed a drought-tolerant forgetmenot I had shared with her to self-sow everywhere - just blue filling her pattern - and it was magical.

Not sure which forgetmenot it was - I had bought a 50cent packet from Park's in the 70s labeled something like Anchusa myosotidiflora that I can't find now. We were on well water, so that plant is especially memorable for surviving in impossible dark shady rooty places where nothing could be expected to grow. As a biennial it survives only by self-sowing and 50 years later is still here.

Maybe I'm not too far off the subject - don't herbs and patterns kinda go together? With my neighbor's garden, rather than an edging of boxwood that might need more training and weeding, she let the 'weed' self-sow instead all over a pattern of movable bricks.

For more experimenting with self-sowers, there's a great article here: https://www.dianeseeds.com/art...

Diane's article and this thread are making me think of direct sowing some yellow-flowered dill among some blue forgetmenots now going into their 2nd year that I just mentioned. Maybe it was what now is called Anchusa capensis? Myosotis sylvatica? Myosotis oblongata? Add some daisies like chamomile or feverfew with Lady's Mantle somewhere in the vicinity?

Sooo - just in case basil doesn't cooperate in my garden this summer, apparently there are alternatives in spirit or design. I'm always all ears for alternatives.

sounds very interesting , keep us updated

I have the purple perilla (shiso) here and use it some but I don't find it tastes like basil at all
It is an interesting flavor to add to a cold sandwich like lettuce especially on something bland like turkey

I plan to have a lot of basil as usual this year. I love basil and plant lots each Spring. I actually give it away with tomatoes from my garden to my neighbors and friends come summer.

I started 8 varieties from seed March 15th. Same time as I started my tomatoes.

The seedlings grew quickly and are ready to be planted outside. Hope to get them out soon.

African Blue basil is in the ground pots, hyacinth bean going in tomorro behind it in the same pot. I HOPE it will grow here, it SHOULD in spite of this humidity. French and lemon thymes blooming, I cannot find my trimming scissors and the oregano is going nuts, so is the dill I have- it is a tangle too thick to see into. Catnips are sprouting and growing, Kentucky Colonel Spearmint has a new layer of dirts over it after I sheared it to the ground to get rid of our woolly caterpillars, and it is coming back really well. We have winds to equal the Santa Anas in California blowing tonight, I have chrysanthemums about to bloom, and rosemary telling me I need to help it. The onion chives have a gorgeous purple bloom waving its glory down in the dill. Then there are the elm, pine, oak, sweetgum and Chinese Tallow Tree sprouts trying to sneak into the garden.

a few herbs went into the beds this week
sage
thyme
camomile
lavender
rosemary

Everyone is ahead of me!!

Not everyone, Rita, Johannion is still waiting to begin his seeds.

So the main thing I was doing today was planting out lots of basil seedlings that I grow in pots. I managed to plant 18 pots and still have basil seedlings to plant.

I like to give out basil with my tomatoes to friends. So I plant lots.

I ran out of steam planting in the garden so I did not get my planned herb sowing done. I plan to sow cilantro and more basil. First I will be filling the cellpacks with potting mix and then sowing. Hopefully tomorrow.

Rita, can you still sow cilantro now? I just harvested all of mine this morning because its new leaves started changing...a sign it's about to bolt. Told my daughter we're making salsa tonight. 💃 I just whacked it back, hopefully it will send up new growth, but I think here it's getting too hot for starting new plants.

NMoasis said: Rita, can you still sow cilantro now? I just harvested all of mine this morning because its new leaves started changing...a sign it's about to bolt. Told my daughter we're making salsa tonight. 💃 I just whacked it back, hopefully it will send up new growth, but I think here it's getting too hot for starting new plants.

Oh sure. Can sow lots of crops of cilantro. I do have to keep sucession planting though because the stuff bolts.

Nice!

I finially got my dill seeds sowed today. I grow dill in pots so I managed 4 large pots. I should have gotten it done earlier but just never did.

Also I planted both Lettuce Leaf and Salad Leaf basil seedlings in some containers. These were seedlings tha I have grown myself from seed.

1 10 gal pot of lemongrass, potted, set where sun shines longest and up on a grate to drain (has screening in the bottom to block snails I hope

I have a new start of peppermint to put somewhere since red wasps hate it, and had to water my eggplants, had to come inside 90* outside and way up on humidity out there. I feel I accomplished something, chuckl

Does anyone have experience growing banewort aka bishop's hat?
I am tryin to decide if it will do well here.

Sorry Mindy
not one I have grown
********
the valerian has been in full bloom for a week now I grow it for the wonderful scent

When it is finished blooming I cut the hollow stems in lengths and dry for drinking straws

I planted my colantro seed;ings in pots to grow out. I got the scent of Cilantro all over my hands while doing so. I do love the smell of Cilantro.

Hello everyone! All of your herbs look simply marvelous. My plant obsession is expanding from purely succulents to even getting into growing herbs now. I like to cook, and using my own herbs is so rewarding, but even beyond that the beauty and resilience of them is immaculate. I will attach a couple pictures of my herbs gardens that I took at my sale last weekend.

P.S. If anyone has any tips for me regarding collecting, storing, and growing seeds, specifically Cilantro, and Basil, it would be much appreciated!

I do grow and collect seeds from cilantro, parsley, and a few greens. My cilantro is different than what you grow as I grow the variety known as Confetti. It is more lacy, which means my daughter can stand it on her tongue. Basils I cannot typically grow because of our humidity, but I do grow African Blue basil and it does not make seeds. Allow the flowers to bloom, and dry on the stalks, then collect the seeds in a large ziploc bag, with maybe a bit of paper towel in the bag ( it helps absorb any leftover moisture. Write on the bag what it is - & when you collected it - as you won't remember later. My seeds are stored in an old shoebox and do fine.
Your herbs are awesome. I also grow onion chives, rosemary, catnip, oregano, and various other things when I decide I can, but I also have summer herbs growing thru our winters.