Herbs

Design and InstallationFirewoodGarden Caregarden TriviaIndoor plantsPlant Health Care
Written By Peter Morris

Introduction

Summer arrives and EVERYBODY wants herbs in their garden.  Here are our customers’ favorites and our suggestions for what works best in planters on a rooftop garden.

Herb Gardening Tips

Some herbs are perennials and you plant them once and done ! Unless of course some ice storm or wicked winter cold gets to them – but most of these are hardy.  Rosemary, Thyme, and Mint are the most commonly requested.

Plants like Basil, Cilantro, and Dill need to be planted each season.

Most herbs need at least 6-8 hours of sunlight, some like Basil also want heat.  All require consistent watering, especially in containers.

Deadheading and pruning leafy herbs like basil and parsley keeps the plants bushy and productive.

Fast growing and requiring full sun and plenty of water. Stagger the planting in three-week intervals for a longer picking season.

DO NOT let it bloom !

Cilantro

Bright morning sun and partial shade in the afternoons is the best lighting for this warm loving plant.  Plant it late in the season or risk it becoming stunted in a late Spring cold spell.

Don’t let it flower and pick it constantly to promote side branching. Rarely gets bugs.

Basil

A very fragrant, butterfly and bee attractor. Grows quickly and drinks lots of water in the summer heat. Prone to caterpillars and beetles.

You can also use the flowers and seeds as seasoning!

Dill

Technically a Biennial but in NYC winters it does not always survive.  We grow them as annuals.  Slow to grow and flush out then tend to be ready for picking alter in the season.

Beware - everything eats it ! Aphids, caterpillars, beetles, soil bugs – you name it.

Parsley

An aggressive, vigorous perennial we insist you grow in a small planter by itself.  They tend to spread via underground runners and will completely strangle other herbs in the same container. 

Available in a multitude of varieties. Chocolate mint is amazing !

Mint

A very fragrant, hardy, evergreen perennial shrub that loves the summer heat and the sun.  It does best in south facing planters that get winter sun. 

Loved by bees and butterflies and Romans. Rarely ever gets any insects.

Rosemary

Super easy herb to grow that loves sun and heat but will tolerate anything winter sends its way.  Many varieties available with subtle differing flavor profiles.  Tends to creep and form tight mats. Stunning display when it blooms.

Thyme

A hardy plant with a pungent flavor, ideal for Mediterranean dishes. Tends to also form mats and handles winter quite well. It can get leggy and requires pinching back on occasion.

Oregano

The easiest, most forgiving herb to grow.  It forms clumps that spread and grow over time. Hard to kill! Lends itself to constant picking.

Chives

It is very hardy, and drought-tolerant perennial with a robust flavor. Needs some protection from wind in winter. Prune back in fall and mulch it over.

Sage

Our Garden Care team can get you all the herbs you want !

Call us !

Don't delay – the sooner the better !

GREENING NEW YORK FOR OVER 53 YEARS !

Article written by our Staff Horticulturist, Peter B Morris, BSc, MSc, MBA

All photographs used with permission @SHUTTERSTOCK 

Peter Morris

Peter was born and raised on a beautiful green island in the midst of a tropical rainforest. He was introduced into the world of plants at the age of six when his grandmother, an avid Spanish gardener herself, asked him to help her grow seeds for her pepper garden. He was hooked! By the time he was a teen, he had his own rose and orchid collection numbering in the hundreds. Botany was in his blood, and that is what he set out to study.

His passion brought him to NY in the late seventies to further his education. His tenacity allowed him to work full time at Plant Specialists while he completed a MS in Plant Biology. As a manager at the time he felt unsatisfied with his knowledge of business and business processes. Peter felt compelled to learn, so he then pursued and completed an MBA in Quality Management within a few short years.

Peter’s other passion is teaching. His natural ability is quickly consumed by our staff in all subjects in Botany, Horticulture, and Landscaping. He created an immense reference library of more than 3,500 plants providing an invaluable resource for our staff.

Peter’s breadth of knowledge and wisdom allows him to effectively diagnose the needs of plants. Sometimes just by walking into a garden he can create a prescription that fixes even the hardest issue. He is our Staff Botanist, Diagnostician, and all around Mentor. Recently, he has put his immense knowledge and skills into developing a new department that focuses on Plant Healthcare. As he puts it, “Magic through Science”. The PHC staff that surround him have avidly consumed his teachings. Substantially developing their own plant wisdom, many have taken on difficult plant health issues with spectacular results.

Plant Healthcare has been an instant success with customers! The proper treatment of insects and diseases including Organic methods has made pest control a necessity for every plant. Correcting hormonal imbalances caused by planting in containers or refurbishing soils leached of nutrients by irrigation systems are big challenges PHC has become quite comfortable addressing. The scientific approach to the complex demands of keeping plants healthy in our harsh city environment has made many a customer say WOW!

Next

The most suitable plants for a Green Roof – our findings