Have you heard the terrible news … there’s a coriander shortage in the supermarkets.
Ok, ok … you can stop cheering if you’re part of the one in five who aren’t on Team Coriander and think it just tastes like Lux soap flakes and should be banned.
But it’s a real thing at the moment. It’s been announced that the supply of fresh herbs is at a worrying (for gastronomes) low level.
Fresh favourites like mint, oregano, Thai basil, curry leaf, and the aforementioned devil’s herb, coriander – can be hard to find on supermarket shelves.
It seems that adverse weather conditions down south have really affected southern herb growers. Unseasonable heavy rains, high humidity and heat waves earlier in the year really set back the herb growing regions of Victoria and South Australia. And it’s only now that the shortages are flowing through to the shops.
People are having to … wait for it … grow their own at home! Ooh the indignity!
But seriously, growing your own herbs at home is pretty quick and easy and can be a relatively painless entry into the wonderful world of gardening.
Herbs lend themselves very well to being grown in containers, which matches perfectly with the smaller home lifestyles many now enjoy.
The best option is to use as large a container as you can, filled with the best potting mix you can afford, placed in a nice sunny spot that’s sheltered from the western harsh sun and drying winds.
Growing multiple herbs in the one container is also a great idea – that way you can have a selection on-hand as and when you need them.
But one trap often fallen into by the unwary is to grow herbs in the same container which have different life-clocks.
What do I mean by ‘life-clocks’ … well it’s just a reference to how long they last before dying off.
In general, herbs can be grouped into annuals (grow for 1 year or less), biennials (grow over two years) and perennials (grow for a number of years).
What you’re aiming for with container grown herbs, is to grow the ones together that have the same life-clocks.
It’s no point growing an annual – like coriander – in the same pot as a perennial, say oregano. It looks nice for a while but then the coriander dies off and you’re left with a just oregano and empty space.
Most common herbs will fall into either the annual group or the perennial group. There are some, but not as many, which are in the biennial group – such as parsley and fennel.
So, that’s why you need to know your herb life-clock.
Your annual herbs are less in number and include favourites like basil, coriander, dill, cress, borage, chamomile, and rocket.
Perennials are by far the most common. These include rosemary, thyme, oregano, chives, mint, Thai mint, marjoram, sage, lemon balm, lemon grass, tarragon, lavender, borage and lovage.
Some of the perennials can grow quite large or grow rampantly and are better suited to being in a pot of their own. These include rosemary, lavender, borage, lovage, lemon grass, mint and Thai mint.
Parsley is another I grow by itself in a pot – but just because I use a lot of parsley (curly and flat leaf varieties) and so I grow one big pot to keep up the supply.
Herbs need to have regular watering and feeding, as they need water and nutrients to keep growing more foliage as you keep picking and using them.
Eventually, all herbs in containers will run their life-clock down and will need to be replaced, or they’ll just get ratty from the continual harvesting. I always like to have one pot with them actively growing, and another with seedlings starting out.
That way as one dies back, the other is coming on to replace it.
Happy gardening. I’m off to pick some herbs for a roast chicken – sage, thyme, rosemary and a couple of bay leaves from the bay laurel tree.