I love herbs, but the last few years they haven’t done very well for me. Even if they thrive during the summer, they haven’t survived the last few winters.
I just finished pulling out all the dead herbs and decided to try something different this year. I thought I’d take a risk and broadcast six leftover packs of old lettuce and spinach seeds in the herb bed. Most likely not many will sprout, but it was worth trying over just throwing them away.
I purchased Rosemary, Greek Oregano, Curled Parsley, and Cilantro plants for another try this year, but had not gotten around to putting them in the ground. Since they’ve never done well in their designated raised bed, I decided to take a risk and plant them where they most likely won’t grow any better. But at least they will look cute.
I had just emptied the window box under my kitchen window of the chrysanthemums that also did not survive the winter. While pondering what to put in the window box, I decided to plant the herbs there. This window box gets no sun and is on the north side of the house. Not the desired conditions for herbs, but so convenient for cooking. I figured it was a risk worth taking.
I had plopped an extra bluebird house in the window box, and figured the herbs could keep it company and make it look more delightful.
Since I bought four herbs, two on each side would balance the box. Herbs grow well in poor soil, so I didn’t even bother to replace any of the dirt.
Nothing about this experiment spells success. But it was fun to plant something useful in the window box and also cute. Whenever I need the herbs, I can just lift the window and snip.
I had some pussy willow branches left from a bouquet I was tossing, and decided to stick them in to add a little personality and texture. Maybe I’ll get lucky and they will root, creating free plants.
There is a beautiful male bluebird who likes to sit on this string of lights and look at his reflection in the kitchen window. Maybe he’ll move into the birdhouse. Highly unlikely, but it is always a delight and nice surprise to see him so close up.
Hopefully at least a few of the lettuce and spinach seeds will sprout and produce a small crop. Hopefully the herbs will do well in the window box. Lots of hoping here, but if not, I can always move them out with the lettuce. Whatever the outcome, it was fun, and time will tell. Until then, I’ll watch them fill out the window box and enjoy them. We had a nice rain this evening and they already look more settled in and happier.
The windowbox demonstrates your usual attention to detail. I hope it – and your lettuce and spinach seeds – thrive beyond expectations. Rosemary is an indestructible thug in my garden so it’s hard for me to imagine it (or oregano for that matter) dying but such is the difference between our climates.
I’ve had herbs do fine before, but the last several years they just don’t make it. I’m beginning to think of them as annuals that need replacing every year. It might be our erratic winters where it will get too warm and then get bitter cold. We’ve had a lot of that type of back and forth temperature swings lately.
Some of those lettuce seeds are from as far back as 2013. But if weed seeds can live that long, why not herbs? I’ve nothing to lose and I’m thinking I will get a crop, even if a meager one. And the herbs won’t get any sun, but people grow them on windowsills all the time, so it was worth a try. I always play by the garden rules, so it has been fun to live on the wild side for a change.
What fun, Cindy! Sometimes it is good just to experiment and ignore the rules! And who knows, perhaps this will be a success and you will have lots of veg and herbs to enjoy AND nesting birds! I love the idea of being able to open the kitchen window to cut herbs.
The birds won’t use that house, but it is okay. The birds have lots of housing options in my yard. The window box is right next to the screened in porch door anyways, so it would be a real inconvenience if they decided to move in there.
Some of the seeds are as old as 2013, and it was a good way to use them instead of just tossing them. I’m excited to see what comes up. It could be salad every day or nothing at all. I did dig up some dandelions and plant them in another raised bed to use in salads. Surprisingly, they are not doing as well as one would expect. They evidently only thrive as weeds in places you don’t want them.