Space Needed?

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tzakiel

Cook
Joined
Dec 31, 2008
Messages
99
How much space will I need to allocate in my back yard to grow:

A small but usable yield (maybe 1-2 sprigs/week) of:

Basil
Thyme
Tarragon
Parsley
Bay

My back yard is sodded... it's a 1 year old house so it's basically just sod grass back there. I don't have a lot of space but I'm hoping to grow the herbs above if possible. I might have a space of only about 6ft by 5ft or so to work with (patio is next to this area) It's a fairly shady area... do the herbs above need full sun?
 
Yep, they need sun. if you are in the U.S., you can contact your local Master Gardener's chapter, try the county extension office and they can direct you. It's a free service, staffed by volunteers. They can come to your yard and help you with information that will apply to your locality.
 
Herbs in pots do really well, in fact you could put all those herbs into a really large pot and have many, many snippets every week. In the ground 3'x3' would give you a generous herb garden. If you have cold winters, individual pots would allow you to bring the herbs inside to grow on your window sills. Bay leaves come from a bay tree, which can also be grown in a pot and brought inside for winter.
 
Herbs don't need a lot of room, as others have said. I have Italian Parsley, chives, celantro, dill and basil in a little plot of ground 2ft by 4ft. I live in Calif. and they get only morning sun. Be careful if planting mint......it will spread and choke out everything.
It's wonderful to have the herbs you love at your fingertips.
Go for it, and good luck.
 
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