Making herbal remedies

Herb Care

When you receive your herbs, please follow these simple steps to help them thrive.

When your herbs arrive, please make sure you remove any pot toppers from the pot.

Most herbs need free-draining soil and plenty of sunshine. Water your herbs when the soil begins to look dry and avoid letting them sit in dishes of water.

If you are potting your herbs on, choose a pot that is 3–4 cm larger than the current one. Moving herbs into a pot that is too large can cause the compost to stay too wet, which may lead to root rot. When roots begin to grow through the bottom of the pot, it is time to pot the plant on again.

Nutrients in compost only last for a limited time, so make sure you feed your herbs weekly during the growing season.

If your herbs arrive during autumn or winter, keep them in their original pot and place them in a sheltered, frost-protected spot until the weather becomes warmer.

These simple steps will help your herbs establish strong roots and grow into healthy plants.

Basil Care

Basils love hot, dry weather. In the UK the best months for growing basil outside are June – August, but if the summer has a lot of overcast and damp days growing it inside might be better. A good guide is above 10°C day and night.

Basil doesn’t like to be over-watered, especially when it is young, so make sure that you only water them when the compost is dry to the touch.

Herb Pruning

To ensure that you end up with a nice bushy herb, always remember to pinch out the tips (not just pull the leaves from the stem) to keep the plant nice and bushy.

When pinching out tips or cutting herbs back, always do it just above a node (generally where the leaf joins the stem).