Toby explains how to grow these food-enhancing and biodiversity-boosting must-haves
Whenever I hear William Morris’s famous quote ‘Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful’, I always think ‘houses’? I haven’t paid for this one yet!
Even so, there is gold in them-thar words, and that’s true for gardeners whose property portfolio only extends to a few frost-ravaged pots on the patio. They might be lifeless and empty now, but with spring around the corner they’re also brimful of possibility. As William Morris might have said: it’s time to ‘put beautiful and useful plants in those pots-es!’. I couldn’t have said it better myself.
The choice of what to plant now is vast and growing as the calendar edges towards the last frosts (in May for most of us). For instant impact, evergreen shrubs such as Nandina or Pieris are easy-going winners with their fabulous year-round foliage, and right now they’re just coming into flower.
It’s also a good window for buying potted roses. Most will thrive provided the pot is at least 30cm (12in) across and filled with John Innes No3 compost, and right now there are also bare-rooted bargains to be had.
But for mine I’m plumping for plants that match both sides of the ‘beautiful and useful’ Morris mantra, and planting herbs.
Better for bay leaf
There are some tried and tested choices for pots, and bay trees I already own. They are an excellent choice for containers as they thrive in sun or shade and are forgiving of irregular watering. Flavoursome, with leaves that add savoury depth to roasts and stews, they’re also incredibly productive and one modest bush will provide more pickings than a restaurant could possibly hope to use.
Available from economical 7cm (3in) pots to £100-plus head-high topiary lollipops, there are bays for every budget and if yours is tight, it’s easy to train a tiddler into a topiary shape with time and careful pruning. I have a pair of potted lollipops standing like sentinels by my front door, but a single specimen makes an eye-catching herb garden centre piece.
Make room for rosemary
Rosemary is a must as it’s so useful and ideal for a sunny spot. Unlike bay, it comes in different varieties including the ascendent (‘Miss Jessops Upright’), pink flowered (‘Roseus’) and even cascading (‘Capri’) which has ground hugging stems that tumble over the edge of pots and raised beds.
Each type has its own flavour profile and if like me you prefer milder taste go for the straight Rosmarinus officinalis or the broadleaved ‘Tuscan Blue’ and avoid the shorter-leaved forms that (to me) have a strong soap/camphor flavour. Taste is an individual sensation, and for those that seek the exotic (or smoke 60 a day) the highly aromatic ‘Spice Island’ with clove and nutmeg undertones is one worth a try.
You’ll be sorry if you miss out sage
Sage is a plant I have to grow in a pot as it doesn’t thrive in my borders because it needs full sun and space otherwise the downy leaves are prone to rot. The plants also sulk in close company and as they’re tortoise shell-shaped (wider than tall), the isolated eyrie of a container guarantees the light and air they need.
Mint is marvellous but must be contained
As well as woody herbs, herbaceous spreaders meet the beautiful and useful brief. Mint, for example, runs amok if planted in the soil but when confined in a potted ‘penitentiary’ its roots have to behave. There are dozens of mints to choose from including furry leaved, fruit types such as ‘Apple’ (good in drinks), ‘Pineapple’ (best as a garnish) and ‘Banana’ (puddings), to the cleaner flavoured smooth leaved mints like spearmint (potatoes and peas), ‘Chocolate’ (ice cream) and garden mint (all the above).
‘Which is the best in a mojito?’ I hear you ask. ‘Moroccan’, as it’s the sweetest of the bunch.
Mint thrives in cooler conditions than other perennial herbs making it ideal for outside a shady back door where it’s also convenient to pick and keep well-watered. Another essential planting tip is to grow different varieties in separate containers because if the roots cross, their flavour muddies and becomes indistinct.
Boost biodiversity with oregano and marjoram
Oregano is my must-have barbecue herb, while its milder and softer-leaved cousin, marjoram is better for salads and dressings. Both are sun-lovers, and although the herbaceous stems during winter are knee high to a moss, come summer they’ll rise and bear purple and mauve flowers.
I use a lot of oregano leaves but always leave some stems to flower as their high-protein pollen is manna for bees and butterflies. Once they’ve had their fill and the blooms are over, I cut the lot to the ground and from there, the plants will bounce back with fresh foliage.
Planting up a herb container
Before jazzing up any old over wintered container with new herb plants, there’s the conundrum of what to do with the old compost and whether I stick or twist (make that bung the lot in the compost bin) depends on a few factors.
If it was filled with economical multipurpose then compost heap it is, but if it contained, or was wholly made up of soil-based of John Innes compost, I’ll hand fork it through to remove any old roots and remove a few inches of the old and top up the pot with fresh. For edibles such as herbs, I’ll incorporate a pinch or three of organic fish, blood and bone, while for ornamentals like hungry roses and shrubs I incorporate slow-release fertiliser pellets.
However, if the pot’s previous occupant had turned up its toes because of disease, I’ll say cheerio to the lot, clean the pot and start again from scratch.
A mix of 50/50 John Innes and peat-free multipurpose is my go-to for herbs, providing them with the mineral content that all the Mediterranean sun-lovers require and holding plenty of moisture for fast-growing mint. If it was a large container and small plants I’ll also dig in some horticultural grit, which I also use to mulch over the compost surface. Being silver in colour, it reflects sunlight but stops compost getting splashed onto the leaves by rain, so it’s useful and looks good too.
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