Herb Time

I had hoped to show up for this post about my herbs with a tactical plan.  A post about how I'd learned to take better care of my herbs and how they're now thriving.  But no.  I come to you today to present you with why I bought the ones I did and show you how they're doing.  And, once I've done that, I'm going to ask everyone who reads this post:  Why does my basil look so bad and what can I do to stop that?

Because I feel I should have brought more to this post than I did, I tried to make up for it by embedding as many links to gorgeous pictures on Food Porn Daily as I could fit in this paragraph.  I hope you click on and enjoy them.  I bought all three of these herbs because I knew my housemate and I would use them.  He uses mint in some fancy appetizer involving melba toast, fig spread and Halloumi cheese that he loves to impress people with.  I plan on muddling the mint for mojitos (that one's from Pioneer Woman, I couldn't resist) and any other drink I can find that involves it.  I use the rosemary in...well, gosh just about everything I can.  But mostly for soups, stews, roasts and I love it in bread but I am not ready to bake some of my own yet (someday).  I use the basil in my marinara sauce (correction: my mother's marinara sauce), on top of pizza, in salads and should I ever actually think to make caprese salad, I'd need a lot of it.

You may be asking yourself, why plant them when you can just get them at the store?  Because they charge way too much and I don't use them frequently enough to use them up entirely.  Sure, I can use a lot of basil in certain dishes, but in that case I feel I need to buy it the day of.  And rosemary - it is ridiculous how much they charge for it in grocery stores.  The stuff pretty much grows itself.  I am not saying that I have never killed one, I'm just saying that it is difficult to do so...  Mint, on the other hand, is something we rarely need, but when we've needed it in the past the stores were out of it.  My housemate only got to pick one plant, and Mojito Mint was the one he picked.

Week 1:  And away we go.  Newly planted in a window box and looking so green and pretty.

Week 2: The weather had been warm and rainy and for that first week everything was great.  But then, in this week, the weather chilled a bit and the winds came.

Week 3:  I had to move the box to a more sheltered area where it could get sun without as much wind.  By then it looks like the basil had already been hit pretty hard, but both the mint and rosemary were still thriving.

Week 4:  I think the basil isn't going to make it...it's only a matter of time before it gives up the ghost.  But at least the rosemary and mint are still doing well.  Maybe next time I'll do the basil indoors?  I checked these guys every couple days to make sure they had enough water (the rain took care of most of that) and, when they were getting dry, I watered and fed them (Miracle Gro Watering Can Singles).  I did attempt to prune the basil, but that wasn't till Week 3 and it was already going downhill by then.  Look how sad it is in Week 4!

I've learned a valuable lesson today about photographing plants for this site - taking the picture at the same time of day, on good weather days and from the same angle would have been nice.  Sorry, guys.

And now, let me show you my very sad, lonely, little Thornless Blackberry.  There's not much difference, but at least it's still alive.  Has it grown or did I plant a dead stick with leaves?  Anything is possible.

Orchids n Herbs

Week 1

Before I left California, I had a Jade Pothos (a very hearty hanging houseplant) and a half-barrel planter on my patio with a variety of herbs.  The Jade did really well, mostly because it let me know when it needed water (it went limp) and when it had too much sun (brown spots).  That plant is probably thrilled to be living with my friend Eleanor now.  My herb planter always had some green in it, but I started out with too many plants bunched together and the rosemary killed off a lot of them (rosemary grows really fast).  It was my first time having potted herbs around, so it wasn’t too shocking that the oregano, marjoram and sage didn’t make it.  If you want hearty herbs to start with, I can tell you that both rosemary and chives do really well.  In California, you should be able to get a decent-sized Blue Tuscan Rosemary bush at a nursery – if you’re new at this, keep it in a big planter all by itself.  Eventually it will take up the whole thing.  I have no idea why the chives survived, but as long as I remembered to prune and water, it was a gorgeous green.  I can’t say how the chives tasted, because I abhor all things oniony, but I have some friends who said they were good (it is possibly they were lying to spare my feelings).

Now that I live in a far more humid climate, I’m hoping that my mistakes won’t completely cost me plants anymore.  So, in March it got nice and warm (though not humid) and I thought it was the perfect time to go get some plants for my new home.

Me n My Orchid
(more on herbs later...)

My brother gave me a pretty little white Phalaenopsis Orchid (our Trader Joe’s always has a variety of orchids - it’s my favorite part of the store), which I’ve had for a month now.  Mary (editor/contributor of all the LostGirls sites) told me recently that she’s had a lot of luck with orchids because they need so little care.  I didn’t tell her how many orchids I’ve killed.  It is just too sad.  She did point out that having plenty of light and a humid environment is important (that’s “easy” plant care for people who know what the hell they’re doing).    I pestered her for more information and here is her advice for those of you who are thinking of buying flowering plants.  Most flowering plants wouldn’t survive a week in my care, but if you follow Mary’s directions, you should be fine.

Mary Says:

Week 4

Start out with the easiest orchid of all, the Phalaenopsis (also called Butterfly Orchids). 

Orchids require a lot of indirect light, so an eastern or southern exposure in a big airy room would be good (Jess adds: I keep mine in an open room with a lot of natural light and sheer curtains).  Orchids love humidity, so you will want to place three or so together in their own pots and on a shallow dish with rocks in it, then put a little water in the bottom of the dish.  As the water evaporates, it raises the humidity –having the plants together increases it more.  If you don’t want to put them all in the same shallow dish, you can just put them in individual dishes next to each other (in the grouping of your choosing).  The water in the dish should not cover the rocks – you want them to act as a barrier so you’re adding humidity without leaving the plant in standing water. 

You will need to water your orchids weekly and thoroughly – by flooding the pot that the plant is in and letting it drain (Mary and Jess both do this in the sink).  Try to avoid getting water on the leaves (water the soil, not the plant).  If the leaves turn yellow, it means they’ve been over-watered, and you will need to allow them to dry out – water in two weeks instead of one. 

Feed them regular orchid food and remember: Weakly-Weekly.  Feed them a small amount of orchid food once a week during growing season.  During their dormat season, late fall through winter, do not feed them (Jess Says: They might turn into Gremlins).

Other than that, keep them away from heaters and especially air conditioners – or anything that dries the air out.

If you have further questions, we found this lovely site: Beautiful Orchids.

Pity Post

Of all the Lost Girls sites, The Black Thumb is getting the least love from me and I honestly feel guilty about it.  I promise you that I am working on a post about orchids and herbs...maybe two posts, depending on how much I can learn tomorrow (which will soon be today on the East Coast).  To reassure you that I mean it, here are some pictures of my plants, when I first got them (about a month ago).  From top to bottom (with the herbs, left to right), they are a Thornless Blackberry (got it at Home Depot, no idea which variety of thornless blackberry it is), Mojito Mint (no, really), two Rosemary plants, a Basil and a White Phalaenopsis Orchid.  More soon...

The Blackest of Black Thumbs

This site is dedicated to all the plants I have killed, which is many, in my misguided attempts to fill my life with greenery.  Fortunately, in recent years, I have found that a combination of Dummies guides and helpful friends make quite a difference and no one has to remain a “black thumb” forever.  Oh, and Pinterest.  How can I forget all the random things I’ve learned from Pinterest?

Many of us did not learn all the little things you need to know to keep plants healthy and happy before deciding to try our hands at indoor and/or outdoor gardening.  Sometimes a small shift in available sunlight or dryness in the air inside your house can make all the difference.  And who knew how important it was to find out which direction your windows face?  If you live in a townhouse, condo or apartment, there is a chance that none of your windows face that perfect direction or maybe you think you don’t have enough space to make a garden you’ll be happy with. 

This is a site for beginner gardeners (or those willing to give it another try) and those angels of mercy who take pity on us and plants, in general.  If you have a gardening question you need answered or some great green thumb advice, please send an email to DCLostGirl@gmail.com.