"Alan Holbrook" > wrote in message
. 3.30...
> "Julie Bove" > wrote in
> :
>
>>
>> > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> Okay, I do not have a green thumb at all. But I'd like to try
> growing
>>> some simple herbs that I regularly use, like basil and parsley.
> I
>>> bought a couple of
>>> planters that hang over a deck railing that I thought would be
> a good
>>> place for
>>> them as I'm not going to try and dig up any of the back yard.
> So,
>>> anyone here
>>> have experience in these things? Can I just use potting dirt?
> Do I
>>> grow the
>>> stuff from seeds or do they come in little posts already
> growing? And
>>> is there
>>> much upkeep to them? Thanks.
>>
>> Those two are easy to grow. Can get seeds or plants but seeds
> are
>> cheaper. If you use seeds, you need a seed starting mix. That's
> more
>> expensive than regular potting soil. If you opt for plants,
> you'd
>> need potting soil. If it were me, I would probably do the basil
> from
>> plants and the parsley from seeds. I would also use Miracle Gro.
>>
>>
>
> Buying plants vs. seeds is indeed a little more expensive, but for
> me, I find the convenience worth the price. Going along with what
> Julie said, I find herbs to be ridiculously easy to grow,
> especially basil. I do mine in planters also, just water them a
> couple of times a week, feed them every couple of weeks with a
> good general purpose plant food, and stand back. My basil grows
> so well I've seen it try to reach out and grab my cats when they
> wander too close to the planters...

Cilantro and parsley were the ones that grew the best for me. I got those
10 cent seed packets from the drugstore. They kept reseeding. Got a lot of
mileage out of those!