HERBS in a BARREL

26-12-17 
A Christmas pressy from Shane, Shell, Declan and Beau, all Beau's idea.  He knows what his Grandma likes, bless him...

 Sage, Oregano, Thyme, Dill with Garlic Chives in the center.



 being duly admired by Sam in his summer coat.

5-8-18  
Lot of sinking of soil, will have to raise levels.  Dill decided to turn up its toes, as dill is wont to do.  Sage needs attention:

  From the site: https://www.thekitchn.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-growing-sage-221035
Growing garden sage (salvia officinalis) is so economical and time-saving. Its flavor is so intense that only a dash is needed to flavor a dish. Sage is also one of the few herbs that, **even as its leaves grow larger, the flavor intensifies. Unlike many herbs, sage leaves are still delicious after the plant flowers. 
Sage will grow almost anywhere, but it provides the tastiest leaf when it receives a lot of sunlight.

Propagate from cuttings: Clip a three-inch cutting from the very tip of a stem, apply rooting hormone on the exposed portion of the stem, and plant it in either sterile sand or vermiculite. Roots will emerge within six weeks. Transfer to a small pot, let the root ball form, and then transfer to a large pot or directly to your garden.
Propagate by layering: Take a long sage stem and carefully secure it along the soil with wire, leaving four inches of the tip free. Make sure the pinned portion is directly touching the soil. Roots will start to form along the stem within about a month. Cut away the newly rooted plant from the main plant and transfer elsewhere within the garden or to a large pot.

From the site: https://homeguides.sfgate.com/prune-culinary-sage-37857.html
 Cut out old, woody growth each spring as the first new stems and leaves begin to emerge. Remove up to one-half of the old stems completely by cutting them off at their base. Trim back the remaining stem 8 inches, or by about one-third their length. Dispose of the trimmings.
**Trim off the small flower buds as they begin to form in late spring or early summer. Flowering causes the flavor of the sage to decline.
Prune back the stems by up to 8 inches in summer, approximately 75 days from planting or when growth resumes on perennial plants. Save the trimmings for herbal use.
 Shear back the sage a second time in late summer or early Autumn, once the stems and foliage have regrown from the previous pruning. Remove up to 8 inches from each stem.
 Conflicting information - happens for just about every plant....


21-9-18 
Oregano, Thyme and Garlic Chives are growing really well, the Dill died and am testing if the pot of parsley will like the new location (was previously in the nursery - reclaimed from an Aldi fresh herb bundle.)
Sage is leggy and distressed.  After researching the info above I will prune heavily.  There are two new plants starting off on the right hand side of the plant, difficult to spot behind the taller stalk, one self layered, one I encouraged.
Will wait until a bit larger and cut off the stalk and pot up as a gift
2nd week in Sept was fertilised with Osmacoat.

 22-9-18  
Well, how embarrasing.  Not a water problem for the sage.
More like garden monsters, multiples.

And did I read somewhere that these large wooly blighters are good guys? boy do I need to learn!!!!

So, a short sharp cut back on almost every stalk, there are signs of tiny little leaves emerging further down the stalks and new growth from the center of the plant, so not too concerned about photosynthesis.  Made up some white oil and dowsed the entire plant.

20-10-18
 Success with the sage, everything is going along nicely, the parsley likes to position so will soon pot up into a large pot.
However.....look at the thyme...lots of dieback....natural?  bug?
The journey continues.