Hello! You may have noticed that this blog is coming out a few days late. We are rebounding from some website woes, but we're back in action! Today, we're here to round out and wrap up the story of Hector's Herbventure - or his first-ever experience growing a balcony herb garden. For many, the prospect of growing your own food, or herbs, is intimidating. Hector, perhaps, used to fall into this camp. But this year? He grew a bouquet of culinary herbs that all got their start at the JBG Transplant Sale. In case you missed the beginnings of this story, here is Part 1,and Part 2, and Part 3. Keep reading for the herbaceous crescendo: Part 4.

PRECAUTIONS
By Hector.

My next challenge involves finding out what herbs can cohabitate with which one inside my new planters. Like a dreaded school cafeteria game of where you can sit, this would be my next lesson. Per previous inquiries with friends and family, I learnt basil can be tricky and grow big roots, so it would need their own space. Mint was similar to that. Rosemary can grow and expand at a ridiculous pace, so a corner spot might be better. Who knew herbs could be so dramatic?

I read an article that gave me a lot of hope. Similar climate herbs can work together. I started reading more about it and found that I would be able to succeed if I divided my garden based on this.

I decided to put what someone labeled as Mediterranean herbs together, as the upkeep wouldn't be so hard. My 6 herbs on planter 1 would be thyme, parsley, rosemary, cilantro, oregano, and savory. The next planter would have (for now) basil, sage and epazote. The latter was obtained from Garden Seventeen (https://gardenseventeen.com/), a greenhouse near my home.

I must admit some of my initial transplants didn’t make it. The chives had trouble adapting and waiting, so these might have grown another season. My first cilantro survived the first weekend but because I didn’t plant it, it started faltering and was unable to keep it alive.

I managed to put all my new herb babies in their new homes now, when night temperatures don’t go below 55F. I dug the first spot with my hands while recalling how my mom put a few popcorn kernels in the ground. I wanted to grow my own popcorn and she was more than happy to help. I called her the previous Monday top talk about my herb garden. I shared how worried I was about keeping these alive and screwing up.

“Las plantas son muy luchonas. Ya verás como salen adelante,” she said. Plants are fighters. You’ll see how they thrive. I repeated this phrase in my head while moving each one of the herbs. Now, time to let them thrive.

It is now June 2021. I am not a miracle worker but the herbs survived. You can check these out in the photos. I started wanting more herbs while cooking and it has happened. My first basil leaves graced a very simple yet tasty bruschetta.