Our FAQ are taken directly from questions sent to "Ask Bob". These are Bob’s answers…
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Herb Pesticides
Where to Grow Herbs
Making Tea
Basil
Cilantro
French Tarragon
Italian Parsley
Rosemary
Stevia
Please, could you tell me if the herbs (and vegetables) are sprayed with any synthetic pesticide or herbacide, etc.
No we are not certified organic, however it is a very rare occasion that we need to spray them at all. Herbs grow very fast, so by the time they are planted and up to size for selling, they really haven't had time to get any pests; likewise, many herbs just aren't prone to pests and some just naturally repel them. If we ever find ourselves in a situation that we need to spray, we go with the least toxic and problematic solution which is insecticidal soap.
I live in Tampa, FL and just purchased some Viva Herbs. The summers here are very humid and temps well into the 90s. Do I need to keep the herbs indoors? Where should they be?
You know, most herbs are really just weeds that either taste or smell good, so they should do fine outside. My only concern would be that some varieties might get too much water. Things like thyme, oregano, sage and tarragon to name a few are fairly drought tolerant and are found naturally in Mediterranean and southwestern climates. So my only caution would be don't water them too much and they should grow like, well, like weeds!
Do you think that herbs are better in a vegetable garden or in pots?
Pots are alright, if you're not a serious cook. You get a much larger continuous supply of herbs if they're in the ground.
How do I dry herb leaves to make tea?
If you have a food dehydrator, that works great. If not, tie the stems into bundles and hang upside down in a well ventilated, dry location; maybe on an outside porch or patio out of the direct sun. They should be dry in 24 to 48 hours if conditions are right; it may take a little longer. It is critical that they dry as soon as possible to avoid turning black or getting moldy.
I am attempting to grow some basil. I have it in full sun, as recommended, but as it gets larger and I begin to harvest it, what is the best way to store it? I have some right now that I pinched off the plant before I repotted it so that the plant would fill in and not be so top-heavy, so I want to keep it in my crisper drawer until I am ready to use it. Please advise the best method of keeping it fresh in my refrigerator.
To keep it in the fridge, the best way I've found is to wash the leaves and / or whole leafed stems and shake off the excess water gently. Loosely roll up in some paper towels and slip into a plastic bag - leave the plastic bag loose and somewhat open. This won't make it last forever, but it should hold on for a week or so. Experiment too, you might find that you need to leave it a little more damp when you put it in the paper towels by not shaking off as much water. You can also put leaves in a food-processor with a little bit of water to process into a paste. Measure it in teaspoon or tablespoon volumes and freeze in ice cube trays. When frozen, dump the pre-measured cubes into a freezer bag for storage. The Basil will turn black, but if you need to drop a cube or two into a pot of spaghetti sauce or in some other similar use, who cares - you won't see it but you'll still have the great taste of fresh basil in the middle of winter!
I have a Cilantro plant that is outside in good soil, partial sun and I water them weekly. Our plant is starting to bloom white flowers, so does this mean to hurry and pick it before it's too late? I make salsa with it and I just want to be sure that it's not going to get old on us.
Is there such a thing or does it matter on the stage of growth? I saw the flowers and thought "uh oh, maybe it's too late to use and I should of picked it earlier". The stems are thick and look good, but I was just a little concerned.
You can use it at any stage, but what the blooming means is that it has bolted, and the plant will be pretty much over with fairly soon. Cilantro is very much like parsley in that when the weather starts to get warm, it goes to seed and is done. You can try cutting off the flower stem as far down in the plant as possible - this may stop the process. For other cilantro in the future, remove the flowering part as soon as you notice it, and this should help prolong the useable leaf stage.
I have some French Tarragon growing outside. I would like to bring some in for the winter, while leaving the bulk of the plant outside. Is this a possibility, and if it is; how do I do this?
This is possible though I don't think it will be a major success as tarragon basically goes dormant in the winter. You can dig up a small chunk of the root mass in the fall and bring it in; keep it in a warm sunny spot and it may kick into gear again and get growing. Your best bet is to cut long sprays of it and bring it in to dry and use it that way during the winter; I know it's not the same as fresh but it is still way better than store bought dried. You should also protect the main plant outside from the frost and snow by covering it with a good thick layer of straw or the like. This will lessen damage to the roots over winter, and the plant should bounce back in the spring.
When I purchased an Italian Parsley plant a few weeks, the plant was quite small and the leaves were not as vibrant as one would want to purchase a plant. However, I assumed (never assume) that replanting it with proper nutrition, the plant would perk up. This didn't happen. I have it on my window sill, which it doesn't get direct sunlight. Should it be? I make sure the soil is moist always. There are little bunches of starters, but once they get a certain height (2 inches), the leaves start to turn brown again. What should I do? Also, when I replanted, I provided a low concentration of plant to the soil. Maybe it was too much. The % was 10-60-10. Please help. I love Italian parsley, but I am still having to purchase it in the store. Yuk!
Replanting should have been a good thing, but there are a couple of problems. Yes it should be in full sun, and the fertilizer you used was wrong. For fertilizer you should use a balanced fertilizer something like 10-10-10, or one of the all-purpose fertilizers like Miracle-Gro or Schultz's. Parsley is a leafy plant, so you need either a balanced fertilizer or one that has a higher first number like 12-10-10 or 18-10-12. The first number represents Nitrogen, and that's what plants need to develop strong, healthy leaves.
Where should I plant my Rosemary?
First off, if your winter isn't too harsh, plant it in the ground in a good sunny spot; rosemary will survive temps down to 15 degrees. Planted in the ground, it will grow very large and very fast. You will have more rosemary than you can possibly use. If you can't do that, at least put it in a larger pot in a sunny spot.
How do I propagate Rosemary?
Just cut off a stem, strip off the lower leaves and place the stem in a glass of water. Change out the water if it gets gunky, and you should see roots in about 3 weeks - then you can plant it up. Remember that rosemary thrives in Mediterranean type climates so whether in a pot or in the ground, once established it only needs deep infrequent watering (a little more often in a pot).
I live in central Ohio and our winters can be quite cold. I have some Rosemary outside, will I be able to harvest it during the winter?
You should also protect the main plant outside from the frost and snow by covering it with a good thick layer of straw or the like. This will lessen damage to the roots over winter, and the plant should bounce back in the spring. I would protect the rosemary similarly, however you can take some branches, put them in water, and usually they will root fairly easily. Then you can pot them up and keep the plants growing inside in a sunny window all through the winter.
How far apart do you plant Stevia plants? How wide and how high do they grow?
Plant Stevia 18" to 24" apart, and they should get to about 30" tall.
