I'm new to growing culinary herbs in pots on my apartment balcony. I've planted rosemary, marjoram, and thyme together in a long railing planter. I've learned that marjoram requires more water to establish itself compared to the other two. I'm wondering if I can just water the center of the planter (where the marjoram is) more frequently while watering the ends less. Will that work, or will the water just spread out too much in the soil? I also live in southern New England, so I hope that's relevant. Thanks in advance!
3 Answers
It’s all about how much water you're using. If you stick to small amounts, you should be good with uneven watering. Just make sure your rosemary is getting enough air. You might also consider rearranging the plants if they start to crowd each other, or even placing a divider in the planter if you want to keep them separated!
You can definitely water the marjoram more often than the rosemary and thyme. Just pour water at the base of the marjoram, and it should be fine. Water will still spread a bit but won’t fully saturate the planter if you're careful. Also, adding good drainage to your soil is key. If you haven't already, using something like perlite in your potting mix can help!
Thanks for that tip! I just blended some perlite into my soil, hoping it helps with drainage. Sounds like I should definitely try watering the marjoram more frequently and see how it goes!
Good idea to focus more water on the marjoram! But consider that if you give it too much at once, the water will spread out. I’d suggest finding a balance. Or, if it works better, put the rosemary in the center since it grows taller, and that will keep it from overshadowing the others!
That's a solid suggestion. I’d like to avoid blocking the sunlight, though. I’ve mapped out how the sun hits my planter and want to make sure everyone gets their share!
The divider idea is intriguing! I’m definitely cautious about moving the plants since I’ve set them based on how the sun hits them, but I’ll keep that in mind as they grow.