New to  Florida? Love to cook using fresh herbs, or do you just like the look of potted plants? The answer is simple in South Florida. All year round we can enjoy fresh herbs and other plants from our potted garden. When the plant expires or gets root bound, just pull it out of the pot and replace it with a new one. This is the time to plant before it becomes too hot to leave new plantings in direct sun. If you wait until the real heat arrives, start them off in the shade and slowly introduce them to the sun. 

One may ask the advantage of potting plants rather than putting them in the ground. Potting your plants gives the option to move them around, giving your planting area a different look. It also prevents some varieties from growing too large and getting out of control. Draught has hit us like never before and water restrictions must be abided by everyone. With a good soil mixture potted plants can be watered every other day using 1 to 2  gallons of water per 10 small to medium size pots. Certainly that is not water restriction abuse. For potting soil, I like Miracle Grow because it is rich and has some fertilizer in it which gives new plants a good start. Any rich potting soil will do and make sure to mix purlite into the soil for drainage. Also make sure all your pots have at least 1 hole at the bottom for drainage. This will help prevent root rot.

Amongst the best herbs are Rosemary that will grow huge if not trimmed often. Rosemary shown on the link above is the only herb I recommend be transplanted into the ground. If kept under control and trimmed into a ball shape, Rosemary can be enjoyed all year round. Rosemary is a wonderful effervescent herb that goes wonderfully on all types of meats and poultry. For chicken I like to cut 4 sticks just above the wooded section. Next take a whole chicken and loosen up under the skin on the back at the legs and the breast side. Insert 1 stick under the skin at the 4 locations. then roast in the oven or even better if you have a grill rotisserie, cook slow for 1.5 to 2 hours depending on the size of your bird.

On lamb, my other favorite rosemary use is wonderful when the leaves are separated and used in a marinade. For kabobs, cut the lamb in 1 to 2 inch squares then marinate in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, rosemary, salt and  pepper. Let the meat marinate a couple of hours then make up the kabobs with lamb and vegetables then hit the grill. This is my favorite for tailgating football games. And remember to serve with mint jelly.

My other favorite herb that is easy to grow in pots is Basil. The most common is sweet basil and can be purchased ready to use or better yet, grown in pots. Most widely used for marinara sauce, sweet basil can be used for many uses as the link above suggest. Amongst other basils that are popular are Thai basil and lemon basil. My favorite is Thai basil for its scent and attractive purplish flowers. All basils are easy to grow in pots and once they get too woody or spindly due to lack of pruning, simply pull it and replace with a new young plant. I had purchased one Thai basil plant 3 years ago and still propagate new plants from the seeds that are constantly produced from multiple flowering. Thai basil is another that I use with lamb, seafood, chicken and as a garnish for color. Lemon basil is great on seafood and with anything requiring lemon.

Another favorite of mine it pineapple in a pot. Buy a fresh pineapple and cut the top off about one inch from the bottom of the head. Sprinkle a little rootone under the cut and plant in a medium size pot. The pineapple head will take root and within a year or so usually produces a pineapple. They are beautiful and once ripe the pineapple will be easy to break of the plant. Every pineapple purchased has the potential to grow another. I have done it and the fruit is sweet as the store bought.

Potted plants are fun and easy. Pick up pots, soil, perlite and seeds and you are off to easy growing.

Joel Tanen