Now it is autumn for the herb container as well.
It is still rather green, even better than in the heat of july, when the plants looked quite miserable.
Though I could harvest several marigold blossoms and seeds and I could cook with the thyme and majoram I am not really content with the herb container experiment.
The marigolds have stayed small as the should but they where still much too bulky for the small container. The other two plant species had a hard time against these giants. Especially in the hot days in june and july the marigold plants sucked so much water, that I couldn't put the herb container into the full sun. Therefore it was too shady for the thyme and majoram.
So, only a partial success with the herb-container.
What could I have done better?
At most: Not all the three kinds of plant in one small container!
It had been better to cultivate the marigolds in a seperate container. Thyme and majoram are ok together in ine container, I think. With thyme in containers I have could experiences for years.
Maybe bigger containers had been better too. Then in hot days it hasn't been needed to water three or four times each day. For next year I think on containers with a reservoir for water. Let's see, what I will do next year.
The herb container looks quite messy.
But when you look closer, you can see, that the marigolds are still quite green.
The most of them have seeds that are ripe or just ripening.
And there are still blossoms and even buds that are preparing to bloom.
The blossoms of the marigold are attracting insects
that enjoy sitting on the flowers and drinking the nectar.
The leaves of the thyme are green as they should
but not very strong.
Seen in total the thyme hasn't developed very good.
It has been allways in the shade of the marigold plants.
Standing alone it would have liked to see more direct sunlight but more water as well.
Both together wasn't possible in the hot summer days.
As thyme is a perennial plant it
maybe has a better time next year.
The majoram has flowered and now seeds are ripening.
It also has been overshaded by the marigolds.
After having cut all the brown leaves the herb container looks a little better now.
For october it looks quite good.
Some of the marigold flowers are still very nice.
From the marigolds I collected several flowers and dried them.
First one cuts the whole blossom and let them dry some days.
Then pulling the petals from the half dried flowers.
The petal should be dried until they are fully dry.
Here a close glance on the dry marigold petals.
I like the strength of their orange colour.
In the container several seeds are ripening.
Other seeds are already ripe and can be harvested.
Here a clos glance on the seeds.
You can see the round shape of the seeds.
The german name "Ringelblume" comes from this "ringel"-shape of the seeds.
It's interesting how different the seeds are. Some are big and others small.
All have a rough outside where they can hang onto the coat of animals
to be brought to other places.
Now we leave the herb container to enjoy the rest of the year.
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