Hooray!! The plants are in the ground. I had some time last Friday being away from work and I picked up a flat of herbs and a couple of four packs of marigolds at a local big box grocer that has a garden center taking up part of the parking lot. I got three different kinds of basil, sweet, lemon and purple ruffled. Cilantro, dill, sage, chives, garlic chives and parsley are in there as well. I have been sprinkling them every day so that their roots get established. There was a day or two there when it got quite warm and a couple of plants looked droopy, but I watered them and they bounced back nicely.
I did notice that a pesky squirrels was digging in the bed, but so far no urban critters have damaged any plants. I also was around when one of the neighborhood cats was trying to use one of my beds as a litter box. It was about 6 AM and it was a good thing I was dressed. I ran out of the house and shooed it away. I did this a second time the next day and the cat hasn't been back since. Here are a couple of closer shots.


Now I tend, water and nip. I think I want a basil and cheese omelette for breakfast on Saturday.


Comments: 10
Dill, chives, garlic and parsley are the opposite: they need cool temperatures in the evening to get established.
J.F. I make large quantities of pesto and freeze in ice cube trays, then pop them out and store in freezer zip-locks for sauces and dips.
Susan's advice is a good one...in fact, as much as it hurts to do it, you should "nip all buds" off untill all the plants gain strength and are sturdy enough. Blooms will zap a lot of energy that the plant can use to get established.
You can mix marigold petals in salads in the meantime!