[hubballi]

I prepared a herb bed in sunshine, deep, moist compost mixed with soil for the deep roots. I planted out parsley and coriander as well as other salad leaves. All have done reasonably well but given the conditions of well prepared bed, plenty of early day sunshine they are looking well small. The coriander once the first cut is taken remains bare and spindly as does the one in the kitchen windowsill. All grown from seed but not lush like the lush Bunchy stuff you see growing and in Supermarkets. They have all been fed with nettle and chicken Manure, seaweed tonic at intervals for the nitrogen but it hasn't put any growth on. Looks like I am destined to grow bonsai everything in my garden despite giving ideal conditions. :-(

[allotmentann]

Parsley takes it time to get going, it starts very slowly then suddenly takes off. Coriander can be awkward too and you can get two types of seed, seed to grow for the seed and seed for the leaf, for good bushy plants you need the leaf variety. If you can get it established in a spot that it likes it will often self seed and grow for you every year. Are you sure that they need so much feeding? I plonk mine in a pot of multi purpose, or in the ground wherever there is a gap (with no special preparation to the soil) and they seem to be just fine.

[Beetroot queen]

Mine are very well deprived of goodness, mean is the way i treat my herb bed infact if it gets water its lucky.

[arugula]

My coriander is coming along very slowly. I don't have any parsley in at the moment, but when I do have both the parsley is usually a little bit more vigorous.

[hubballi]

Ok, I will hold back on the feeding and see what happens. Thanks folks.

[Aunt Sally]

Some good guidelines here:

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/profile.aspx?pid=679

[hubballi]

Well, the parsley has got SMALLER and one stem turned yellow. The coriander has disappeared and the rocket is small and pathetic. By now it should all be thriving in good, deep soil.

[allotmentann]

Hubbali, I notice you mention they are in the sun, a lot of herbs, including parsley and coriander like partial shade. My parsley definitely does better where it gets some shade.

[hubballi]

Not full-all day sun but some sun morning and early afternoon. Cut and come again rocket doesn't come again either. Just awful. I also sewed a lot of rocket seed 3 weeks ago too and nothing doing.

[seaside]

Hubbali, given that I am someone who has tried to grow for many years in an unsuitable aspect, just how much direct sun do your plants get ? I believe you need more light, not less... all of them
Spindly plants are a classic symptom of poor light. Just how much direct sun do you get per day on any plant ? I have  a garden that gets no direct sun for 6 months of the year and only 3 to 6 hours in one place throughout the other Summer months. And that is not enough for successful food growing ... well apart from the odd tomato, a bit of kale, and a few runners and French beans that make use of the July and August high sun. And that's before one even has to deal with the pests that dominate in such an environment.

[hubballi]

Not much sun in winter months as st walled but still, first I am told they are getting too much sun and now not enough. Which is it ?

 I am talking about salad, herbs etc that thrive in summer when the sun is around most of the time. My garden gets sun all day in he spring and summer months. 

[Aunt Sally]

Most veg, salad, herbs like full sun.  A few like a bit of shade.

[Beetroot queen]

Not much sun in winter months as st walled but still, first I am told they are getting too much sun and now not enough. Which is it ?

 I am talking about salad, herbs etc that thrive in summer when the sun is around most of the time. My garden gets sun all day in he spring and summer months.

You just have to work with what you have, look for plants that suit shade, sun. My herbs are in full sun and some died like parsley etc but others like rosemary, thyme and sage seem to love it. Only you know how much shade you get as you live in your house its hard for other people to advise, we can all only guess unless you fancy having us all over for tea 

[Aunt Sally]

Hubbali, I notice you mention they are in the sun, a lot of herbs, including parsley and coriander like partial shade.

That's true

[hubballi]

Well the parsley is shaded by a large  flat leaf parsley (gone to flower) so it isn't in full sun. Sorry but it should be doing well where it is.