[Ann]

I have acquired an old belfast sink and would like to use it for growing herbs, thyme common and lemon, basil, chives and indian mint.  What would be the best thing to mix with my compost to give good drainage, last year I lost a few herbs and I think is was due to them becoming waterlogged.  Also do you need to feed them and if so what is best for them.

[WG.]

Mint will take over the whole sink to itself!  Either keep it contained, or keep it out altogether.

[noshed]

Loads of grit I would have thought. Most herbs don't need much feeding as far as I know, mine seem to thrive on neglect (they have to).

[muntjac]

put grit or shingle ballast £1.50 a bag from focus .in the bottom a layer of newspaper n card or old carpet and ur sorted normal soil n potting compost mix . feed em a liquid manure once every few years when they lack growth

[Ann]

The indian mint doesn't seem to spread like the common mint and tends to trail, so I thought it would look good growning over the side.  Intention is to build two brick pillars for it to rest on.  I might just leave it in the pot and sink the pot into one of the corners

[WG.]

The indian mint doesn't seem to spread

Okay, I guess I dunno what Indian Mint is.  I'd keep the chives out too since they like a good feed.

Otherwise, I agree with t'others.  Make it gritty and keep on the dry side to suit perennials such as thyme, sage, rosemary.  Basil is annual and needs regular watering.

[Ann]

If chives need  a good feed that is probably why I have not been very successful with them in the past.  I shall grow them on there own and think about doing the same with the basil as it likes more water than the others.

[Annie]

You could try prostrate rosemary too since that will grow over the edge and doesn`t mind being dry.
I`m not sure why you can`t grow chives unless it just gets too dry.Garlic chives should be OK as long as you don`t let them self seed.

[Ann]

I'm not sure about the chives either, I used to have a nice sized pot of them after a few years they died off, I have since sowed a number of pots but they do not last more than a month or so.  Will keep trying until I get it right.

[richyrich7]

I grow my chives next to  my roses it's supposed to keep black spot at bay in the roses, and I think they benefit from the manure I put on my roses.

[shaun]

bring a nice price on ebay these sinks  
ive got a belfast cleaners sink in my back garden for washing wellies/boots/veg etc realy handy just need to plum it in 1st  :shock:

[richyrich7]

My Mum's got one in the back garden, I can remember washing up in it when I was a kid.  

[WG.]

My Mum's got one in the back garden, I can remember washing up in it when I was a kid.  

My Mum had one and I can remember getting washed in it when I was a kid.  :o

[Annie]

Basil doesn`t grow brilliantly in pots,I start it off in pots and plant out in june,nip the tops off and it grows hugh and the taste is stronger.I`ve never grown chives in pots just divide it every other year and spread it round the garden.My mum grows mint in her sink andloads of daffodils.

[wellingtons]

... in my garden, in large pots and I have a large herb bed at the allotment.

I agree with the others, plenty of grit and don't feed them too much.  You're right that the indian mint isn't as rampant as some of the others, but it will eventually spread.  

The only thing that wasn't mentioned, I think, was sun ... herbs do need a sunny spot.  I would also mulch with gravel.  One cos it looks pretty, but it does keep excess water off the base of the plants.

What about sage or rosemary?  Both do well in pots.  And don't forget if you like things to tumble over the sides, then your thyme will do that naturally if planted on the edge.

Basil is the only one that you mentioned that's a tender annual, so you'd need to grow that one indoors to start with, or plant seeds in about June and cross your fingers.  I struggle to germinate basil outdoors.