[Solidthegreat]

Hi all, i was thinking of setting aside a portion of my patch for a herb garden. Nothing massive, but enough to plant a variety of herbs. My question is does anyone know how best to control the root systems as i know some herbs (ie mint) grow like wildfire and come up everywhere and over run other less intrusive plants and kill them off. Thanks

[Yorkie]

Plant them in a pot, which can then be sunk in to give the appearance of being planted

[daisy1990]

or a bucket sunk in the ground will do

[Solidthegreat]

Ah makes sense, but will the roots not rot if the container collects water. even if i put holes in it?

[savbo]

most herbs like very free-draining soil (being mediterranean often) so planting mint (which likes it damp) in a bucket will solve that problem as well as the invasive issue

[gillie]

Of the commonly grown culinary herbs only mint is invasive. 

Thymes, sages, marjorams and rosemaries  are all shrubby plants which behave themselves.  Parsley can be planted out in a row like a veg. Chives and fennel tend to seed themselves around and can be a mild nuisance.  Coriander bolts very easily and basil is very tender and probably best grown on the kitchen window ledge.

Gillie

[Aidy]

Gilly advice is good, but remember that some of those can grow quite large, I made the mistake with sage this year and planted a bit too much and it over the bed, however I now have a freezer full of sage leaves.
I put mint and tarragon in bottom less pots, sage, thyme, oregano, chives, garlic chives, flat parsley, dill, rosemary, and lemon balm were straight in the bed.
On the note of freezing, I grow the common old russian tarragon which I froze this year for the first time and found it has an incredible flavour.

[aelf]

I've stopped growing herbs on the plot, preferring to have them at hand in my back yard.

Too many times have I started cooking something that just needs a sprig of.... D'oh! the herbs are on the allotment 

[JayG]

I agree with almost everything which has been said, including the fact that it makes sense to grow culinary herbs as close to your kitchen as possible.

In my experience, although mint grows well in buried pots it does need repotting every year because the confinement causes severe root congestion at the top of the pot. The mint needs watering more often than if planted in open ground.

Parsley needs richer soil and more water than most of the tougher aromatic herbs, and for me grows better in partial shade than full sunshine.