- Experts say supermarket-bought herbs are not designed to survive
Trying to keep herbs alive in pots can be a challenge for even the most experienced gardener.
But it seems it may have little to do with gardening prowess, because the Mail can reveal that supermarket herbs are designed to thrive only until you get them home.
Experts say that herbs grown in pots for large retail chains are actually immature seedlings that are misleadingly presented as adult plants and cannot survive for long in a home environment.
To test the theory, the Mail bought potted herbs containing coriander and basil from Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose and cared for them according to packet instructions for a week.
We found many collapsed as soon as we removed them from their plastic packaging and several wilted, turned brown, and/or lost leaves within days.
Supermarket herbs are grown to look good on shelves rather than survive at home, experts say (file photo)
Kendall Platt, gardening expert at Adventures With Flowers, said: “The herbs sold in supermarkets are grown to look good on the shelves, not to survive. When they die, you have to buy new ones.”
Herbs sold in supermarkets are grown in climate-controlled greenhouses under “maximum” conditions, often receiving 18 hours of artificial light a day.
‘This makes them grow quickly, but their size is deceptive because they are still immature plants.
“They grow a lot in about three weeks, but you’re basically buying a pot of seedlings,” said Liz Alderson, on her gardening blog The Herb Guide.
On supermarket shelves, the weak stems of immature herbs are wrapped in plastic, which also causes the leafier leaves to appear on top, giving them a healthy appearance. But once the wrapping is removed, the weak stems can quickly fall apart.
Seeds are also planted too close together and not separated when germinating, meaning seedlings compete with each other for space.
Ms Platt said: “You can’t have just one plant in a pot, but up to 50 tiny plants competing for nutrients. There’s not enough soil to support them all.”
The weak stems of immature herbs are held in place with plastic wrap, which also lifts the lusher-looking leaves to the top, making them appear healthy, until they are unpacked (file photo)
Herbs are also outdoor plants, which means it’s difficult to maintain their optimal conditions indoors (stock photo of a supermarket vegetable aisle)
Because seedlings are exposed to so much artificial light in greenhouses, they grow tall and have small leaves because they don’t need to put in much effort to capture the light needed for energy.
But once you bring them home, even the sunniest windowsill probably won’t have as much light, so the herbs struggle to get the energy they need.
Ms Platt added: ‘Herbs are really outdoor plants and it is difficult to maintain the conditions they need indoors.
‘People overwater them when they start to wilt, which can cause them to drown.’
Andrew Opie, of the British Retail Consortium, which represents supermarkets, said: ‘Retailers carry out shelf-life tests to ensure (potted herbs) are fit for purpose and of the highest quality for customers.
‘Herbs are also grown in greenhouses using light and heat to cultivate them in optimal conditions, so retailers can offer British herbs in pots all year round.’