WCIF fresh herbs and spices?

[Bobarctor]

Hey,

I can't quite figure out why it is so difficult to buy frsh herbs in Taipei. Yet I can find Thai Basil in almost every supermarket but where can I get parsley, mint, basil, rosemary...

Someone adviced to grow potted herbs which I do, but the supply is just not enough

There should be some ways, specially for parsley: almost every italian style noodle place use it for decoration. (Taiwanese tend to think parsley is not comestible).

Looking forward to replies.

[Dragonbones]

My solution is to grow more pots. LOTS of pots. My whole balcony is a forest of herbs and kitchen garden plants. At the plant markets ask for Yi4qin2 (yi4da4li4qin2), flat leaf Italian parsley, vs. Ou1qin2, curly parsley. You can also get basil cheap at the wet markets. Fresh herbs at outrageous prices are available at high-end supermarkets. Also see this thread on growing potted herbs:
http://www.forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopi ... 5#p1407955
Buy several of each kind, and transplant them into bigger pots to give them room to grow and to prevent them from drying out in the summer heat. Water daily (except for rosemary, which is every couple or few days depending on the pot size).

[Bobarctor]

My point was precisely not to plan it because I need just too much

[Tempo Gain]

My italian parsley died again. Can't get it to grow

[Bobarctor]

Good. So were do we get some ? For sure there is some around, every single shop serving Taiwanese style "western food" put some for decoration...

[lostinasia]

Good. So were do we get some ? For sure there is some around, every single shop serving Taiwanese style "western food" put some for decoration...

Hasn't this already been answered? If you want to get small quantities, unreliably available, at exorbitant prices, go to City Super or Breeze Center or Jason's. If you want a larger amount more reliably available (probably cheaper for a single meal; definitely cheaper if used for more than one meal) go to the Jianguo Flower Market on the weekend and buy your own pots.

Definitely do not plan a dinner on the assumption that you'll find the relevant herbs at the Western supermarkets, because who knows what's available on a given day.

Tempo Gain, my Italian parsley is thriving this time, despite the two previous plants having died within a month or two. The secret is … well, I've treated it exactly the same as the two previous plants. Apparently there is no secret. Maybe a bird pooped/didn't poop in the pot this time.

[Dragonbones]

My Italian parsley has done best when I, first, transplanted it into a much bigger and deep pot, and second, moved it to a partially sunny (not full sun all day) location. I give it a little water one day, and a good soak the next, and the soil surface is covered with crushed eggshells.