Canna - Herb Special

A complete feed for kitchen herbs such as basil, coriander, thyme, parsley and dill. 3 ml per litre of water, once a week, throughout the growing period.

The dose never changes

That sounds unremarkable and on this shelf it is unusual. Almost every other plant feed has a progression: start low, build weekly, something different in flower.

Not here. 3 ml per litre of water, once a week, and that dose stays the same for the whole growing period. It is also the same for every kind of herb: basil asks for nothing different from thyme.

That is exactly what a pot of herbs on the windowsill needs. There is no schedule to keep and no phase to recognise, so there is little to get wrong. Adding feed to the water once a week is enough.

Let the water come up to room temperature first

CANNA put this explicitly in the instructions and it is not a detail: water straight from the tap, too cold, can damage the roots.

So fill your watering can and let it stand rather than pouring straight from the tap. Also make sure excess water can drain from the pot; a pot without drainage holds water the roots cannot cope with.

Shake the bottle well before use.

Only start feeding at three leaves

If you grow from seed there is a period where feeding achieves nothing. CANNA hold to this: feeding is only needed once the first three leaves are visible.

Before that the seedling lives on its own reserves and on the sowing medium. Feeding earlier does not help and burdens a root system that is barely there.

A second tip from the same direction: after cutting herbs back, give a little less water until they start growing again. A plant with less leaf transpires less, so the same amount becomes too much.

Harvesting at the right moment

For herbs where the aroma matters most, think rosemary, sage and lemon balm, CANNA give a concrete time: harvest around midday, because that is when they hold the most oil.

Harvest the top leaves with their stalk. That encourages the plant to produce fresh side shoots, so you can keep cutting from the same plant more often.

Available sizes

Technical Specifications:

• Type: complete feed for kitchen herbs
• Manufacturer: CANNA, Specials range
• Dosage: 3 ml per litre of water
• Frequency: once a week
• Progression: none, the dose stays level throughout
• By crop: the same dose for every kind of herb
• Start: only once the first three leaves are visible
• Water: let it come up to room temperature first
• Storage: sealed, out of sun and frost, 10 to 30 °C
• Warning: causes skin irritation and serious eye irritation

Frequently asked questions

How much do I give and how often?
3 ml per litre of water, once a week. That dose stays the same for the whole growing period.

Do I adjust the dose per herb?
No, the same dose applies to every kind of herb.

When do I start feeding?
Only once the first three leaves are visible. Before that it serves no purpose.

Why does the water need to be at room temperature?
Because water straight from the tap, too cold, can damage the roots.

When do I harvest for the most flavour?
For aromatic herbs like rosemary, sage and lemon balm, around midday: that is when they hold the most oil.