Question
Hi.  I planted sage, oregano, thyme, and mint together in a pot (12 inches in diameter and 10 inches deep) in May.  They were thriving until a week ago.  First, thyme started turning brown and died and then went oregano. I am now on the verge of losing sage too.  I fertilized them with Miracle-Gro about 10 days ago for the first time since I planted them.  I have been watering them every morning (if I don抰, they wilt by noon).  The pot is on my patio facing southeast.  I want to plant them again, but before I do that, I would like to find out what I did wrong and how I can keep my herbs healthy.  I would appreciate any advice you could offer.

Answer
Graycat:
I'm not sure, you didn't say how large the plants were that you were using. It sounds like a lot of plants for such a small pot. They might have actually been overwatered, or the soil might not have been tamped down around the roots sufficiently. Both result in the plants not getting enough oxygen through the roots. These plants thrive in hot, dry weather.

Also, all of these are perennial plants. Unless you plan on buying new ones every year, they will quickly run out of room in your pot. That could even be the problem now, it they were larger plants to begin with. Each one could easily fill a 12" pot on its own. Watch out for the mint though - it is extremely invasive, and if your pot is sitting on earth, the roots will grow through the pot and take hold in the ground.

Elyse