Article 18211 of rec.gardens:
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From: jareed@rodan.acs.syr.EDU (Judith Ann Reed)
Subject: Herb Faq, first revision
Message-ID: <1993Jun7.110510.3812@newstand.syr.edu>
Organization: Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
Date: Mon, 7 Jun 93 11:05:10 EDT
Lines: 1915
******************************Herb FAQ****************************************
6/7/93
Here is the first stab at a herb faq for rec.gardens. I welcome your comments,
further questions, and contributions, which will be included in future
revisions. This document is still in the development stage. In particular,
if anyone has any specific information/contributions, please send them
along. At the end is a collection of questions to be answered - if you'd
like to answer them, send that along too. The format is rather informal,
but seemed to fit the information. Comments welcome.
Judith Reed
Syracuse University
jareed@syr.edu
Contents:
(1) Herb Vinegars
(2) Bolting Cilantro
(3) Basil
(4) Scented Geraniums
(5) Stinging Nettle
(6) Drying herbs
(7) Some catalogs
(8) Horsetail
(9) Bee Balm/Bergamot
(10)Chamomile
(11)Rue
(12)Essential herb oils
(13)Oregano
(14)Grilling with herbs
(15)Herb names
(16)Digging out ingrown herbs
(17)Purslane
(18)Insect repelling plants
(19)Herbs A-Z
(20)Poisonous herbs
(21)To flower or not to flower
(22)Pruning woody herbs
(23)Groundcover herbs
(24)Sages
(25)Tarragon
(26)Herb Journal list
(27)Herbs for shade
(28)Small list of books on herb garden design
(29)Thymes
(30)Herbs by email
(31)Flowering chives
(32)A quick living fence
(33)Curry Plant
(34)Types of catnip
(35)Garlic
(36)Herb sources
(37)Controlling mints
(38)Questions seeking answers
(1)****************************HERB VINEGARS***********************************
My favorite base for herbed and fruit vinegars, by the way, is oriental rice
wine vinegar. It seems to be a little less acidic, and has good, but not too
strong, flavor. And it comes in gallon jars at your local oriental grocery.
(2)*****************************Cilantro/coriander*****************************
>I am trying to grow cilantro (coriander) for the second time, and it's
>happening to me again: after a few weeks, the plant grows very long stems,
>blooms, produces fennel-like leaves, and stops producing the usual wide
>leaves I associate with cilantro. What am I doing wrong, if anything?
I don't _think_ you're doing anything wrong (at least, I have the same results).
Last year, I compensated for cilantro's tendency to bolt by planting (from seed)
a new batch every few weeks.
Not incidentally, when your cilantro bolts and goes to seed, the seed may be
harvested for later in the cycle. You'll end up with more seed than you need.
*****
Try Nichols Garden Nursery for a slow-bolting cilantro
1190 North Pacific Highway
Albany, OR 97321-4598
ph# 503 928 9280
I just looked it up they sell both. It's under Coriander.
*****
Direct seed coriander in early spring or late summer through fall...
Sowing the seeds in late spring or summer is futile because the short
nights wil make plants flower and set seeds precociously, when they
are tiny. Plants will withstand quite cold weather....
*****
As others have mentioned, this can come from two causes: the plants are
bolting due to the longer day-length, and (if you bought ordinary
"coriander" seeds) they're a variety which has been selected for rapid
and copious production of seeds, at the expense of foliage.
Several seed vendors sell a "slow-bolting" or "leaf" cultivar, which has
been selected for these characteristics. I raised it last year, and
have a healthy crop of "volunteer" offspring this year. It is very much
as advertised... it grows a much larger crop of leaves, was slower to
bolt, and even after bolting its leaves seem to be tastier than is true
of the seed-coriander variety.
I've come to believe rather strongly in growing some carrot-family
herbs (of which coriander is one) to encourage the populations of
beneficial insects. I can usually find a number of ladybugs prowling
around the coriander flowers, and I've seem numerous other insects
supping on the nectar. Many of the insects are ones I can't recognize,
but I believe that at least some of them are predators on aphids and
other pests... I've had far fewer aphids, etc. on my vegetables than in
previous years.
*****
Cilantro is indeed tricky. Like basil, it seems to really want to
bolt to seed as soon as it can. The seeds are also edible and I believe
are actually what we call coriander. They have a pleasant taste and
can be chewed as a breath freshener or ground up for spice.
Of course, if you really want cilantro,not its seeds, none of the above
is particularly helpful.
*****
Here in hot, dry Colorado, I plant lettuce, cilantro, and basil in
containers. While the seeds are germinating and the plants are
little, I leave them out in full sun. When the plants get big enough
to where bolting might become a problem, I move them onto the patio,
up against the north edge of the house, where they get early morning
sun, and then bright light the rest of the day. We pick from these
plants all the way until fall.
*****
Cilantro (cilantrillo, culantro) is the green leafy stage of coriander, corian-
drum sativum. Coriander, the spice, is cilantro seed, and yes they certainly
do taste different. There are several other species that taste like cilantro,
one is a tender knotweed from Thailand and the other is a succulent that
people grow in Puerto Rico where it is known as cilantro while the annual
coriander is known as cilantrillo.
You can grow cilantillo under lights all year long indoors, seed it in the
winter for a really early spring crop or plant it every 10 days for continuous
cropping in the outdoor garden from earliest spring til mid fall.
*****
Now, for what to do with all that leafy cilantro!
!!!!Salsa!!!!!
(3)*********************************BASIL**************************************
>From what I understand, picking off basil leaves encourages more growth. So
>how do you know when to pick the leaves? Do the leaves have to be a certain
>size before picking?
Pick it when you need it. I usually pick herbs 10 seconds before they
go into the pot. Our herb patch is right outside the kitchen door -
an arrangement I highly recommend.
*****
Don't just pick off the leaves! Pinch off the tops of each shoot,
including a pair or two of good-sized leaves at the top of the shoot.
Leave at least one pair of well developed leaves on the shoot (so you
should have at least two decent pairs of leaves on a shoot before you
pinch off the top). From the leaves that are left on the shoot, two
new shoots will generally develop, resulting in twice as many leaves
as from a single shoot. This is why pinching off the tops results in
more leaves.
This is good practice for many plants, including flowering plants. I
have pinched off the tops of lots of mums in my mother's yard. This
results in more flowers in the fall. Additionally, I sometimes stick
the pinched off shoots in a well watered location and they frequently
root themselves into new plants.
I think pinching back and thinning are the two emotionally hardest
things for a beginning gardener to get used to. I still have trouble
pinching back flowers like petunias, where you will always be
destroying some buds. Last Saturday I thinned many annuals which I
started in the ground from seed. I couldn't resist giving the culls a
second chance by scratching up the dirt in our back area, dumping the
culled plants on the disturbed surface and giving them a soaking. It
will be interesting to see if any of them make it. If they don't, it's
no loss.
*****
Let your plant grow to a reasonable size before you pick from it or
prune it: like maybe 6 inches high. Depends on the variety. What you
want are the tender young leaves, and you want to pinch back the
growing tip to encourage bushiness, and you want to discourage
flowers.
What I do is grow several plants, twice as many as I think I really
need, and use it every day or so during the first part of the summer.
Then along about the middle of July I chop half the plants right down
to a few inches high, and use those leaves for a batch of basil olive
oil or basil vinegar. The remaining plants will serve me for daily
use until the cut ones regenerate-- bushier and more tender than ever.
Then cut the other ones, and repeat until frost.
You have to be careful with that basil olive oil: if you put garlic
in it too, it has to be refrigerated to forestall botulism. It gets
ugly in the 'fridge, but ugly is better than deadly. This advice
comes to you courtesy of Gail Perrin, the food editor at the Boston
Globe, and the USDA. Your tax dollars at work.
*****
>I planted some basil inbetween my tomatoe plants since it's supposed to
>have some effect on the taste of the tomatoe (make it better of course).
I happen to be watching, oh I can't remember the name of the show... maybe
the Backyard Gardener or something. It comes on Saturday mornings on TNN
(The Nashville Network) at 9:00 AM EST. That's where I first heard it. In
fact my neighbor bought a rather large tomato plant last year and it had
basil planted at its base. At the time I didn't know why.
(4)******************************Scented Geraniums*****************************
>Citrosa is one of the scented pelargoniums (P. graveolens var.) which
>aledgedly had been developed in Holland by "gene-splicing" techniques.
>More probably, it is a cross between P. graveolens and P. citronellum.
>
These plants can repel mosquitoes but the catch is that the leaves must
be crushed to give off the odor to repel the insects.
(5)**************************Stinging nettle seed source************************
Abundant Life Seed Foundation, PO Box 772, Port Townsend, WA 98368,
(206)-385-5660 fax (206)-385-7455. Urtica dioica seed, $1/packet.
(6)*********************************Drying herbs*******************************
To dry chives, chop the leaves into 3-4 mm lengths with a very sharp
knive or scissors. Throw out the flower stalks -- they are not edible
(though the flowers are). Then spread out on paper or counter away from sun
or heat.
Other herbs are best dried by stripping leaves from stems and spreading out
to dry as mentioned above.
Don't dry too fast, otherwise you'll lose the aroma and flavour; resist the
temptation to use the oven. The oven is useful, however, to finish off a
batch of herbs to make sure any lingering moisture is removed before storing.
Set oven at lowest temp, leave door open, and let herbs warm up for 10
minutes only.
Herbs are ready for storage in an airtight container when the leaves become
brittle. Good quality herbs retain as much of the green colour as possible.
*****
I have found that dried chives have no taste. Freezing them in
an old margarine container works quite well and you just take what you want by
scraping the top with a fork.
*****
I think for lavander, thyme and oregano, you can cut the stems and hang them
up side down just like drying flowers. For rosemary, since it is an
evergreen plant, you can just use it as it is but if you are thinking of using
it as pot porri, you can hang the stems up side down. For chive, if you want
to dry it for cooking, you can chop them up and dry them in the oven (the
lowest setting) or use ice cube method (I think you put the chopped chives in
the ice cube container and put a little bit of water in it to freeze it).
Mind you, I have never tried this method, that is what the book said!!
*****
For food herbs, why not freeze? They retain much more of the flavor,
and somehow they are less bitter. As for drying, Ive tryed
microwave, oven, open air, sun, but what seems to work best is
to leave the herbs on the dashboard of a car parked in the sun.
Makes the car smell interesting as well. :-)
*****
It is better to freeze parsley in small bunches -- sized with as much as
you would use at any one time. If you prefer to dry, you must dry in
a well-ventilated location out of the sun with *slight* heat (no more than
30 C). It is good to remove stems first and to chop the leaves *carefully*
(with a minimum of bruising) into smaller pieces, about 5 mm across, using
a super sharp knife. When crisp, finish off in the oven with door ajar
and temp set at lowest setting, for no more than 10 minutes to remove
lingering traces of moisture which could cause mould. Store in airtight,
opaque containers kept in a cool location. Don't keep beyond a year.
Dried product should be green, not yellow or brown, if you have done it
right.
*****
Here's I've done for the last several years
with great success: Cut as much Parsley, Rosemary,
Thyme, Basil, etc. as you want to dry (stems included).
Gather a bunch of the stems together and secure with
a rubber band. Hang the bundle upside down in the house
out of direct sunlight and forget about it for several
weeks. After the plant is all dried, the leaves just
crumble off. I usually crumble the leaves over a cookie
sheet, toss the stems into the compost, and fill an
old jar or tupperware container.
I've also dried many flowers by bunching them and hanging
them upside down....it's a breeze!
(7)*****************************Some Catalogs**********************************
Although "seed-fever season" is pretty much over, I thought I'd share
some catalog addresses for those interesting in planning for next-years
garden or for summer/fall plantings and 'overwinter' gardening
(possible in mild-winter areas). Most of these are Pacific Northwest area.
Nichols Garden Nursery
Herbs and Rare Seeds
1190 North Pacific Highway
Albany, Oregon 97321-4598
-Great catalog with interesting varieties, many herb seeds.
Territorial Seed
20 Palmer Ave
POB 157
Cottage Grove, Oregon 97424
-Specializes in 'Maritime Northwest' adapted veggies, probably work
well in most high-altitude or short-season climes. They have a
special Winter Gardening catalog for cloche and cold-frame year-round
veggie production in mild winter areas.
Shepherd's Garden Seeds
30 Irene Street
Torrington, Connecticut 06790
Many vegetables, oriented towards gourmet cooking, has some recipes in it.
Seeds Blum Heirloom Seeds
Idaho City Stage
Boise, Idaho 83706 Catalog $3.00
A wonderful catalog, fascinating just to read, filled with lore and
recipes and such. A company dedicated to the preservation of
'old fashioned' and rare veggies. Some really far-out stuff.
Abundant Life Seed Foundation
PO Box 772
Port Townsend, Washington, 98368
Dedicated to preserving genetic stock of foodcrop seeds. Has many
informative books too.
(8)************************Horsetail Plant Source*******************************
>I have read that the pioneers called this plant the "scouring rush". It
>has a silica compound in the outside layer and acts like a very fine abrasive.
>They would gather it and use it for scouring pots, sanding fine woodwork
>surfaces, etc.
I use dried horsetails in "plant tea". The silica content is
supposed to deter fungal growth and, if sprayed on, provide a small
measure of protection against sucking insects. I use plant tea in the
house as a combination food/insect deterent. I mix together comfrey,
horsetails, nettles, tansy, wormwood and a Thai pepper or too (say, a
spoonful of each herb) and pour in the boiling water (about 6-7 cups).
Soak as long as you like, allow to cool, and water your plants. This is
a good soil drench for black flies and fruit flies in your house plants,
and provides extra minerals, too. Whatever you do, don't *drink* it
though! Not only would it taste terrible, it will make you ill, to say
the least. Oh - sometimes I toss in some dried seaweed, too, usually
dulse.
Outside, you can use it as the base for a plant spray. Make a
strong solution, then add a spoonful of liquid soap, and a spoonful of
powdered clay (I use the kind sold in health food stores for poultices
and such). SHake very well (even so, it may clog your sprayer) and spray
plants, thoroughly wetting all surfaces. There is a commercial mix you
can buy (from Gardener's Supply in Vermont) called SilKaBen, which is
silica-kaolin-bentonite, basically a mix of clays which form a
protective barrier on the plant when sprayed on. The principle is the
same.
That's for plants - for people, I'm told that soaking your
fingers in horsetail and nettle tea makes your nails stronger, but mine
are always so trashed it hardly seems worth the effort.
(9)******************************bee balm/bergamot******************************
Bergamot leaves + black tea make a drink which tastes exactly like Earl Grey.
That's what I always thought Earl Grey tea was.
We also make an excellent herbal tea by mixing 2 parts bergamot leaves with
3 parts lemon balm leaves.
*****
The Bergamot used for real Earl Grey tea was actually an aromatic oil from the
Bergamot orange. Monarda didyma etc are called Bergamot because of their
startling resemblance to the original. I believe that they are sometimes
called Oswego tea after some American Indians of the same name who used it this
way and no doubt introduced it to early settlers.
*****
If it is monarda, it does attract hummingbirds. We have some planted, and
the birds, bees and butterflies all love it.
(10)*****************************Chamomile**************************************
>RE: chamomile, aka camomile. Now I'm really confused on the two
>available varieties: "German" Chamomile vs. "Roman" Chamomile.
>
Roman chamomile is Anthemis nobilis, a low growing perennial. This
is the one to use for chamomile lawns. German chamomile is Matricaria
something-or-other; it's a rather weedy-looking annual. You can make
tea from the flowers of either, I believe, but those from Matricaria
taste better.
*****
+ Both varieties are used for tea, but in different places. The Germans use
+ the German variety and consider the Roman variety to be a weed. The English
+ consider the German variety to be a weed and use the other kind.
I have both varieties: English Chamomile ('Anthemis nobilis') and German
Chamomile ('Matricaria recutita' sp?). I like Chamomile tea and had the
same problem trying to figure out which one it was that I liked. Anyway,
I gave up and got both in February of this year.
The English Chamomile is like a ground cover, while the German Chamomile
can get pretty tall (it's about 1 ft tall now, and I've read that they can
get to 2 ft tall). The German one has a yellow-green color. While the
English Chamomile is a darker shade of green. I've read that the English
Chamomile doesn't mind being stepped on, so it can be used between stepping
stones, where it could release its fragrance.
Since I got them in small 2.5" pots, the German Chamomile has quadrupled in
size, while the English Chamomile has doubled. Both have been repotted, and
both plants smell nice. (I just moved my English Chamomile since
I discovered that my gardener has been mowing the flowers off!)
To date, I've only tasted the German Chamomile. It's covered with little
daisy-like flowers, and they are very mild. The flowering is extremely
prolific, so I can understand where the term 'weed' comes from. :-)
My guess is that it takes about 4 fresh tablespoons to get the same taste
per cup (as a Celestial Seasonings Chamomile Tea teabag). Don't worry, I
can cut 4 tablespoons of flowers and still have as much left over from the
same plant. The taste is almost the same, but I think the fresh one is
more fragrant.
I've heard that English Chamomile has a more tea-like taste (i.e. less
mild), and I'm still waiting to try that one out. But I'm quite happy with
the German one so far. It's really soothing for a drink before bed.
Watch out for aphids, though!
*****
>While we are on the subject, I'd also like to ask a question about
>harvesting chamomile. What do you do about those aphids that are on the
>tiny stems and the flowers? Is there a way to keep them out of your tea?
To keep insects out of your chamomile tea: dry flowers, keeping
in whole form as much as possible, and screen out the debris, including
the little dried out insects.
There is not much more you can do once the insect invasion is fait
accompli.
****
Funny, I havent had any problem with aphids on chamomile (annual type, anyway)
They do like to congregrate on the rose of sharon bushes where the lady bugs
gobble them up. (distraction?)
Also, perhaps they are repelled by the sage that I have around the chamomile ?
Anyway, to get rid of any bugs on herbs, I give them
a quick dunk in hot (not boiling) water and then rinse
in cold water. That seems to get rid of all of them;
I havent had buggy tea in quite a while :-)
(11)***********************************Rue*************************************
>Also, what can I expect from for "rue". [can you tell I found a bunch of herb
>plants marked down to $.49 at the local nursery!]
Ruta graveolens--a quite lovely perennial, typically with lacy grayish
leaves. Be warned that it can give some people a rash--you might determine
whether you're sensitive to it before you feature it to heavily in your
garden.
(12)************************** Essential herb oils******************************
>I grow many medicinal herbs and wonder if anyone knows how to distill
>the essential oils from a plant. While most of the medicinal benefits
>of the plants I grow are available by making infusions, decoctions,
>tinctures and poultices, some of the compounds in the plants are only
>found in the plant oils.
If I recall correctly, one way of doing it is with solvent extraction.
You crush the stuff, soak it in some solvent (alcohol, benzene, or
other), then pour off/strain the liquid, then gently boil off or
evaporate the solvent leaving the oil behind. It's been quite some time since
I helped a classmate do an oil of cloves extraction... Like almost 20 years.
This isn't exactly low-tech or "green". Especially with benzene - *nasty*
stuff.
Old chemistry text books from the 40's thru the 50's are most likely
to have exact recipes for extractions from a couple of different
plants. Then perhaps the Merck index or a specific index of plant oils
will tell you which solvents to use.
*****
The safest and cleanest method of extraction is with an alembic
still. It's nice if you can buy one (try Edmund's Scientific) but you
can also put one together from pieces of lab equipment or even kitchen
pots. The idea is to simmer the organic matter in water so that the oils
are released in the steam, then trap the steam so that it condenses.
Typically this will yield a more dilute product than a pure essential
oil - what you will usually get are herbal "waters" such as rosewater,
lavender water, etc. The best quality oils are steam distilled but the
apparatus and technique may be beyond the home hobbyist.
*****
If you are only interested in flavor and scent, the easiest way to extract it
is to soak the flowers or leaves in a light cold pressed olive oil. The oil
will attract the oils from the plant. Use a glass or pottery container, metal
or plastic will discolor the oils. Lay the leaves or flowers in layers in a
shallow dish, use just enough oil to cover the materials. Let stand in a dark,
cool area for at least 24 hours. Gently sieve the mixture, pressing the plant
materials gently to extract the (essence?) of the oils. Add more fresh plant
material to the oil, and repeat the process. Six times through the process
seems to be the minimum to get a good lasting scent. Some plants and flowers
need 10-12 times through the process.
When extracting the oil, remember the 1000 to 1 rule. It will usually take a
1000 oz. of plant or flower (sometimes more, and it needs to be FRESH, not
dried) to get a ounce of oil.
You can extract the oil using alcohol as the solvent. Use undenatured ethel
alcohol (pure grain alcohol aka Everclear) instead of the oil in the process
above. After the sixth time through the process, you will have a nicly
scented alcohol base (it makes a nice base for perfume, or toilet water).
The base can be either steam distilled or frozen. Distilling is traditional,
but freezing is much easier. When freezing the base, use a tall narrow necked
container, and a pipette to collect the oil that rises to the top of the
container as it starts to solidify. Don't let the oil become solid. The
alcohol doesn't freeze, so be carefully not to disturb it when lifting off the
oil. You can use the alcohol again, but it will retain some oil.
Almost all herbs can be steam distilled, using water as the base. Use a very
small still, and remember that the first steam contains more of the oils that
the steam later. The temperature the water needs to be held at varies
according to the plant, and some herbs "scorch" if the water is too hot.
It's normally much easier to purchase essential oils, than to make your own
unless you have a very large garden and a lot of time.
(13)*******************************Oregano*************************************
>Does anyone out there have experience growing Oregano!....
Yes: I bought an oregano plant in a 2" pot 4 years ago, and have
giving the stuff away by the pound for the last three years.
The little plant grew to about 12" x 12" the first year and bloomed
nicely - ever since the original plant gets over 24" tall and about
30" around, and I have oregano coming up in every bare spot in the
area - it doesn't come up in the lawn. The original plant was
getting kind of ragged looking this year so I divided it - just
chopped out a section with a shovel and gave it away. Both plants
thrived.
*****
After it gets established here I don't think I could kill oregano if I tried.
BTW - this is borderline zone 5/zone 4, it is planted in 3/4 sun
we get good water in the spring, but very dry summer
the oregano gets watered in summer with other herbs and flowers
but stands drought very well
*****
I have seen several different types of "oregano", don't know if
they were different varieties or different species or what.
I haven't tried any others - I have plenty...
*****
I just read in Rhodales Encyclopedia of Herbs, that oregano is
usually tasteless, and that you really need to get cuttings from
a plant with good taste to ensure that you get a good crop.
*****
The fresh, succulent growth you get in the spring is low in the oils
that give these herbs their flavour. Once the weather gets hotter and
drier, and the foliage gets older and tougher, it will have more flavour.
(14)********************** Grilling with herbs ********************************
This weekend we grilled a small flank steak with no previous
prep. After lightly browning each side, placed a small hand
full of w. savory on the coals directly under the steak, and
closed the lid for 2 +/- mins., repeat for the other side.
The smokey/herby flavor is OUTSTANDING.
We have also used Thyme and rosemary on chicken, pork, lamb and
beef. If you don't have a cover for the grill you will need to
use a little more herb, but it works.
(15)****************************Herb names**************************************
Hypericum perforatum - St. John's wort. The herb and fruit are sometimes
used as a tea. Flowers can be used for making mead. Eurasia.
Prunella vulgaris - Self-heal, All-heal. A refreshing beverage can be
made by soaking the leaves, either freshly chopped or dried and
powdered, in cold water. Young shoots and leaves are eaten raw in
salads, cooked with other greens as a potherb, or added to soups and
stews. Eurasia, naturalized in N. America.
Stachys officinalis - Betony, Bishop's wort. An infusion of the leaves
and flowering tops makes a refreshing, aromatic beverage. Europe.
>High Joan the Conqueress (or John the Conqueror) root(money)
>broom tops (protection)
Broomcorn for making brooms? Panicum miliaceum, Sorghum bicolor ...
Centella asiatica - Gotu-kola, Indian pennywort. The leaves are eaten
raw in tossed salads, steamed and served with rice, or cooked in
vegetable soups and stews. In Thailand the juice of the leaves is used
as a refershing drink. A tea made from the leaves, called long-life tea,
was regularly consumed by Professor Li Chung Yon, who reputedly lived
265 years and married 24 times. Warmer regions of the Old World.
>The associations of the author of the book are listed to the right,
>though I doubt that they will help. What I need, is some kind of other
>identification, either another common name, or a systematic (latin)
>name. The above common names are verbatim quotes.
>The source of the names is Starhawk's _The_Spiral_Dance_. One last
>question, are bay laurel and laurel the same plant?
Lauraceae - Juss. Laurel Family. Dicot.; about 47 genera and 2,000-2,500
spp. of trees and shrubs, often aromatic, native mainly to trop. and
subtrop. regions ... Among other economic products, members of the
family yield camphor (Cinnamomum camphora), cassia (C. cassia), cinnamon
(C. zeylanicum), the avocado (Persea americana), and important timbers
(Aniba, Nectandra, etc.).
So, many plants are called laurels, in fact some aren't even members of
the family. THE Greco/Roman laurel is Laurus nobilis, aka laurel, bay
laurel, sweet bay, the leaf used to make spaghetti sauce. The California
laurel is Umbellularia californica, aka laurel, bay laurel, Oregon
Myrtle, the leaf used to make spaghetti sauce.
Ref: Cornucopia, A Source Book of Edible Plants, Stephen Facciola,
Kampong Publications, Vista, CA, ISBN: 0-9628087-0-9
Hortus III, Macmillan Publishing, NY, Collier Macmillan Publishing, London
(16)***************************** Digging out ingrown herbs*********************
> - How the HECK do I get those old herbs out? They are REALLY dug in,
> not to mention all inter-grown to each other.
> - What kind of dividers do you recommend? Redwood? Cedar? How deep do
> they have to go?
> - Any no-no's as far as one herb living next door to another?
> - Are herbs hard on the soil - do I need to do something once I start
> with a clean slate again?
> - Is there any way to "save" and transplant parts of the existing tangle?
Which herbs did you plant? Most can take some root damage without any
problem --- especially the ones that have been spreading so well. If you
want to dispose of certain herbs completely, it may be difficult to get all
of it out but digging is the only solution. I stupidly planted lemon balm
in a small herb border, between some thyme plants, & had to be really
merciless about digging it all out. I'm sure I'll see some sprouts in the
spring, but they'll be alot easier to dig out than the original
plant-from-hell. The neighboring thyme plants didnt seem hurt at all. So
just get in there and hack away! You're in a much different zone, so I
don't know when is the best time to prune or transplant --- check with the
local cooperative extension, or maybe another CA resident on rec.gardens.
DON'T plant anything from the mint family (including lemon balm) in a bed
shared with other plants. In fact, put it somewhere in lousy soil, far from
your garden, & HOPE that keeps it in check. I tried the trick of planting
it in a 5-gal. plastic tub with the bottom cut out, buried up to the top
inch or so, and the darn stuff still got out & infected nearby beds. So I'm
not convinced that dividers work with that stuff. The only other pesky herb
I've planted was borage, which self seeds readily and keeps popping up in
the oddest places (nowhere near its original site). But it has pretty
flowers, & is a magnet for cabbage & tomato caterpillars (which can then be
destroyed), so it's not really a nuisance. Maybe you should consider pots?
especially if you're not going to be around to keep the vigorous growers
cut back & out of each other's space.
In general, herbs don't need special treatment, and you shouldn't need to
do anything special to your soil. Some (like tarragon & rosemary) prefer
good drainage, so if your soil is very heavy/clayey, mix in some sand &
organic material. Most books say NOT to fertilize, at least not before
you're going to pick the plants (otherwise your thyme might taste like fish
emulsion, yecch).
(17)********************************Purslane**********************************
>I appreciate if somebody could answer this. What is purslane, which part
>is edible, how do you fix it, and does it have other names (in other
>languages, if you knew them). Is it American native or not.
It's good. Many people are convinced it's a weed, but what do they know.
It self-sows easily if some of the plant is allowed to grow instead of
being harvested.
Cornucopia, Stephen Facciola, Kampong Pubs, Vista, CA, 1990, ISBN:0-9628087-0-9:
Portulaca oleracea - Purslane, Pusley, Verdolaga. Succulent leaves and
stems are eaten raw in salads, pickled, stir-fried, sauteed, added to
capers or olives, or used in caseroles, stews, omelettes, sandwiches,
fritters, etc. Their mucilaginous texture makes them a good substitute
for okra in gumbo and other creole dishes. To preserve the plant for
winter use put it into salt and dry white wine. The seeds are ground for
use in gruels, cakes, breads, and panckaes. Sprouted seeds are eaten in
salads. Ash of the burnt plant is used as a substitute for salt.
Eurasia, cultived.
Cultivars:
Golden: (Goldgelber, Pourpier Dore) Large leaves and stalks with a pale
green or yellowish cast that constrasts well with the red stems. Much
more upright than regular green cultivated purslane. Grown and used in
the same manner. When cooked, the leaves do not differ very much in
color from those of the green purslane. C53,E83T,J7,J82,K2,N84, ...
Multi-Branch: Bushy plant, 12 inches tall and 12 or more inches wide.
Produces numerous branches that grow out at an angle, and bend down to
the ground somewhat under their own weight. Light to dark green leaves.
Grayish-green, pink or yellowish-green stems with good texture and
flavor. E83T
E83T: Greenleaf Seeds, POBox 98, Conway, MA 01341, (413) 628-4750, CAT FREE
(18)************************** insect repelling plants*************************
Citrosa is one of the scented pelargoniums (P. graveolens var.) which
aledgedly had been developed in Holland by "gene-splicing" techniques.
More probably, it is a cross between P. graveolens and P. citronellum.
There is a lot of misinformation out there about this plant, not the
least of which is the claim that the plant is patented.
Does it repel mosquitoes? No one has published controlled studies, as
far as I know. We have had some limited feedback, and no negative
feedback as yet.
*****
Antsie Tansies. Tansies are supposed to repel ants. Not my ants.
They just love them. They limb right up and dig their little
torsos deep into the the yellow flowers. I had planted tansy by
the berry bushes and where the ants were. This year I pulled out
most of them. But their are many little ones growing all over.
The tansy pest may be worse than the ant pest :-)
*****
Wormwood is sometimes grown to repel aphids, but mine is black with the beasts
this year. It may be useful as a trap crop for them.
*****
I've made a smudge for camping of rue, pennyroyal and wormwood, mixed with
shavings from candles. Place this in a flat container with sides, and light.
It smokes and smoulders, and keeps mosquitos away from your table with a
pleasant, pungent scent.
*****
Dill and parsley can be used as a trap crop for caterpillars.
*****
Having wintered over a variety of herbs and other plants in my little
greenhouse, I have become familiar with the dietary habits of whitefly and
aphids. As far as the herbs were concerned their very favourite munchies were
Lemon Verbena and Pineapple Sage. The whiteflies also rather liked Fenugreek,
but the aphids preferred the Swan River Daisies. Both of these bugs really do
seem to have a "sweet tooth". I haven't tried it, but I can't see why this
preference couldn't be put to good advantage in the garden...your idea of
using Pineapple Sage as a trap crop is certainly worth a try.
(19)*************************** Herbs A - Z ***********************************
It's been a while since I've posted anything of interest. Well, here is
a list of all lists: The Common names of herbs, with thier scientific
names. I am a very exacting gardener. I like to know exactly what
plant I am growing, and it bothers me to no end when I find plants
labeled with their common names only. I hope this list will help you
out at the garden nursery, and when mail ordering.
Allium amelophrasum. . . . . . . . . . . . . Leek, wild in Europe
Allium ascalonicum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .shallot
Allium cepa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .onion
Allium porrum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . leek, cultivated
Allium sativum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . garlic
Allium schoenoprasum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . chives
Allium tricoccum . . . . . . . . . . . . . .leek, wild in America
Alpinia galanga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . galangal
Angelica archangelica officinalis. . . . . . . . . . . . angelica
Angelica atropupurea . . . . . . . . . . . . . angelica, American
Anethum graveolens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . dill
Anthemis nobilis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .camomile, Roman
Anthriscus cerefolium. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .chervil
Apium graveolens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . celery
Artemisia dracunculus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .French tarragon
Asperula odorata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . sweet woodruff
Barbarea verna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Belle Isle cress
Borago officnallis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . borage
Brassica sinapis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .mustard
Brassica sinapis alba. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .white mustard
Brassica sinapis nigra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .black mustard
Calendula officinalis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . marigold
Capsicum annuum linn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . paprika pepper
Capsicum baccatum linn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . cayenne pepper
Capsicum frutescens linn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . red pepper
Carthamus tinctorius linn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .safflower
Caryphyllus aromaticus linn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .clove
Chile ancho var. acuminatum. . . . . . . . . . . . .Mexican chili
Chrysanthemum balsamita. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . costmary
Cinnamomum burmanni blume. . . . . . . . . . . . .cassia, batavia
Cinnamomum cassia blume. . . . . . . . . . . . . Chinese cinnamon
Cinnamomum loureirii nees. . . . . . . . . . . . .French cinnamon
Cinnamomum zeylaicum nees. . . . . . . . . . . . . .true cinnamon
Coriandrum sativum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .coriander
Crocus sativus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .saffron
Cuminum cyminum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .cumin
Curcuma longa linn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .tumeric
Curcuma zedoaria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . zedonary
Foeniculum vulgare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .wild fennel
Foeniculum vulgare var. dulce. . . . . . . . . . . . sweet fennel
Hyssopus alba. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . white hyssop
Hyssopus officinalis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . hyssop
Hyssopus rubra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pink hyssop
Illicium verum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . star anise
Juniperus comminis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . wild juniper
Laurus nobilis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .sweet bay, laurel
Lavandula spica. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . spike lavender
Lavandula stoechas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .French lavender
Lavandula vera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . English lavender
Lepidium sativum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . land cress
Levisticum officinale. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . lovage
Lippia citriodora. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .lemon verbena
Marrubium vulgare. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .horehound
Matricaria chamomilla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .German camomile
Melissa officinalis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . lemon balm
Mentha citrata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .orange mint
Mentha gentilis variegata. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . apple mint
Mentha piperita. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . peppermint
Mentha piperita var. vulgaris. . . . . . . . . . black peppermint
Mentha rotundifolia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . apple mint
Mentha spicata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .spearmint
Mentha spicata var. crispata . . . . . . . . . . . . . curly mint
Monarda citriodora . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . lemon bergamot
Monarda didyma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . red bergamot
Monarda fistulosa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .wild bergamot
Myristica agentiea warb. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . mace
Myristica fragrans houtt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nutmeg
Myristica malabrica lam. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .wild mace
Nepeta cataria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . catnip
Nigella sativa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .black cumin
Ocimum basilicum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .sweet basil
Ocimum basilicum santum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . holy basil
Ocimum citriodora. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .lemon basil
Ocimum crispum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Italian basil
Ocimum minimum . . . . . .dwarf basil (green or purple)
Origanum marjorana linn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . sweet marjorum
Origanum onites. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pot marjorum
Origanum vulgare . . . . . .wild marjorum (often sold as oregano)
Papaver rhoeas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .poppy
Papaver somniferum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .opium poppy
Pelargonium capitalum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .rose geranium
Pelargonium graveolens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .rose geranium
Petroselinum hortense. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .parsley
Petroselinum hortense var. crispum . . . . . . . . .curly parsley
Petroselinum hortense var. filicinum . . . . .fern-leaved parsley
Pimenta karst. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . allspice
Pimenta officnalis linn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . allspice
Pimpinella saxifraga linn. . . . . . . . . . . . .European burnet
Piper nigrum linn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . black pepper
Radicula armoracia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .horseradish
Rorippa armoracia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .horseradish
Rosa damascena . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .damask rose
Rosa gallica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .rose de Provins
Rosa chinensis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . China rose
Rosa rugosa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .rugosa rose
Rosmarinus officinalis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . rosemary
Rumex acetosa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .garden sorrel
Rumex scutatus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .French sorrel
Ruta graveolens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .rue
Salvia horminum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .garden sage
Salvia officinalis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .garden sage
Salvia officinalis alba. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . white sage
Salvia pratensis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .meadow sage
Salvia sclarea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . clary sage
Salvia splendens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pineapple sage
Sanguisorba minor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . salad burnet
Sanguisorba officinalis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . great burnet
Satureia hortensis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .summer savory
Satureia montana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .winter savory
Sesamum indicum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . sesame
Sesamum orientale. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .bene sesame
Sisymbrium nasturtium aquaticum. . . . . . . . . . . .water cress
Tanacetum vulgare. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . common tansy
Tanacetum vulgare var. cruspum . . . . . . . . .fern-leaved tansy
Thymus serphyllum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . wild thyme
Thymus serphyllum albus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .white thyme
Thymus serphyllum cocineus . . . . . . . . trailing scarlet thyme
Thymus serphyllum lanuginosus. . . . . . . . . . . . .wooly thyme
Thymus serphyllum var. citriodorus . . . . . . . . . .lemon thyme
Thymus vulgaris. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .English thyme
Tropaolum majus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nasturtium
Umbellularia californica . . . . . . . . . . . . . California bay
Valerianell lacustra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . salad corn
Verbena hastata. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . American vervain
Verbena officinalis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . European Vervain
Zingiber officinale roscoe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ginger
*****
I also specialized in and collected salvias and believe you have
incorrect information
Salvia splendens is usually called Scarlet Sage (Annual)
Pineapple sage has a distinct pineapply odor to the leaves and is
generally referred to as Salvia elegans, also S. gracilistyla or S.
rutalans. It is perennial.
Others:
Salvia leucantha MEXICAN BUSH SAGE
Salvia greggii AUTUMN SAGE
Salvia sonomensis SONOMA CREEPING SAGE
I was really upset to see a plant in a nursery labeled Salvia
greggii, whem it was really Salvia microphylla. It even was the
selection with the varigated stems. I pointed it out to the nursery
manager and he said it is now being called greggii in the trade. I
can see why as it is a more ornmental shurb than greggii, but the
flowers are very similiar. Salvia microphylla is native to Mexico
and Salvia greggii is native to texas and Arizona
(20)***************************Poisonous Herbs*********************************
Please be sure to mention somewhere that many herbs are poisonous, even in
supposedly medicinal amounts.
I just read a report in today's or yesterday's Boston Globe about 7
Europeans (I forget the nationality) who developed hepatitus from taking
Germander in some herbal diet plan. When they ceased taking the herb, they
recovered.
Much as I revile homeopathy as fraudulent, homeopathic herbal remedies are
not likely to be toxic because of the extreme dilution.
(21)*************************To flower, or not to flower************************
In general, annual herbs such as Basil, which are grown for their leaves,
will stop growing and die after flowering, and the flowers should be removed
by pinching, to prolong leaf production. Herbs which are grown for their
seeds, such as dill, coriander, etc, are allowed to flower. Perennial herbs
such as oregano which are grown for their leaves are allowed to flower,
but there are specific times when the leaves should be harvested, either
before flowering or after, for optimum essential oil content.
(22)***************************Pruning woody herbs****************************
my key observation about herbs (the "little woodies") is that
they should be chopped, nearly down to the ground, every winter.
this applies to stuff like thyme, oregano, sage - not to large
woodies like rosemary, or slow growers like lavender.
almost any perennial herb can tolerate chopping back, and most
are improved by it whether used mainly for cooking or appearance.
(23)**************************Groundcover herbs********************************
Every year I try a new herb in the garden or landscape. If I find it useful
or beautiful I keep it, if not, out it goes. Some of the ground cover herbs
I have kept include:
Roman Chamomile - Very short, sometimes used as a grass substitute. Has pretty
little white flowers that smell heavenly. You can use them in potpourri or
as a tonic tea. Tastes awful! But this likes sun. Very invasive plant, but
easy to pull out.
Corsican Mint - Again, very short, can grow in dense shade. It has very
tiny round leaves and a small purple flower. Also smells nice when you trod
on it. Great between stepping stones. Not recommended for tea. Too pungent.
Also, very invasive and likes water.
Mother of Thyme - A very short prostrate thyme with beautiful long lasting
purple flowers. Not as flavorful as garden thyme.
Wooly Thyme - Pretty greenish gray color, only grows about 2-3" high. Not
good for between stepping stones, tends to grow over the top of them.
Not a culinary thyme.
Lemon Thyme - Beautiful green/yellow varigated leaves. Grows about 3-4"
high. This is an herb I use for just about anything you want to give a
fresh lemony taste to; fish, chicken, tea etc. Likes sun.
Any mint - Wintermint, peppermint, spearmint, apple mint can be grown in
shade. They don't have to be allowed to grow tall either, pruning has no
detrimental effect on them. You could keep them cut down to about 5" if
you wanted to.
Prostrate Artemisias - Artemisias are feathery leaved, usually silver or
light green plants that can be used for potpourris, teas etc. Some types
of artemisia include Southernwood, Wormwood, and Silver Mound. Make sure
the variety you are buying are prostrate. Non-prostrate varieties can get
up to 4' tall. I grow artemisia in a semi-shaded spot, although they
are suppose to be sun-lovers. They seem to grow okay in semi-shade.
*****
|I'm searching for nice big rocks to use as stepping stones, and I'd like a
|nice, short variety of thyme to use in between the stones. I don't have to
|use thyme, but I'd like to use something interesting and for some reason I
|picked thyme as my first choice. The top choice right now is woolly thyme,
|but if anyone has any other suggestions please let me know.
How about chamomile? I understand that in England they sometimes love
to grow beds of chalmomile instead of grass. When you walk on it you
are re seeding it and causing a rich sweet aroma to come up.
*****
I'm testing out various creeping thymes (T. praecox arcticus varieties,
mostly) in pockets between flagstones in my garden (Maryland, zone 7); all
except one came from Well Sweep Herb farm, which offers a bewildering range
of choices (fun to pick from but bad for the budget). So far the "alba"
kind did OK, but a red creeping thyme of the T. pulegoides (??) type died
rather quickly so i'm not buying more of those. A locally purchased woolly
thyme seems to be doing well, so far, so i just ordered a variant of that
plus a couple others that sounded intriguing. So in a year or so i can give
a better assessment of which ones work for me. There's a range of flower
colors, leaf shapes, and foliage color/texture, and they do smell nice, so
i'm quite happy to stick to the thyme family for now. Besides, they are
quite hardy, which should be important to someone in your climate!
(24)****************************Sages******************************************
>I bought a "honeydew melon sage" herb plant a few weeks >ago. It smells
>great and, to my surprise, it has now broken out in hundreds of tiny
>crimson flowers. On my last trip to the nursery, I ran across a "pinapple
>sage" plant, and I bought it as well.
>Besides these two plants and, of course, ordinary sage, are there any other
>unusual varieties of this herb that I might collect? Just curious.
Would you happen to know what the botanical name of that "honeydow melon
sage" was? As you will see from the following, there are loads of different
sages. Here is the list that I have managed to cobble together so far but I
know that it isn't complete...
Ordinary sage/Garden Sage (Salvia officinalis)
Sage, African (Salvia aethiopis)
Sage, Apple-Bearing (Salvia pomifera)
Sage, Arizona Creeping (Salvia arizonica)
Sage, Autumn (Salvia greggi)
Sage, Balsamic (Salvia grandiflora)
Sage, Black (Salvia mellifera)
Sage, Blue (Salvia clevelandii)
Sage, Candelabrum (Salvia candelabrum)
Sage, Cardinal(Salvia fulgens)
Sage, Ceder(Salvia roemeriana)
Sage, Central American (Salvia Cacaliaefolia)
Sage, Chia (Salvia hispanica)
Sage, Clary(Salvia pratensis)
Sage, Clary(Salvia sclarea)
Sage, Clary, Wild English (Salvia verbenaca)
Sage, Whorled Clary (Salvia verticillata)
Sage, Cleveland (See Sage, Blue)
Sage, Creeping(Salvia repens repens)
Sage, Dwarf (Salvia officinalis nana)
Sage, Eastern European (Salvia forskahlei)
Sage, Forsythia (Salvia madrensis)
Sage, Fruit(Salvia dorisiana)
Sage, Gentian (Salvia patens)
Sage, Greek (Salvia fruticosa)
Sage, Indian (Common name for Boneset-Eupatorium perfoliatum)
Sage, Lyreleaf (Salvia lyrata)
Sage, Mexican (Salvia blepharophylla)
Sage, Mexican Bush (Salvia leucantha)
Sage, Mexican Hallucinogenic(Salvia divinorum)
Sage, Mexican Red (See Sage, Cardinal)
Sage, Peruvian (Salvia discolor)
Sage, Painted (Salvia viridis)
Sage, Pineapple(Salvia elegans)
Sage, Pitcher (Salvia spathacea)
Sage, Purple (Salvia officinalis purpurascens)
Sage, Roseleaf (Salvia involucrata)
Sage, Scarlet (Salvia coccinea)
Sage, Silver Clary (Salvia argentea)
Sage, Superba (Salvia superba)
Sage, Tarahumara Chia (Salvia tiliaefolia)
Sage, Thistle (Salvia carduacea)
Sage, Transylvanica (Salvia transylvanica)
Sage, Tricolor (Salvia viridis)
Sage, Tropical (See Sage, Scarlet)
Sage, Wild Blue (Salvia azurea)
Sage, Winter Blooming (Salvia uglinosa)
Sage, Wood (Common name for Sage-leaved Germander-Teucrium scorodonia)
Sage, Yellow (Salvia glutinosa)
If you decide to collect sages, you will be busy for a long time.
Incidently, that pineapple sage you bought is incredibly easy to root from
cuttings -not true of ordinary garden sage at all. The down side is that
whitefly and aphids absolutely love it. Have fun.
*****
More on sages:
Salvia involucrata -no common name, beautful fuzzy pink flowers
Salvia guaranitica Nutmeg Sage Blue
Salvia canariensis tall, with purple and mauve flowers
Salvia microphylla-red
Salvia chaemadroides pale blue flowers
Salvia cardinalis fuzzy red flowers
All of the above and many on the previous list are excellent plants
for hummingbirds-the flowers have lots of nectar.
Salvia sonomensis Sonoma Creeping Sage
*****
My favorite sage is *Salvia dorisiana*. It has big velvety leaves that smell
STRONGLY like fruit salad. Maybe this is the same as your "honeydow melon
sage".
*Salvia clevelandii* is known for retaining its scent even years after it
has been dried, but to me it smells pretty much like ordinary sage, but
a little stronger. It might okay be okay in a wreath in the kitchen.
Pineapple sage also has scarlet blossoms.
*****
>My sage appears to be about to flower. I planted it two years ago, and
>this is the first time I have seen buds on it (one large reddish bud at
>the top of each stem). Should I pinch them off, or allow them to flower?
>(This is just ordinary garden sage, Salvia Something-or-other.)
Ordinary garden sage is Salvia officinalis. My books suggest harvesting the
leaves before the plant flowers, but quite frankly I have grown the stuff for
years and never noticed that the timing made all that much different to the
strength of the leaves. I just pick them when I want them. As for flowers,
you are in for a treat. I would grow this sage just for the flowers even if
I never used the leaves. Right now my sage is also about to flower. I have
it planted in a bed where it is next to a big clump of Snow-in-Summer
(Cerastium) and those purple sage blossoms above the white is lovely. I do
dead-head the sage after flowering and give it a bit of a prune just to shape
it.
*****
Salvia officinalis.
If you're growing it for harvest, spring is the time to harvest--the
essential oils in most herbs are strongest just before they flower.
(A two-year-old plant may not provide much to harvest, though).
I let my sage bushes flower. They have beautiful blue spikes
which are attractive to bees. I prune them back firmly after
they've flowered, and the branches put out new growth pretty
quickly over the summer.
(25)**************************** Tarragon ************************************
>I am growing tarragon and it has no flavor at all like what I can buy fresh in
>my grocery store. Is there something I must do special in cultivating this?
There are two types of tarragon. One, which can be grown from seed, is
sometimes called "Russian tarragon", doesn't have much flavour, and is
probably what you've got. The other kind is called "French tarragon"
(or "true French tarragon"). It doesn't bloom and is propagated vegetatively.
If you like the stuff you get at your grocery store, you can try rooting
some of it to get your own plants.
*****
There are several varieties plant sold as tarragon. From what I've heard,
the Russian tarragon has little or no flavor, but the French tarragon is
the one to use. Less than reputable nurseries tend to sell the former.
Perhaps it's easier to propagate.
*****
The flavour of Russion Tarragon is different from French Tarragon. French
Tarragon is stronger and has a slight Anise (liqourice) flavour that Russian
Tarragon lacks. If you want to use Tarragon in the kitchen you want the
French variety. The way you check a specific plant is to rub a leaf and then
smell your fingers. If you don't catch that Anise scent it probably isn't
French Tarragon.
As for the difficulty of growing the French variety from seed, I have also
heard this, but have no personal experience on the subject. Certainly all my
herb books suggest increasing your supply by cuttings or root division. I
have tried both of these methods and find that taking root divisions in
either spring or fall is the easiest.
>I have sprouting a tarragon which was labled "Armetisia dracanculus".
>Does anyone know what common names are associated with this Latin >name, or
what Latin names belong to different Tarragons?
Russian and French Tarragons are the same genus, same species but different
cultivars. In other words they are both "Artemisia dracunculus" and the
difference happens at the cultivar level:
Tarragon, French Artemisia dracunculus sativa
Tarragon, Russian Artemisia dracunculus inodora
You may also run across something called "Mexican Tarragon", but this really
isn't a Tarragon at all. It is just a common name for "Sweet Mace" (Tagetes
lucinda).
*****
Sweet Mace, that's a great name for it. I had a tagetes for about 2
years. It was supposed to bloom throughout the year and be very
drought tolerant. Well, it was drought tolerant, but it hardly ever
bloomed. It was a very floppy plant about 4 feet tall (if it ever
stood upright). Anyway, you could always smell the plant whenever you
were in the front yard. This must be one of those scents that smells
differently to some people. Some people loved the fragrance. I hated
it. It reminded me of the taste (The smell was so intense I could
taste it.) of the stuff the dentist uses to numb your gum right before
a shot. I finally pulled it.
(26)***************************** Herb journal list ***************************
American Herb Association - Qtrly. newsletter
American Herb Assn.
14648 Pear Tree Lane
Nevada City, CA 95959
(916)626-5046
Information on the many uses of herbs.
Quarterly, individual subscriptions $20.00
American Journal of Chinese Medicine
Institute for Advanced Research in Asian Science & Medicine
Box 124
450 Clarkson Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11203
Tel # (718)270-1629
Basic scientific and clinical research in indigenous medical
techniques, theraputic procedures, medicinal plants, medical
theories and concepts.
Quarterly, Individual subscription, $50.00
Coltsfoot
Route 1
Box 313A
Shipman, VA 22971
(804)263-4817
In appreciation of wild plants with focus on reader
contributions.
Bimonthly, individual subscriptions, $10.00
Herb Companion
Interweave Press, Inc.
201 E. Fourth St.
Loveland, CO 80537
(303)669-7672
Addresses the varied interests of herb enthusiasts, from
horticulture and history to cooking and crafting. In-depth
articles, recipes, and craft how-to's are enhanced with full
color photography.
Bimonthly, Individual subscriptions $21.00
Herb Quarterly
Long Mountain Press, Inc.
1271 Kuhn Rd.
Boiling Springs, PA 17007
(717)245-2764
A magazine for herb enthusiasts covering all aspects of herbuses. Turn fennel
into a face mask, use ginger in a cold remedy,cold violets into an ome
Quarterly, Individual subscriptions $24.00
Herbal Connection
Herb Growing and Marketing Network
3343 Nolt Rd.
Lancaster, PA 17601
(717)898-3017
Trade journal for herb businesses and for serious hobbyists.
Growing, marketing, medicinal uses, book reviews, calendar of
events.
Bimonthly, individual subscriptions $24.00
Herbal Green Pages
Herb Growing and Marketing Network
3343 Nolt Rd.
Lancaster, PA 17601
(717)898-3017
Directory of Herb industry, including manufacturers, retailers,wholesalers,
associations, periodicals and educational programs.
Annual. Individual subscriptions $15.00
Herbarist
Herb Society of America, Inc.
2 Independence Ct.
Vineyard House
Kirtland, OH 44094
(617)371-1486
To further the knowledge of useful plants, notably herbs.
Annual, individual subscriptions $5.00
New England Wild Flower Society Newsletter
(Wild Flower Notes)
New England Wild Flower Society
Garden in the Woods
Hemenway Rd.
Framingham, MA 01701
(508)877-7630
Contains information about native plants, botany, conservation,
horticulture.
Annual, individual subscriptions, $30.00
North American Flora
New York Botanical Garden
Scientific Publications Dept.
Bronx, NY 10458
(212)220-8721
Monographic treatment of plants native to North America.
(unsure of frequency or price)
Organic Gardening
Rodale Press
33 E. Minor
Emmaus, PA 18098
(215)967-3144
A handbook on how to grow food, flowers and landscaping with
great success, without chemicals.
Monthly, Individual subscriptions, $25.00.
Organic World
Lott Publishing Co
Box 710
Santa Monica, CA 90406
(213)397-4217
Covers the news of organic gardening.
Quarterly, Individual subscription $15.00.
Over the Garden Fence
Box 386
Lake Dallas, TX 75065 (this may be just a misprint and it's
really just Dallas, TX)
(817)497-4634
Organic gardening, natural foods, dairy goats, herbs.
Bimonthly, individual subscriptions, $10.00
The Palmetto
Florida Native Plant Society
Box 680008
Orlando, FL 32868
(305)647-8839
Articles on florida's native plants and habitats.
Quarterly, individual subscriptions $20.00
Seed Savers Exchange
(True Seed Exhange)
Kent Whealy
RR3
Box 239
Decorah, IA 52101
(319) 382-5990
A grass-roots genetic preservation project whose members worktogether to save
our vanishing vegetable heritage.
(not sure of the frequency of issue)
individual subscriptions $25.00
Western Canadian Society for Horticulture Report of Proceedingsof Annual
Meetings
University of Saskatchewan
272 Administration Bldg.
Saskatoon, SK S7N OWO
Canada
(403)422-1789
Papers on horticulture topics; councils and reports.
annual, $10.00 a copy
Wildflower
Canadian Wildflower Society
90 Wolfrey Ave.
Toronto, ON M4K 1K8
Canada
(416)466-6428
Dedicated to the study, conservation and cultivation of North
America's wild flora; includes material from Central America
and coast to coast. The use of native plants in the garden is
a secondary focus.
Individual subscription, quarterly, $25.00.
To find a practioner (naturopathic):
***********************************
American Holistic Medical Association
2002 Eastlake Ave E
Seattle, WA 98102
206-322-6842
American Association of Naturopathic Physicians
P.O. Box 20386
Seattle, WA 98102
206-323-7610
Herbal medicine information:
****************************
The American Botanical Council
P.O. Box 201660
Austin, Texas 78720
The Herbal Reseach Foundation
1007 Pearl Street
Suite 200
Boulder, Colorado 80302
Both of these organizations publish the Herbalgram, they have a 1-800 #
for subscriptions: 1-800-748-2617
(27)***************************Herbs for shade**********************************
Parsley, lovage, angelica, sweet cicely, chervil, sweet woodruff are
herbs that do well in shade. Monarda and lemon balm, and mint also
-mint being less invasive in shade.Heartsease (violas, johnny jump-ups
add a touch of color, and scent if planting viola odorata.
-All viola flowers are edible.
(28)*******************Small list of books on herb garden design.***************
Rodale's Illustrated Ency. of Herbs / ed. by Claire Kowalchik -- Rodale Press.
(Ithink it comes out every year) and "The Herb Companion" a magazine she
claims is great.
*****
My favorite picks are:
Classic Garden Design : how to adapt and recreate garden features of the
past / Rosemary Verey -- 1st American ed. -- New York: Congdon & Weed, c1984.
Its a particularly fine book on garden design, (perhaps you've read it
already?) There is a special chapter on putting together herb gardens, as
well as info. throughout the bokk on ornaments, paths and other features
which might suit. Plus its got lovely pictures.
Herb Garden Design / Faith H. Swanson & Virginia B. Rrady. -- Hanover:
University Press of New England, c1984.
No photos to speak of but, lots of really delicious drawings to scale for
herb garden plans and nifty ideas. Some of the best (almost cute) plans
are for smaller gardens "for the novice" There are both formal and
informal designs and an out line of design basics. This book may be out of
print but, is worth the trouble to find at your local library or through
an interlibrary loan.
(29)***************************Thymes*****************************************
>I have an herb that I bought because I loved the lemony smell when
>I crushed the leaves! I was told it was thyme--is this a special
>variety of thyme? Is it normally used in food/drinks? Any info
>appreciatied.
If your plant is a thyme, the most likely candidate is Lemon Thyme (Thymus
citriodorus). Another possibility is Doone Valley Lemon Thyme (Thymus
pulegoides). (Regular old garden thyme is Thymus vulgaris). According to
one of my herb books: "Herbs, Their Cultivation and Usage", John & Rosemary
Hemphill, Bladford Press, London, lemon time is used for culinary purposes.
They say that "Lemon thyme, with its milder flavour, is excellent with fish,
chicken or turkey mornays, steamed carrots, omelettes and in all kinds of
food with a delicate or bland flavour. It is sometimes used as an extra
ingredient in a "fines herbes" blend, with chervil, chives, parsley and
tarragon."
If you like lemony smelling herbs, you might also want to check out Lemon
Balm (Melissa officinalis) and Lemon Verbena (Aloysia triphylla).
*****
When lemon thyme blooms, try sprinkling boiled, halved new potatoes
with the blossoms and a little salt and cracked pepper. No butter
needed. Can't wait! My thyme is still far from blooming. Lemon
thyme is also good in vinaigrette on blanched green beans or lettuce.
*****
Some creeping thyme sources are:
COMPANION PLANTS [CATALOG $2]
7247 North Coolville Ridge Road [MINIMUM ORDER]
Athens, OH 45701 [$15 Plants]
(614) 592-4643 [$5 Seeds]
THE SEED SOURCE [CAT $4]
Rte. 68, Box 301 [M.O. $25]
Tuckasegee, NC 28783
NOTE: Has seed of more than 7,000 unusual plants. Previously known as
Maver Nursery.
WELL-SWEEP HERB FARM [CAT $2]
317 Mt. Bethel Rd. [M.O. $5]
Port Murray, NJ 07865 [NO telephone orders]
(201) 852-5390
NICHOLS GARDEN NURSERY INC. [CAT FREE]
1190 North Pacific Hwy.
Albany, OR 97321
(503) 928-9280
*****
A good source of thymes is the nursery someone posted yesterday:
Companion Plants, 7247 N. Coolville Ridge, Rd., Athens, Ohio 45701.
Phone (614) 592-4043.
Most of their thymes are prostrate ("creeping"). My favorite thyme
is orange-balsam. It has a warm, almost nutty, citrus scent.
It is one of the more upright growing thymes.
*****
Creeping thyme source:
COMPANION PLANTS [CATALOG $2]
7247 North Coolville Ridge Road [MINIMUM ORDER]
Athens, OH 45701 [$15 Plants]
(614) 592-4643 [$5 Seeds]
THE SEED SOURCE [CAT $4]
Rte. 68, Box 301 [M.O. $25]
Tuckasegee, NC 28783
NOTE: Has seed of more than 7,000 unusual plants. Previously known as
Maver Nursery.
WELL-SWEEP HERB FARM [CAT $2]
317 Mt. Bethel Rd. [M.O. $5]
Port Murray, NJ 07865 [NO telephone orders]
(201) 852-5390
NICHOLS GARDEN NURSERY INC. [CAT FREE]
1190 North Pacific Hwy.
Albany, OR 97321
(503) 928-9280
*****
A good source of thymes is the nursery someone posted yesterday:
Companion Plants, 7247 N. Coolville Ridge, Rd., Athens, Ohio 45701.
Phone (614) 592-4043.
Most of their thymes are prostrate ("creeping"). My favorite thyme
is orange-balsam. It has a warm, almost nutty, citrus scent.
It is one of the more upright growing thymes.
*****
>I have _Thymus citriodorus nana_ (nana means miniature) bought at a local
>nursery about a month ago. When I bought it, it had an apt yellow tinge to
>its leaves, but now it's just green, all over. It seems to be growing, so I'm
>not very worried, I was just wondering why it wasn't yellow anymore.
I just checked my plant and about half the growth on it is green. My guess is
that the new growth comes in green and turns more yellow later. As long as your
plant is growing and looking healthy I wouldn't worry about it.
>I've bought _Thymus serpyllum_ seeds. What is it, if not regular
thyme? Culinary usage? Not that it has germinated, but it may still...
Thymus serphyllum is Mother-of-Thyme. Other common names for it are Wild
Thyme, Creeping Thyme and, just to be absolutely confusing, Lemon Thyme. This
plant has a more prostrate habit than Garden Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) and is
really beautiful as a ground cover or flowing over a rock wall. It is pretty
compact so it looks good all year but when it flowers it is absolutely
stunning (pinky-purple carpet time). The bees absolutely love it. Normally
it is not used for culinary purposes because T.vulgaris has a stronger and
more pronounced flavour, but you could use it as a substitute if you didn't
have any T.vulgaris.
*****
I don't know why, but every time I've grown lemon thyme it has turned all green
in hot weather/long days and its yellow markings have returned in cool weather/
shorter days. It just seems to grow that way.
(30)************************** Herbs by e-mail *********************************
People who are into growing herbs can now access Richters, the excellent
Canadian purveyor of fairly unusual plants and seeds by e-mail.
Their internet address is: richter@gpu.utcc.utoronto.ca
"Customers can place orders, inquire about orders or ask questions about any of
Richters products."
I guess you can ask for their catalog too.
(31)************************ Flowering chives **********************************
> I have some chives in my garden that are growing like crazy and
> producing lots of purple flowers. I know it's generally not a good idea
> to let herbs go to seed, but at what point should I cut off the
> flower/seed head? Now? When they start producing seeds? And what will
> happen if I don't?
Chives are vigorous enough that flowering won't diminish the growth of
the plant. I left mine to go to seed last year, now I have a million
unwanted chive plants springing up everywhere around the main plant.
So you might want to consider removing the heads when the flowering
is over. Personally, I find chives so mild tasting....read BLAND...
that I ONLY grow them for the flower display.
*****
This is an interesting question. I have one herb book (only one) which says
that if you leave the flowers on it weakens the plant. I have left the
flowers on plants a number of times just because they are so pretty, and I
haven't really noticed that my plants became significantly weaker. I have
noticed that the flower stalks are tougher (too tough to be terrific in the
kitchen) and that the plants which produce flowers tend to put their energies
into producing flowers and seeds rather than into producing succulent new
leaves. I think that the best plan is to have several chive clumps and to
cut one or two for the kitchen and let the other(s) flower for show. It is
really easy to end up with lots of chive clumps, because they are so easy to
divide. (Best time is spring or fall). Don't worry about the chive clump
dying if you let it flower and go to seed. It won't.
*****
According to my mom, who had lots of these also, chive blossoms are edible,
and make a nice garnish in salad. She is also making chive blossom vinegar
(it's a lovely pink color right now).
*****
My daughter has chives in our herb garden - she is letting it go to
flower - it has blooms like a clover - she takes the blooms and puts
them into our salad - they are delicious - why not try that - be
careful because they are sort of strong tasting...
*****
Just the other night, I had a nice pesto sauce which was garnished
with chives flowers. Adds color and flavor.
Keep them on the plants until you use them.
(32)************************A quick, living fence*******************************
How about some Rosemary, in warmer areas. I planted some a few months ago
at the front of my house. The nursery claim that it will grow to
6-7 ft in 2-3 seasons. It certainly seems to be on it's way to
that at the moment. You can use it in cooking, and it has very
nice pale blue flowers at this time of year too.
(33)******************************Curry plant**********************************
>>I bought a plant this weekend, called a Curry plant. Smells just like curry. I
>>know, however, that curry does not use this plant. I forget the scientific
>>name, starts with an "H".
>>Does anyone know if it *is* edible? I don't think so: nothing with it to
>>indicate such. Apparently, it is a moth repellant. But wouldn't be worth
>>smelling like curry, in order to protect woolen sweaters. Not to me, anyway.
>According to my book on herbs, it is not edible, but ornamental. I too
>bought such a plant, thinking I could use it for curry, but I was wrong.
Helichrysum angustifolium is generally regarded as inedible; but here is
perhaps the first author to suggest otherwise:
D. Hewer (1941; Practical Herb Growing) writes that the plant
"has a strong smell of curry, which is retained on drying
so that it is worth trying in soups."
This always struck me as an example of the kind of hopeful justification
a commercial herb grower (Hewer owned a herb farm) might make to sell plants;
clearly Hewer never actually tried it. However, here is a more recent
suggestion:
L. Bremness (1989; The Complete Book of Herbs) writes: "Add a sprig
to soups, stews, steamed vegetables, rice dishes and pickles
for a mild curry flavour. Remove sprig before serving."
*****
> >You probably are purchasing a Helichrysum species. I would be VERY
> >careful about using it in cooking since several species of this genus
> >are quite toxic, especially when used in quantity. The fact that
> >the plant smells like a common spices seems to give people a false sense
> >of security (based upon several followups to this post).
Not to worry, in particular. There are several species of Helichrysum that
are THOUGHT to be poisonous but I think there is little to worrry about
from occasional useage. Lots of commonly used herbs and spices are quite
deadly taken in large enough quantities (nutmeg, tarragon, etc). I just
wouldn't make a habit of pigging out on the stuff.
>
> Anyway, I brought the scientific name of my plant in. You are right:
> it is a Helichrysum. The *plant*, ie, the plastic stuck in it, is
> labelled "Helichrysum congustifolium (curry plant)". The greenhouse's
> catalog lists it as, "Curry: Perrenial/12" (Helichrysum
> angustifolium). The gray wooly leaves have a delightful curry
> fragrance. It produces clusters of yellow flowers in summer that are
> excellent dried. Good rock garden plant." NOTICE that the scientific
> names are not the same.
I assume that the "con" is merely a typo for "ang" [which is the proper
name, as I recall]
*****
The curry plant is Helichrysum angustifolium. All the information that I
have come across says that sprigs may be added to soups, stews, steamed
vegetables, etc. to impart a mild curry flavour. The key here is the word
"mild". This isn't a strongly aromatic plant.
*****
Curry vs the curry plant:
I have no idea where in your area you could get a "curry plant" so I can't
help with that, but just to avoid confusion please note:
1. The word "curry" is used to describe a mixture of spices. Many Indian
families have their own blends and the mixture may be anything from 5 to 25
different spices. Commonly used ingredients are tumeric, coriander, chilies,
fenugreek,cardamom, nutmeg, etc.
2. There is a "curry leaf" used in Southern Indian cooking and in Madras
Curry Powder. These leaves come from a small tree indigenous to the lower
slopes of the Himalayas. Botanically it is called Chalcas koenigii or
Murraya koenigii.
3. There is a curry plant, botanically Helichrysum angustifolium. The sprigs
have a very mild curry aroma and flavour, but I don't think that they are
used in Indian cooking at all.
(34)***************************Types of catnip*********************************
>So, what, if any, is the difference between catNIP and catMINT? I'm
>sure I've seen "catmint" on a seed package of plain ole' catnip, but
>last year a local garden store had "catmint" plants, that had blue flowers;
>otherwise, the plant looked very similar (I think I remember that the
>foliage was slightly more or less grey-ish). I couldn't bring myself
Nepeta cataria is usually referred to as catnip, the one most people
(and cats) know. But to confuse the issue, some books also refer to it
as catmint.
Nepeta mussinii and N. x faassenii are smaller, greyer, somewhat sweeter
smelling plants which are often called catmint (mint probably because they
are lower and they spread). They also have blue flowers. (We call the
latter "Faassen's Catnip" just to confuse the situation further).
According to articles posted here earlier, the catmints seem to attract
certain cats, though not all. Many, but not all, are attracted to the
true catnip, and even to the lemon version (N. cataria ssp. citriodora).
The cat thyme (Teucrium marum) is a different animal altogether. Some
cats, apparently, thinV{ the world for this one, though I have never
seen any go after it.
*****
Catmint and Catnip are the same genus but different species, as follows:
Garden Catmint is Nepeta faassenii, Perennial Catmint is Nepeta mussinii and
Catnip, also known as Wild Catmint, is Nepeta cataria. There is also a Lemon
Catnip, Nepeta cataria citriodora.
>Anyone done a feline comparison? I got some "thyme cat" (not cat thyme,
>don't ask me why) this year; they like it enough for me to put the
>plant in a hanger (i.e., out of reach). Anything else for kitties?
>I think I've read that valerian also attracts them; true?
Your Cat Thyme is probably Teucrium marum, and yes, Valerian (Valeriana
officinalis) is supposed to be attractive to cats. A common name for it is
"Cat's Valerian". It is also supposed to be very attractive to rats...the
Pied Piper's secret.
According to anything I have read on the subject cats go after catnip but
aren't nearly so interested in catmints. I can't tell you a thing from
personal experience because I seem to have defective cats (gad!). This
spring I planted a patch of catmint and have also been growing several catnip
plants from seed and even started a valerian. Both of my cats are completely
ignoring the whole lot. Bring out a bowl of icecream however and they will
fight you for the spoon. Perhaps when my plants get bigger they will receive
more attention...
(35)****************************Garlic*****************************************
Do you still have a window receiving sunlight in the winter time?
Have you bought any garlic lately to cook with. (If you haven't,
time to upgrade your dinner menu)
Anway, drag out a couple of those disposable nasty green plastic pots
that nurseries sell you houseplants in, pop in a couple of cloves of
garlic, well spaced, with the pointed end up. Water as you would
any houseplant and stand back while the green tips shoot up. I planted
a couple of cloves last week while my stir fry was sizzling and one
week later the stalks are roughly 8-10 inches high. OOPS, make that
were 8-10 inches high. I whacked them in half, diced them and used
it to season the soup.
*****
: Can somebody enlighten me on the tricks to growing garlic?
:
: 1) how deep do you plant the bulbs? Just under the surface.
Pointed end up!!!
: 2) Does garlic grow on the surface like onions do, or does it
: remain submerged? Half / half.
:
: 3) How much water do they require? Not too much, but enough.
:
: 4) Sunlight conditions? Don't over do it.
: 5) Do you plant in the spring or fall? Or later on in the winter.
possibly very, very early spring.
Light frost doesn't hurt.
: 6) How much space is required? 9" between plants
12" - 18" between rows.
: 7) Feeding?? Rotted compost in light loamey soil.
Not too much of the mulch.
: let 5 of the plants remain in the ground through the winter. The
: plants now look like vigorous young corn stalks (2 feet tall).
: However, I'm already beginning to see yellowing on some of the
: lower leaves. Any hints??
Don't worry they do that.
Harvest middle July or later.
Most green leaves will have died back.
I made the mistake of harvesting
too early.
8) Good for health? Definately!
9) Companion plant for roses? ditto! Keeps Aphids away.
(36)****************************Herb Sources***********************************
The following sources are from the book _CORNUCOPIA: A Source Book of
Edible Plants_ by Stephen Facciola (ISBN 0-9628087-0-9), but before I list
them, here is a list of abbreviations used.
CAT - Catalog
CC - Credit Cards
ENGL - English Language Catalog
M.O. - Minimum Order
OVER - Overseas
PC - Personal Checks
OC - Other Currencies
SASE - Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope
NTO - NO TELEPHONE ORDERS
SOME HERB SEED SOURCES
BERRY TREE (THE)
15368 Mowersville Rd.
Shippensburg, PA 17257
717-423-6701 (telephone)
CAT $1, PC/CC, OVER
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CAPRILAND'S HERB FARM
534 Silver St.
Coventry, CT 06238
203-742-7244
CAT SASE, PC, OVER, M.O. $5, NTO.
---
CASA YERBA GARDENS
3459 Days Creek Road
Days Creek, OR
503-825-3534
CAT SASE, PC, OVER.
---
CATNIP ACRES HERB FARM
67 Christian St.
Oxford, CT 06483
203-888-5649
CAT $2, PC/CC, OVER.
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CEDARBROOK HERB FARM
986 Sequim Ave. South
Sequim, WA 98382
206-683-7733
CAT FREE, PC.
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COMPANION PLANTS
7247 North Coolville Ridge Road
Athens, OH 45701
614-592-4643
CAT $2, PC/CC, OVER (SEEDS ONLY), $15 PLANTS, $5 SEEDS.
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CRICKET HILL HERB FARM, LTD.
Glen Street
Rowley, MA 01969
508-948-2818
CAT $1, PC/CC.
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DACHA BARINKA
26232 Strathcona Road
Chilliwack, BC V2P 3T2
Canada
604-792-0957
CAT SASE, PC, OVER, NTO.
---
FOX HILL FARM
444 W. Michigan Ave.
Box 9
Parma, MI 49269-0009
517-531-3179
CAT $2, PC/CC, OVER, M.O. $15.
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FOX HOLLOW HERBS
P.O. Box 148
McGrann, PA 16236
[no telephone number listed]
CAT FREE, PC.
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FRAGRANT FIELDS
128 Front Street
Dongola, IL 62926
1-800-635-0282
CAT $1, PC.
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GREENFIELD HERB GARDEN
Depot & Harrison
P.O. Box 437
Shipshewana, IN 46565
219-768-7110
CAT $.50 + SASE, PC/CC.
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HARTMAN'S HERB FARM
Old Dana Rd.
Barre, MA 01005
508-355-2015
CAT $2, PC/CC, OVER, M.O. $10
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HERB GATHERING
4000 West 126th St.
Leawood, KS 66209
913-345-0490
CAT $2, PC/CC, OVER.
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HILLTOP HERB FARM
P.O. Box 325
Romayor, TX 77368
713-592-5859
CAT FREE, PC/CC, M.O. $20.
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OF THE JUNGLE
P.O. Box 1801
Sebastopol, CA 95473
[no telephone number listed]
CAT $1, PC, OVER. Rare & ethnopharmalogical plants, seeds & botanical
products including tribal medicines, vegetables, herbs & fruits.
(37)******************************Controlling mint******************************
> I am suprised that nobody mentioned the mentha group in
> the list of invasive/obnoxious plants. Personally, I love them, and
> have been collecting various different types over the past couple
> of years. I think I have 8 or 9 at the moment. Well, I would like
> to get them out of their restrcitive pots and plant them, but I
> do wish to keep them under control. So
> 1) How much room should I give each of the plants
As much as you want. They'll fill it in.
> 2) How deep a barrier should I put in the earth to stop
> the runners
1/4 armor plate sunk at least to the frostline? Honestly, I don't
know. I do know that 12" corrugated aluminum sunk 8" doesn't
really phase some of my mints.
> 3) Should I continue the barrier up above the soil to help
> stop the creepers
Helps, but doesn't prevent it entirely.
> 4) Should I dead head the plants after flowering to stop
> the seeds spreading
> 5) Can you get intersting new varieties, scents or variegation
> from seed
Yes. In fact, the variation you can get from a batch of seedlings is
pretty astounding. Sometimes you get good stuff, most of them are
no better (and may be worse) than what you started with. Some hybrids
won't seed at all.
The perennial menthas can be pretty troublesome. I've "solved" the problem
growing the friskier ones in 1/2 whisky barrels, which they don't seem
to escape, and others where they are likely to be trod on. I kid you
not, some of my mints are growing in crannies near the sidewalk, so I
can step on them as I walk by. Smells good, keeps 'em from taking over
the neighborhood.
My lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is planted under the hose bibb, so
I walk through it whenever I disconnect or turn on the hose. It doesn't
seem to mind, and I always have plenty, without having it turn into the
"Lemon Balm That Ate Slater". It likes the hose drips, too.
*****
Years ago, I had a beautiful herb garden at my folks' house. The secret, I
found, to it not becoming an exclusively MINT garden was to plant the mint
in clay pots and plant the pots in the garden. Every few years I dug up
the pots and "rejuvenated" the environment. I found that this worked
really well. Hope this is useful.
(38)****************************Questions seeking answers*********************
I know pretty much zilch about herbs, but as for suggestions for content,
I'd like to see a breakdonw by common/easy vs not-too-difficult vs hard-
to-grow/esoteric. (I'm in the first category both for how I garden and
how I cook!) An idea of about how many plants are reasonable to grow for
one family would be nice. (Heavy users could adjust from there...) An
indication of whether to dry or freeze or bring pots inside for winter, etc.
would be nice. Lists of books for general information and cooking tips.
*****
General interest: I'd be interested in cultivation tips, pest
eradication, and recipes. How about putting together categories of
which soil types are good for which herbs? Right now my poor
French Tarragon is INFESTED with foliar mealybugs! Safer's soap
doesn't seem to be working...
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