Herbs are a newbie gardeners dream

Welcome to our gardening adventure. Let’s grow it together.

May and springtime bring hope, with all its possibilities, as well as memories of the gardens I planted with my mom, while I was in grade school. Chives were one of the staples of city gardeners back in the 60’s and 70’s in the Midwest, and ours grew by the kitchen door. We didn’t think of them as herbs, but rather a seasoning for mom’s vegetable salads, crab salads, potato salads and all the other dishes she loved to add them to. It gave me a love of the taste of freshly picked produce over dried and jarred from the grocery store. The pink chive flowers were so pretty; besides gathering a bunch for dinner or picnics, I couldn’t resist picking a bouquet for myself. The delicate onion scent tickling my nose and claiming a place in my brain that has been with me for all these years.

Herbs have been around for thousands of years and in the Mediterranean climate, they adapted to survive extended drought conditions. They are inexpensive, pest and disease free, and easy to grow, a newbie gardener’s dream! With water conservation being at the forefront of so much of what we do in the garden these days, an herb garden is perfect in the ways it feeds all of our senses. Brush your hand over the leaves of lemon verbena, lemon thyme or oregano, and a heady scent will fill your being. Nibble on a piece of basil, and it will taste like the pesto to come. Graze on watercress, which is both a vegetable and an herb, and feel its peppery energy course through you.

Herb gardening basics

Soil – should be loamy and well-drained. If the soil has too much clay or is too heavy, add a good amount of sand, as well as aged animal manure and organic compost. Adding some gravel for the more sun loving herbs, such as lavender, rosemary, sage and thyme also helps with drainage. Till and prepare the soil to a depth of 12-18 inches.

Fertilize with 20-10-10

Placement when planting – when planting consider the anticipated circumference of the mature plants, so they won’t crowd each other when they are fully grown. Think of their specific sunshine and water needs. Lavender, rosemary and thyme thrive in full sun all day. Basil needs 6 – 8 hours of sun but appreciates some afternoon shade in hot climates. This can be accomplished by interplanting basil with tomatoes, which will provide welcoming shade in the afternoon to protect the tender basil leaves from frying in the sun. Chives, dill and parsley can tolerate more shade.

Snip off flowers, to keep the plants vigorous and healthy, unless you want them to go to seed. Beneficial insects love the flowers but be sure to remove them before they do go to seed. You can also create fragrant bouquets for your home with the herb flowers. Clusters of tiny lemon verbena flowers, which can come in an array of colors such as white, pink, red, lavender, blue or purple, make the most heavenly scented bouquets, a really great addition to any room in your home. You can try mixing them with fragrant roses, herbs or flowers with a contrasted shape.

Feed once a week with an organic plant food.

Enjoy all the delicious ways you will use your herbs.

Flower spotlight

Pineapple sage – in the mint family, the pineapple scented flowers of pineapple sage, are a colorful, yet subtle addition to fruit salads. Add to breads, sandwiches, smoothies, salsa, fritters and chicken dishes. Pick the leaves early morning and boil for a few minutes to make a healthy antioxidant tea that is also a good source of Vitamins A and K and has a sweet and tangy flavor. It is also good to drink in the evening for its calming properties.

To make colorful lemon-flavored ice cubes - for one ice cube tray: mix enough water flavored with lemon juice to fill tray. You can add one to three of the red pineapple sage flowers to each cube space and freeze. They look beautiful in tall glasses of ice water or as an accent to other drinks.

Six May tasks to tackle

-Plant summer veggies such as beans, cucumbers, kale, melons, peppers and tomatoes. Sungolds are a favorite in our household as they are prolific and easy to grow, even in a place like Camp Meeker where the sun can be spotty. Sungolds are one of the sweetest varieties and eating them is like popping candy into one’s mouth.

-Plant summer blooming flowers such as sunflowers, begonias, marigolds and gerbera daisies.

-Plant edible flowers such as carnations, violas, lilacs, roses, lavender, marigolds and nasturtiums. They attract beneficial insects which will help guard against harmful pests.

-Deadhead camellias, azaleas and rhododendrons when they’ve finished blooming. Spent rhododendron blooms are easy to break off, but the tiny new shoots coming out are very sticky. Wearing close-fitting gloves works well so as to not gum up your hands. Feed monthly with a fertilizer for acid-loving plants.

-Stay on top of pesky insects such as aphids, with a good organic insecticide soap, introducing natural insect predators such as lady bugs, or by spraying off with water.

-Use mulch in the garden and in pots to help hold moisture around the roots of the plant.

Highlight May with a garden of beauty, taste and aroma, blending herbs with your favorite summer flowers and plants, is both satisfying and useful.

Q&A

“What are the medicinal benefits of fresh oregano?” – Steven Y.

Hi Steven, I’m so glad you asked that. Oregano is a medicinal powerhouse for a balanced body and life. It’s a great antibacterial agent and antioxidant, as well as an excellent source of vitamins K and E, fiber, manganese, iron, tryptophan (helps make melatonin and serotonin) and calcium.

Please email your gardening thoughts and questions to Val at cab.valery@gmail.com. With your permission, I will post them in this column. Together we can help each other find solutions to our gardening needs and dreams.