Tag Archives: Herbs

Gardener’s dilemma

17 May
"It's my day to sleep in."

“It’s my day to sleep in.”….”Did you say fresh catnip?”….”I’ll be right down!”

 

Spring mix of perennial volunteers...catnip, lemon balm, oregano and mint...an island in the garden plot.

Spring mix of perennial volunteers…catnip, lemon balm, oregano and mint…an island in the garden plot.  All (except the oregano) take a lot of effort to keep from taking over the garden.

Horehound

Horehound

Rue

Rue

 

Love the foliage and the tameness of these perennials.

 

 

 

 

Tomato seedlings

Six Tomato seedlings

Melon seedlings with room for vines to run along retaining wall.

Melon seedlings with room for vines to run along retaining wall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I chose very young plants this year due to the unseasonably cool weather.  May need to replant.  I also chose to add a path for access to the six tomato plants.

 

 

 

Path-Before

Path-Before

Dilemma?  25 years ago my kitchen garden was two 8’X8′ raised beds in full sun.  Over the years the transition has been to nearly full shade.  The Earth Angel and Golden Edge Hostas  as well as bird bath and feeders were the new look.  A sweeping retaining wall replaced the original box plots enclosing about 400 square feet.  The dilemma for this season is that we are back to full sun due to the loss of ash trees to disease.  The hostas may not survive a hot August.  Rather than fine tuning the stepping stone path (and have to redo), I took them up and mulched the path.  Check back in the fall on how this season worked out!

 

Path-After

Path-After

Frugal Fun

16 Feb

Or “The Best Ways to Spend $100” from this month’s issue of AARP Magazine.

http://pubs.aarp.org/aarptm/20130203_PR?folio=24#pg26

My personal favorite is “Just Call Me Herb”, which suggests the best return on investment as well as cash crop is fresh herbs.  Chef Robert Irvine of the Food Network goes on to specifically recommend basil, rosemary, mint and chives.

Elfcroft suggests that the better investments are perennial herbs like sage, oregano, horehound, lemon balm, catnip and lavender, which return value year after year.  Annual herbs like parsley, dill, cilantro and rue are great companions Chef Irvine’s ideas.

A herb garden is a two for one value.  Not only is it a treasure of fresh ingredients for cooking, but also delightful for the foliage and aromas in the garden.

Parsley

Parsley

Oregano

Oregano