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MarilynW
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| Posted: Feb 10 2014 at 9:25am | IP Logged
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I am finally getting to thinking about gardening - as I dream of this polar ice age ending!!
We have decided to focus on herbs this year - simple and hopefully doable. We will use some yard space and some pots on the deck and front steps.
We are reading Herbal Antiviral and Herbal Antibiotic and the Kids Herb Book. (years ago we did a unit study from Learning Herbs and really enjoyed their kit and resources) - and I feel really motivated to grow some medicinal herbs for homemade remedies. We also use a lot of herbs in our cooking - so I would like to try to grow these.
I would love advice:
1. Is there a good source of starter plants which may be easier than growing from seed?
2. If you have success in growing herbs from seed - what seeds do you use, when you you start, how do you transplant, any other advice?
3. How do you maintain your herbs to keep them producing?
4. How do you preserve your harvested herbs?
Any other tips for rookie gardeners?
Thanks so much!
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Marilyn
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Aagot
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| Posted: Feb 10 2014 at 9:57am | IP Logged
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I cannot help a lot but atAnnies Heirloom Seeds you can find collections such as First Aid Herbs, Culunary Herbs and Herbal Teas. It might give you ideas on what to plant.
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SallyT
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| Posted: Feb 10 2014 at 10:09am | IP Logged
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Some quick random thoughts --
1. Seed. I mostly haven't grown my herbs from seed, but from plain ol' starter plants from Lowe's or Ace Hardware. So they aren't fine, heirloom, or organic, but my rosemary and thyme have been going for years now and are huge. I've had good sage plants before, too, but here in NC, for some reason, I've had poor luck with them.
Basil is easy and gratifying from seed, however. Fast germinating, fast growing. I have also grown oregano and thyme from seed successfully, but the thing to know is that they are slow to germinate, and you will feel like a failure and give up long before they sprout! I do have a huge patch of oregano that began from seed and then divided and transplanted in various places. I have oregano that grows up around the steps from the driveway because I spilled some seed there years ago and forgot about it. So once it does come up, you've got it forever!
2. Successful production: Whatever it is, don't let it bloom. Cut it before it flowers, or the taste will change. This is especially true of things like mint, which becomes disgusting after it flowers -- and that's hard, because it looks pretty in flower, and it's really tempting to let it go! I haven't found that thyme changes all that much, but then it's slightly bitter anyway. Basil will be bitter after it flowers.
3. Good for containers: most herbs will do okay in containers. Mints are good that way, because left to their own devices, they will take over your whole yard. I have lavender in a big terracotta box, and it seems happier there than in my clay-y ground, though I may try more in a larger galvanized container this year.
4. I have not been very good at preserving harvested herbs. When I hang them up to dry, they seem to get so dusty that I'm then not tempted to use them. I haven't had success in freezing them, though I have frozen things like pesto sauce before. Mostly I just use them in season -- and things like thyme and rosemary are more or less good year-round.
Other thoughts --
Most herbs like a LOT of sun, though some mints are decent shade plants. Lemon balm is especially partial to shade. My plain mint and apple mint, however, like a lot of sun and have only done well in a full-sun spot. Ditto orange mint and most of the other "flavors" I've tried.
I love herbs, and in general have had far more success with them than with veggies. They actually prefer a poorer soil, for one thing -- richer soil will encourage more flowering (I read years ago), whereas in a poorer soil you get more foliage and therefore essential oil production.
I've grown them more for culinary purposes and just the beauty of them in years past, but like you I'm becoming more and more interested in their medicinal value, so that will definitely affect my own planting this year. So I'm interested to hear what the more successful herb-growers among us have to say!
Sally
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: Growing medicinal and culinary herbs?
