Plant herbs for flavor – and fun
C
CLAYTON, CA (June 20, 2023) — Herb gardening is both beautiful and rewarding.
Plant-lovers delight in how easy it is to grow the herbs that they love to use while cooking. It is great to be able to walk outside and snip some leaves from the sage or a sprig of rosemary and incorporate them into favorite dishes.
Herbs are attractive garden installations, as well as providing pollinators for other plantings. They can be grown in garden beds, borders or containers. Many have interesting looking foliage, and some have pretty flowers.
The idea of growing your own herbs has surged over the past years. The palates of these herb growers have matured, too. Yesterday’s herb gardens featured basil, parsley and rosemary. Although those old favorites still rule the herb bed, today’s herb growers are expanding to include flavored mints, more basil varieties, colorful oregano, fruit- and citrus-infused thyme, fancy leafed and flavored sages and lemon verbenas.
Herb gardens should be planted in mostly sun. Plants need to be installed using a rich soil conditioner, preferably one that looks more like potting soil and less like bark. Fertilize herbs with an organic or natural fertilizer.
Once established, most herbs are water-wise, requiring very little to thrive. Basil, cilantro and parsley plants are an exception; they need more water and tolerate less sun.
What to plant?
Flavored mints are all the rage: Mojito, apple, basil, chocolate and pear are among the most popular. Mint is nice incorporated in salads or infused in water. Mint can grow out of hand in a garden bed, so install in a container for control.
Oregano is a large family of herbs containing members just planted for cooking and some pretty enough to be planted just to admire. Oregano can become bossy in a garden bed, so give it some room.
Greek and Italian oregano are two fabulous choices for those who desire fresh oregano for cooking. Oregano Aureum Gold has bold yellow leaves that look fabulous in the garden. Kent Beauty is one to plant just for its looks. It has pinkish-purple flowers that weep over the sides of containers and hanging baskets. Once it is blooming in your landscape, you’ll be asked repeatedly to identify it.
Thyme is another huge selection of herbs with a flavor to please everyone. You can find lemon, lime and orange thymes, as well as coconut and oregano. All thymes are edible; however, some don’t have a flavorful essence that will transfer to the food you’re creating. When in doubt, pinch the leaves and smell your fingers to discover the flavor profile.
Sage belongs to such a large family that columns one could write on this group alone. Cooking sage has that deep, hardy fragrance and reminds me of sausage. It’s a great evergreen shrub in the landscape, with large gray leaves and blue summer flowers.
If you crave a different look in the landscape or container, look for tri-color sage. This selection has a leaf with a combination of pink, cream and green colors. Pineapple Sage is also a joy to grow. Its leaves smell like pineapple when crushed, and you can use it for baking, or flavored waters and teas. If you don’t wish to use the Pineapple Sage for cooking, you can just enjoy watching the hummingbirds as they drink its sweet nectar from the salmon-colored summer flowers.
Contact Nicole with questions or comments by email at gardengirl94517@yahoo.com
Nicole Hackett
Nicole is the Garden Girl at R&M Pool, Patio, Gifts and Garden. You can contact her with questions or comments by email at gardengirl94517@yahoo.com