Around the first of April the mint returns in the garden. This is a joyous time for me. The mint was here when I moved in, 28 years ago. We have moved it many times as new gardens have gone in. It can be invasive and some gardeners will bury a large plastic pot to grow it in. We moved it to a shady spot, under some bushes at the back property line. A less than desireable location for it to thrive. It does grow some and I have mint for my water and for garnishing from April through October. Rather than the mint being a large herb, for me, it stays small and is more like a nice ground cover.
On Mondays, I cut a few sprigs and make a mini mint arrangement for the kitchen. Than when I do up my morning water I add a leaf or two. So pretty.
This week when I did up the mint arrangement I added three minature roses.
We are organic gardeners so I never worry about toxins but I do wash up everything that comes in.
So, this morning when I did up my water, I put a minature rose in with the leamon and the mint. Oh my, this is so beautiful! I am "spaing"..... five star treament!
2 comments:
Let's see, I am rather lavender dependant! I use it like I do roses, for everything! Do consider a couple of lavender plants. They are easy and if you get the one's that are hardy in your zone, they should give you many years of sweet blooms.
The only time I grow dill is when I am doing host plants for the butterflies. I find it is such a self seeder that it is in everything! Thus I grow parsley. It is a favorite of the Monarch and the Swallowtail a must have.
I ordered my Stevia to grow in a pot on the deck. No room inside for last year"s plant. I did dry the leaves so I did have those to get me through the winter. It is easy!
I have a couple of different types of Fennel this year. Will let you know how they do. Lots of seed from them ususlly, so I only do it every few years.
On rosemary there are varieties that are somewhat hardier than others. My 5 year old plant did not come back this year. It's wood is very special to me so I will use it for special things. Nice for winter. Also very nice for vegtable kabobs. I use rosemary like I use lavender and roses.
Have not grown sage for a very long time. It too will come back every year. Nice to have for Thanksgiving dinner!
My friend, Kitty, died ten years ago. I have not grown Catnip since then. If you have cat friends they do love it and love you for thinking of them.
We also are basil dependant. My soil is still a little too cool for seed to germinate. I wsed the basils the 1st of April. The containers warmed the soil enough so that the seed did come up but they are still very small. Waiting to grow when the temps warm up a bit more at night.
Your herb garden will be a delight to you and yours and the bees and butterflies will love you for planting it. Oh, and all of the herbs you mentioned like full (6-8 hours) of sun.
Thank you! I love to chat about plants! Guess I am a plant person.
So fun to find your updates!
All the herbs you mentioned are full sun, 6 hours a day at least, so that is where I would start as far as placement. For inside, over-wintering, they will need a southern window. Keeping that in mind should help with what comes in and what does not. I quickly run out of inside plant space. That is why I dry so much for over-winter use.
The basils work for me as pesto in the winter, so I grow them in the ground. Pretty plants and nice with tomatoes.
The rosemary can, sometimes, live through our winters, outside, in the ground. Inside they dry out with our furnances going, seems as if they need lots of humidity. Outside they grow to be nice sized bushes. The rosemary is similiar to the lavender as far as how they do outside. I give both of these plants a light, white, mulch of sea shells. I do try to dry enough for me to make it through the winter. I have an island bed I have the rosemary in. I am working on filling the entire bed with just rosemary.
The sage grows well in full sun, returning every year. Also dries well for winter use.
The Stevia will die if left outside. I think it is sesitive to temperatures in the 40's. I grow it in a pot, yet it needs so much water I am thinking I might re-plant soon into the ground. I find I am watering it two-three times a day. Last year I dried the leaves in my dehydrator for winter use. I just might do that again. As July comes in and it becomes so hot and dry the container gardening becomes a full time adventure.
All the mints would do very nice in the ground. They will spread and many gardeners plant them in plastic pots in the ground so they are contained. I am moving our mint to across the back under some bushes yet out far enough that the plants will get more sun.
The herbs like a well drained soil and a poor soil no need to feed or add organic matter.
I have had all sorts of herb gardens in the past. Now I am working on growing a herb in each flower bed.
Do keep us updated on how the herbs do for you. I have never grown Cilantro or Patchouli. How fun!
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