Herbs for 2010

I went through my herb seed packages and through my notes from last year to figure out what herbs I needed to get for this season. Last year was my first year growing herbs, other than some basil and oregano, which are absolutely essential.

I had most of our little four 4x4' squares filled with herbs--one entire 4x4 of basil and another of lettuces, another with oregano, thyme, parsely and dill, and the fourth with borage, hyssop, lavender, and lemon balm. I also had lavender, dill, hyssop and chamomile down at the farm.

I had visions of myself gathering fragrant herbs into a woven basket and drying them under the summer sun. Storing them in beautiful containers with perfect labels, all visible on shelves. Or else a rack of pungent, dried herbs all bound by the feet and hung up overhead, just waiting to be clipped off and used in soups, stews and brews. I envisioned experimenting with poultices, tinctures, vinegars, teas and syrups. A regular witch-doctor is what I had in mind. I planned on trying recipes for upset stomach, headache, sore throat and make notes of what worked and what didn't.

In reality, the herbs grow slowly, then come on fast and furious--just the same time as everything else in the garden came on. We spent all our weekends at the farm, so the herbs at home had to be gathered during the weekdays--in between work, laundry, dinner, walking dogs etc. I learned quickly what I needed to salvage and what I should let go. Borage did not store well. The books I read don't recommend drying it. It is basically for fresh use or for vinegars. Also it is not very useful. Apparently it is good for milk flow (not too helpful to me) but other than that, it may be good for spicing wines. Not too handy. Also it becomes weedy if you do not cut it before it sets seeds. I will have borage out back for many years to come whether I want to or not. Borage took over my bed so forcefully, it crowded out the lemon balm, hyssop and lavender that was there.

Basil is a keeper. I planted Genovese basil from Johnny's last year and it was magnificent. Gorgeous color, delicious taste and it just kept on coming. It was all I could do to keep up with it. In the end, some did get wasted, and I didn't dry it like I should have. I made a ton of pesto though. Love it! I will keep the same 4x4 plan too. Also a keeper--Italian flat-leaf parsely. Big, robust plants with big leaves. Dries great, survives frosts and even was good up to November--with the stems frozen!

I am doing dill again this year. I am trying a dwarf variety called Fern Leaf Dill which is supposed to come on slower and last longer. Last year it was all ready at once and it got wasted before I coudl dry it all. We didn't even get to use it in potato salad as much as we had planned. My chamomile at the farm did super! What is nice about it is it takes NO tender loving care. The worse the soil, the better it likes it. It produced almost too much really. I cut those tiny little flower heads till I thought I would go cross-eyed. And dried, and dried, adn dried. But this winter as I enjoy a cup of tea before bed about every night, I am glad. I still have seed left from last year, but I think it will reseed itself anyway. Another one that could become invasive if you let it I think.

The lavender at the farm survived too. I may need to transplant it someplace safer. My thyme over-wintered, so I don't need to buy any seed for that either. Pat put some in the little cold-frame and it is nice and green. I have some outside the cold frame which has survived too. I am trying some new ones this year--Thai basil, Topas St. John's wort, and the Fern Leaf Dill. Along with that I'm getting more Genovese basil, Italian Dark Green Parsley, and Greek Oregano. We're getting all our seeds from Fedco. (Well, most of them.) Someday I would like to be a real herbalist, as in my vision, but for now I'll try to pare it down to things I can actually use and store. And I'll try to be better about cutting and drying it. I'll let you know how it goes!