Herb Plant Shopping!

Herb Plant Shopping!

Part 2 of our 3/27 newsletter (and an interview below)
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Although most of the spring herb festivals are still not happening this year, it looks like the greenhouses and stores will be open.  Last year we were able to order plants and pick them up without looking at the other plants, smelling the varieties, or getting carried away.  I will be making up for that this year. 

For those looking to start out with a little control (hahahaha, whatever), I thought it might be helpful to share what plants have been or become the most important over the years.  Yours may vary, but this is a bare bones list.  Add as you like!  They are always in my gardens.  In many cases, even if something is supposed to be perennial or expected to reseed, I purchase extras if last year’s look puny, because having too much is not a problem.  

 
Culinary List:
Parsley – biennial, so plant some every year so there is always some to use.
Thyme – should be perennial, but often requires replacement.
Basil – I like to get Genovese, Lettuce Leaf, and Purple Ruffles for different dishes.  Never too much!
Sage – So delicious with fall dishes and once it’s in the garden, it can find its way into lots of meals.
Rosemary – adds so much to chicken and beef roasts and stews.  Very tender perennial here.

Cilantro – although not for everyone, the coriander is also good.  I LOVE it.  So fresh!
Chives – provides a relatively mild onion-y flavor in dips, salads, side dishes, and potatoes.
Oregano – be careful where you plant this aggressive, delicious pizza herb.
Dill – I didn’t know how much I loved this flavor until there was plenty of it to play with in the kitchen.
Fennel – we love it sliced into salads.  Delicious with orange segments, oil, and a touch of balsamic.
                            Options – marjoram, tarragon, horseradish, garlic
                   Wild seasonings – sassafras, sumac, mints, onions and garlic

Medicinal List:
Calendula – no matter how much we plant, it’s never enough.
Chamomile – considered perennial or reliable reseeders, they often wander off.  Great tea herb!
Rose – we’ve never had enough of this, either. There are so many reasons to grow roses.
Holy Basil – easy to grow and it might be our #1 herb right now.  Emotional equalizer.
Valerian – The roots are usually sought, but we use the blossoms.  They are perennial, but rodents do
          love the roots.

Peppermint – excellent cup of flavor and cheer.  Choose Spearmint for stomach issues.
Lavender – gentle, relaxing, and offers so much to us from fragrance to sleep.  I’ve learned that they                         aren’t as perennial as we’d hope.  I try to plant one or two every year, just in case.
Lemon Balm – delicious, so fragrant, relaxing, and easy to grow.
Echinacea – reliable perennial that reseeds.  We use the whole plant, only pulling up the roots on the                    plants that stray out of the garden.
California poppy – this has just joined the garden in the last decade, since sleep isn’t as easy as it once                      was.  Reseeds easily, but occasionally needs to be replaced.  

       Other options:  Elder, Saint John’s wort, Catnip, Feverfew, Horehound… don’t get me started. 

AND...
Jenel Schaffer from Sheep Hill Herbs interviewed me on several things - including favorite herbs.