Tag Archives: herbs

New Herbs to Grow in 2025

Posted on February 19, 2025 | Leave a comment

Thai Double Sky Blue butterfly pea, photo courtesy of Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co./rareseeds.com

As you are making your seed list and checking it twice, consider growing new herbs this year. Every year I scour more than 20 seed/plant catalogs/websites for new introductions–something new to try in my garden. In the past, I think I was constrained by a narrow definition of herbs but the more I learn, the more my definition has expanded. Many plants could be considered herbs, including greens. Herbs are plants that are of use to humans, either for culinary, medicinal, aromatherapy, cosmetic, and even coloring (dyes).

Also, “new” can be defined in different ways. The item may be new to the company’s inventory but that does not mean it would be a new plant for an experienced gardener. To me “new” is: “Wow! This herb is really different from all the other ones — I have not seen this before, and I think you might be interested.” Obviously, my list is not all new herbs on the market but a selection of “herbs of interest” – suggestions for you to try as you expand your herb gardening experience.

Finally, not all companies list new introductions. They may have them but they do not highlight or tag them, so it is difficult to ascertain. If you want to keep exploring new introductions, here is a link to more than 100 seed companies. Many will send you free catalogs!

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds always has tantalizing introductions — many of which are from other countries, so you always learn something new. Note that plants are listed in alphabetical order in the catalog — not categorized by flower, vegetable, or herb. I think they recognize the overlap or blurred distinctions between many ornamental and medicinal and/or culinary useful plants. For example, new this year is ‘Beetroot Amaranth’, an ornamental edible plant from India. The red foliage can add color to the ornamental garden and can be cooked as a green, like spinach. There also is a new white version called ‘White Beauty’ with ice white stems and green foliage.

Purple Perfume hot pepper, photo courtesy of Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co./rareseeds.com

Another example is butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea) and this year Baker Creek is introducing ‘Thai Double Sky Blue’. This vine blooms stunning double-flowering pale blue flowers which can be used to color beverages, cocktails, and food such as rice.

Baker Creek has several new hot peppers which are too spicy for me, but I would grow ‘Purple Perfume’ (Cheiro Roxa) as an ornamental for its translucent purple fruit. A staple in Brazilian cooking, these plants produce many very small colorful peppers which Baker Creek says are “pretty enough for the flowerbed.”

And if you are strictly looking for herbs, try their new papalo seeds. They have two types: butterfly leaf and narrow leaf form. I have seen the broad leaf form in my area (Porophyllum ruderale var.  macrocephalum) so it is not really “new” but I have not seen the narrow leaf form. Papalo foliage commonly is used in Mexican cuisine. The flavor is supposed to be similar to cilantro but with a more pronounced flavor. However, papalo thrives in the summer while cilantro will flower and set seed when the summer begins. The narrow leaf form (Porophyllum ruderale) reminds me of willow leaves. It is a lesser-known variety of papalo, and again used like cilantro, but prefers warm weather. This plant also is known as quilquina.

If you have not heard of Experimental Farm Network, you need to check it out. EFN is the quiet studious bookworm to party girl Baker Creek, chock full of interesting plants from other countries as well as seed saving, plant breeding, and preserving genetic diversity efforts and collaborations. There are quite a lot of new items so I am going to bullet list them here because the EFN website provides chapters of descriptions for each:

  • ‘Big Hip Apple Rose’ (Rosa villosa): They are offering seed to grow this rose, which produces very large red hips (hips are the fruit used for culinary and medicinal purposes).
  • ‘Hun Ken’ (Allium ramosum): This is a fragrant flowering garlic from China, cold hardy to zone 5.
  • ‘Iraqi Rashad’ garden cress (Lepidium sativum): Cress is a hot and spicy green, which can use as a microgreen, garnish, salad green or on soups and sandwiches. It prefers cool weather, grow like cilantro.
  • ‘Kyrgyzstani Kalmyk’ dill (Anethum graveolens): This is a flavorful heirloom dill bred for its foliage from Kalmyk (Dzungar) in Bishkek, capitol of Kyrgyzstan.
  • ‘Monhegan Post Office’ sweet cicely (Myrrhis odorata): Sweet cicely is a perennial in the carrot family known for edible leaves, seed, and roots. This one is named after an old post office on Monhegan Island, Maine (how cute is that?).
  • ‘Nga Khaw Buk’ sesame seeds (Sesamum indicum): Yes, Virginia, you too can grow sesame. This is an annual plant from Thailand.
  • ‘Togolese’ hoary basil (Ocimum americanum): Despite the botanical name this basil hails from west Africa and has a strong fruity fragrance. The word “hoary” means gray-white color but this plant has green, small, pointy leaves.
  • Clary sage, redwood strain (Salvia sclarea): This particular strain of seeds has large white lilac pink bracts surrounding light blue flowers. This is a biennial or short-lived perennial known for its medicinal properties and stunning flowers.
  • Sanshō Japanese peppercorn (Zanthoxylum piperitum): Native to Japan, this will grow to a small shrub and the leaves, flowers, and fruit are used for culinary and medicinal purposes. A primary ingredient in Chinese five spice powder, this peppercorn’s claim to fame is its ability to cause a spicy and numbing sensation when consumed.

Anil (indigo), photo courtesy of Owen Taylor, Truelove Seeds

If you are interested in herbs, you need to become familiar with True Love Seeds. In addition to their informative website, they have a podcast called Seeds and their People and they offer seeds/herbs/veggies from many countries. Check out their collections such as African diaspora, East Asian, Italian, Ark of Taste, and the Roughwood Seed Collection. They have a lot of new products, many of which would be hard to categorize as either herb or veggie so check out their website. Here are some of the new 2025 introductions:

  • Shambalileh Iranian Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum): Fenugreek is a medicinal and culinary herb, both foliage and seeds are used. This variety is from Iran.
  • Reyhan Sabz Basil (Ocimum basilicum): Also from Iran, this green basil is supposed to be milder than other basils.
  • Shevid (Persian dill) (Anethum graveolens): This Persian dill is known as Shevid in Iran.
  • Persian purple basil (Ocimum basilicum): Although not entirely purple, this basil makes a great ornamental plant. Can be used for cooking of course but think about using it for foliage color in a container.
  • Rashad Iraqi Cress (Lepidium sativum): A cress from Iraq, a spicy green.
  • Añil (Indigo) (Indigofera suffruticosa): Indigo is grown for its use as a plant dye.
  • Besobela (Ocimum): A type of holy basil from Ethiopia that is very floriferous so consider growing it for pollinators.
  • Scent leaf (Ocimum gratissimum): A type of basil from Nigeria and Ghana used for various dishes.

Johnny’s Selected Seeds and High Mowing Seeds are go to sources for downy mildew resistant basils.  Both are introducing ‘Thai Thai Prospera ® Active DMR’, an organic seed; while High Mowing Seeds also is introducing ‘Noga Prospera ® Active DMR’, organic pelleted seed. Johnny’s is introducing Everleaf lemon basil that is supposed to be slower to bolt. High Mowing Seeds is introducing two green basils: Large Leaf and Saporoso. High Mowing Seeds has expanded their herb offerings to include Thalia and Ceres Dill, Beefsteak Plant Bi-color Shiso, Rosemary, and Za’atar.

Rashad cress, photo courtesy of Owen Taylor, Truelove Seeds

Adaptive Seeds is offering organic caraway (Carum carvi) seeds called ‘Sprinter’. Caraway is an annual, about 2 feet tall, similar looking to fennel and dill. The foliage and seeds are consumed. Although caraway is a biennial herb, Sprinter has been selected for annual production.

Another edible ornamental is organic celosia, Sokoyokoto or Lagos Spinach (Celosia argentea var. spicata). This leafy green is from Africa, similar to callaloo greens. It is a warm season annual with green foliage splashed with red. The flowers are ruby pink spikes, perfect for arrangements.

Organic Forest Green Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) is a curly parsley, but it does not have a tight curl. The flavor is less bold than flat leaf parsley and can be used to garnish or add flavor in cooking. Although people don’t associate parsley with an ornamental garden, it makes a lovely green accent.

Scent leaf, photo courtesy of Owen Taylor, Truelove Seeds

Known for their works of art seed packets, Hudson Valley Seeds is now offering organic Resina calendula (Calendula officinalis) which is the best strain for making herbal salves. Not really new but Hudson is making it available in one of their art packs, which makes it an elegant gift. They also are selling lemon mint bergamot, Monarda citriodora, for the first time in 2025 but this one is not available as an art pack. This annual is not “new” but nice to know that Hudson Valley Seed offers it so you can include it when you order their other seeds.

If you are interested in dying fabrics with natural dyes, try their 1-2-3 indigo dye kit using organic indigo. They provide indigo seeds; you supply the fabric of your choice. They sell the Japanese indigo seeds separately, which is one of the oldest plant textile dyes. This one is available as an art pack.

Park Seed has a Sow Effortless Seed Collection where you just sow, water, and grow plants from paper discs, mats, and tapes embedded with seeds. The theory is you just lay down the paper, water, and magic! The advantage is that the seeds are “pre-spaced” or spaced correctly but also if you have dexterity issues with small seeds, this could make life easier. They have these available in several herbs, flowers, and veggies.

Park is introducing the new Bonsai Basil from the Kitchen Minis ™ Collection. These are Greek basil seeds (Ocimum basilicum) which produce a fine leaved, compact plant about 6 to 12 inches tall — perfect for containers.

Another Park introduction is purple ball basil which has very dark red purple foliage. A great container plant, purple ball basil grows to be a 10-to-12-inch ball shape that can either be used as an ornamental or harvested for use in the kitchen.

Coarse besobela, photo courtesy of Owen Taylor, Truelove Seeds

Territorial Seed has a wide variety of herbs, flowers, veggies, berries, and fruits. The nice thing about this company is their extensive inventory, free catalog, and for many, they sell both plants and seed. If you cannot find a particular herb in your area or would rather have the plant than sow seed, they sell many herb plants. New to their inventory is the ashwagandha plant (Withania somnifera) which is a medicinal herb used to alleviate stress and anxiety. They also are offering yerba buena (Satureja douglasii), a plant harvested for tea. Like Park Seed, Territorial Seed is offering the new Bonsai Basil but their sizes include a smaller package of fewer seed, for those who do not need a large quantity.

These are just a few selections for you to increase your herbal gardening palette. Good luck and happy gardening!

Leave a comment

Posted in herbs

Tagged , , ,

Color Your Cocktail with Butterfly Pea

Posted on December 22, 2024 | 1 comment

Often seen in cocktails on social media, butterfly pea plants (Clitoria ternatea) are vines that bloom beautiful pea-like flowers, about 2 inches wide. Typically, flowers are cobalt blue with a yellow inner strip. A member of the legume family (Fabaceae), the green leaves are similar to Kentucky coffee trees.

The flowers are also available in white,  lavender, and a pale light blue, single or double flower, but the cobalt blue is well-known in Asian countries. The flowers are dried and sold in bags, or in powdered form, or as an extract. A tea is made with the flowers, which can be brewed alone or with other herbs such as lemongrass, ginger, and mint.

When brewed with boiling water the tea is blue and can be drunk like an herbal tea. However, when an acid is added, such as lemon juice, the tea turns purple. When an alkaline liquid such as roselle tea is added, the tea turns red. Butterfly pea tea acts like a litmus strip, the color of the drink changes with the pH of what it is mixed with. This does not affect the taste but has transformed butterfly tea into a novelty cocktail drink. You will find lots of cocktail drinks made with the flowers on the internet. The blue flowers also are used to dye food such as custards, puddings, rice dishes, and sticky rice.

Butterfly pea is native to Africa. Here in Virginia it is grown as an annual which grows rapidly in the summer up a trellis or obelisk. As a member of the pea family, the plant fixates nitrogen, which is good for the soil. The vine can take full sun to light shade and is drought tolerant.

I have not seen the plant sold at local garden centers but you can order seeds online. It is relatively easy to grow from seed and once you have a mature plant, you can let some flowers go to seed to save the seed pods. Save the pods and split open when dried to reveal the seeds. Save the seeds to grow next year.

Here are a few online seed companies: Eden Brothers, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds,  Park Seed, Strictly Medicinal Seeds, and Hudson Valley Seed Company. Include the butterfly pea with your 2025 seed order and try growing magical flowers!

1 Comment

Posted in Edibles, flowers, herbs, seeds

Tagged , ,

Grow Your Own Thanksgiving Herbs

Posted on November 17, 2024 | 3 comments

As I prepare for Thanksgiving this year, I can’t help but think of the Simon and Garfunkel song “Scarborough Fair.” I grow parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme in my zone 7, Virginia garden. The day before Thanksgiving, I can walk outside and harvest these herbs for my holiday meal. These are very easy to grow here and blend well into the typical suburban landscape. All of these with the exception of parsley are perennial shrubs that will remain in the garden year round.

Parsley

The curly type is best used as a garnish and the flat leaf type has better flavor, thus is used in cooking. I grow the flat leaf, also called Italian parsley. We use it in stuffing but I also like the contrast of green against white, mashed potatoes. Parsley also is great for turkey leftover dishes such as turkey soup.parsley

Here in Virginia, parsley can stay green above ground all winter long, especially if it is a mild winter (I took this photo in January). I always use fresh parsley as it does not dry well. Parsley is a biennial plant, which means it has a 2-year life cycle. The first year you will see foliage. The second year it will come back and although you will still see foliage, you will also see flowers and seedheads.  You can purchase parsley plants from the local nursery in the spring or you can grow it from seed. It is more economical to have a parsley bed in the garden where you scatter seeds every year. Parsley likes organic matter, moisture, and morning sun or dappled sun. To harvest the leaves, cut outer, older leaves at the base with scissors (don’t pull), leaving the core or inner, younger leaves.

Sage

Sage leaves can be used fresh or dried. I use it dry in the stuffing and biscuits and I use the fresh leaves as a garnish. Place a ring of green sage leaves on a pumpkin pie, after you have taken it out of the oven. Or create butter pats by piping soft butter (in a bag) on to clean, dry leaves on a tray. Put the tray in the fridge to harden the butter and then put the butter pats on baked potatoes.

 

Sage is a small drought resistant shrub that remains above ground all year long in my garden. In the summer, it blooms small, purple flowers that attract beneficial pollinators. I use both the leaves as well as the flower spikes for flower arrangements. Leaves can be solid green, variegated with cream or yellow, gray, gray/green, blue/gray, purple, or tricolor (pink, green, and white leaves). No matter what the color, all the leaves are edible. You can pick leaves when you need them without altering the shape or you can take a branch from the back and strip and dry the leaves for the kitchen, including making tea. Sage plants prefer full sun and well-drained soil on the dryer side. For best flavor, grow Salvia officinalis. This is not a plant you would grow from seed, it is better to purchase a small plant in the spring and plant it in the garden.

Rosemary

Rosemary can be used fresh or dried, it dries well. I use dried rosemary in the stuffing and biscuits but I cut fresh branches for the turkey platter. I either put slices of turkey directly on the branches or place the branches on the side as a decoration. Recently I have seen a lot of holiday cocktails with small rosemary branches on Instagram — I am sure you will find more ideas on social media.

Rosemary grows well in my garden because my plants are in full sun in a well-drained, terraced site. The woody shrubs remain above ground in the winter and tend to bloom when you would least expect it. My shrubs have been covered in small purple/blue flowers in December but also in the spring when the azaleas are blooming. The flowers are edible and are great as a garnish.

There are many different types of rosemary; some more cold tolerant than others; some prostrate and some are upright. If you have had trouble growing rosemary in the past, try these cold-tolerant types: ‘Arp’, ‘Hill Hardy’, ‘Salem’, ‘Nancy Howard’, and ‘Dutch Mill’. Once established, rosemary is drought and deer resistant.

Thyme

Thyme also is used fresh or dried — it dries well. I use dried thyme in the stuffing, biscuits, potato dishes, and green beans. Because the leaves are small, I sprinkle a confetti of fresh leaves on appetizers, corn chowder, and tomato soup.thyme

Thyme can be grown as a groundcover, small shrub, edging, or topiary or used in a rock garden. It is a drought-tolerant, low-maintenance, full sun, woody shrub that prefers well-drained soil. In my garden, my English thyme serves as a groundcover to prevent erosion on a slope. It has spread to cover the soil, thus preventing any weeds. It remains above ground in the winter and blooms in the spring/summer, attracting bees. Again, this is not something you want to start from seed. Purchase a small plant in the spring and plant in your garden bed or take a cutting or division from your neighbor’s plant.

Growing herbs is very easy. To be able to harvest your own herbs for next Thanksgiving, consider buying these plants in the spring at your local nursery.

Are you going to Scarborough Fair?

Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme;

Remember me to the one who lives there,

For once she was a true love of mine.

3 Comments

Posted in herbs

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Monarda: Natives, Herbs, Beautiful Flowers and Pollinator Magnets

Posted on August 16, 2024 | Leave a comment

Monarda punctata

I have been on a Monarda kick lately. To me they have many facets: medicinal and culinary herb, pretty color, unusual flower structure, native plant, pollinator friendly, hummingbird favorite, etc., etc., etc. There are 17 species and two of the species, M. didyma and M. fistulosa, have been bred to produce many cultivars for the market. Usually, Monarda prefers moist soil in full sun to partial shade. Most are perennials that spread by rhizomes and can be “assertive” if given optimal conditions. M. didyma is more thuggish than the others.

Monarda didyma

Of all the species, M. didyma is most favored by hummingbirds because of the red, tubular flowers that are arranged in a whorl within a singular inflorescence. This plant was used by Native Americans for culinary and medicinal qualities. In fact, its common name, bee balm, comes from the practice of rubbing the foliage on the skin to alleviate the pain of bee stings. The foliage also can be used to make tea, hence its other common name, Oswego tea. In the 18th century, John Bartram, Philadelphia’s famed botanist, collected the seed in Oswego, New York. The leaves can either flavor a black tea or used as a substitute for traditional English tea, hence its popularity after the Boston tea party. I like using the red flowers to add color to a fruit salad.

Monarda fistulosa

I also planted M. fistulosa and it has thrived and multiplied. The inflorescence is similar to M. didyma but the tubular flowers are purple. My stand is about 3 feet tall. When it bloomed in early summer it provided a nice mass of purple color. This was not a hummingbird magnet, but butterflies liked it and the bees swarmed around the flowers. When the petals eventually fell off, the seed heads remained all summer long to the point that it looked like a different shrub altogether. M. fistulosa is called wild bergamot because its fragrance is similar to true bergamot (Citrus aurantium var. bergamia). Again, the leaves can be used to make tea or flavor a black tea plus the flowers are edible.

I purchased M. punctata (dotted bee balm) for its unique flower structure. The flower heads, which are more of a bleached green color, are stacked on top of each other, reminding me of the Dr. Seuss children’s books. This species is supposed to be resistant to powdery mildew. Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that creates a white/gray powdery coating on the foliage in summer and early fall. This does not kill the plants but makes them unsightly and of course it makes it impossible to harvest the leaves for tea.

Monarda bradburiana seedheads (in August)

Last year, I bought M. bradburiana (eastern bee balm) at a plant sale, simply because it was a monarda I had not heard of before. This year it bloomed small flowers and the entire plant remained compact, less than 2 feet tall. The seed heads have stayed on all summer long. It has tolerated this hot summer very well with no signs of powdery mildew.

Early in the spring this year, I purchased two small plants of Monarda austroappalachiana. These are Tennessee natives and are supposed to be white flowered, resistant to powdery mildew, and less than 2 feet tall. The plants have survived but not thrived during this very hot summer so it may be a year or two before I can enjoy their full glory.

Next year I will grow Monarda citriodora (lemon bergamot), which, unlike the others in this article, is an annual. It has stacked purple flower heads and is supposed to be resistant to powdery mildew. I have read that the scent is not really lemon but more like camphor. The leaves can be used for tea and the flowers can be used for dried floral arrangements.

Of course, there are many cultivars of M. didyma at the nurseries, including compact types.  As fall approaches, you may find monarda plants on sale as many garden centers need to move their inventory of perennials. Add these to your garden for their multiple uses!

Monarda citriodora

Leave a comment

Posted in flowers, herbs

Tagged , , ,

Gallery

Best Performers in my Garden Despite the Heat

Posted on July 27, 2024

This gallery contains 11 photos.

This summer has been a real test – on me as a gardener and on my plants. Although I watered my veggies and some other more valuable plants as much as possible, there were some that I did not water … Continue reading →

1 Comment

Lemon Eucalyptus: Like a Bowl of Fresh Lemons

Posted on July 12, 2024 | 1 comment

A few years ago, I grew a lemon eucalyptus plant (Corymbia citriodora). I discovered it at a farmers market in Alexandria, VA, and the seller told me it was from Australia and was not hardy here in Zone 7 so it would have to be brought indoors in the fall. I had not seen one before so I was intrigued. This past weekend I saw them for sale at Greenstreet Gardens in Alexandria although the tag said “lemon bush” (photo to the left).

The lemon eucalyptus plant is great if you want a strong lemon scent for something like potpourri. It is also a medicinal herb; the leaves are used in traditional aboriginal medicine. The essential oil in the leaves is an antiseptic and is used in perfume. The plant is a rich source of citronella which is a mixture of many compounds including citronellol, citronellal and geraniol. The oil of eucalyptus is an effective mosquito deterrent. The plant itself cannot deter mosquitoes so don’t be fooled into thinking that a plant on the patio will keep you bug free.

There is a difference between the essential oil and the oil of eucalyptus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recognized oil of eucalyptus (OLE) as effective in deterring mosquitos. OLE contains p-Methane-3,8-diol (PMD), a naturally occurring compound obtained from the spent distillation of the leaves. PMD also can be synthesized in a laboratory. PMD is the only plant-based mosquito repellent that has been recognized by CDC to be effective in repelling mosquitoes while posing no risk to human health. However, children under the age of three should not use this because it can irritate the eyes. PMD has been registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as an effective plant-based mosquito repellent.

Lemon eucalyptus essential oil has a lower level of PMD and is not effective in repelling mosquitoes. The essential oil is made by steam distilling the leaves and twigs.

If you want a commercial, plant-based mosquito repellent, look for a product that lists “oil of lemon eucalyptus” as an active ingredient, which should provide up to six hours of protection.

My lemon eucalyptus plant thrived outside in the summer in a large container in full sun.  It grew several feet tall. The lemon scent was so strong, all you had to do was brush the leaves with your hand and you could visualize a bowl full of lemons.  Of all my lemon scented herbs — lemon balm, lemon grass, lemon verbena, lemon mint, lemon thyme, and lemon scented geranium – this was the most fragrant.

In its native habit, it would grow to be a tall evergreen tree and bloom tiny white flowers. Here in this area, you would have to bring the plant indoors in the fall to keep it alive. Or you can just purchase another one next year. I am glad to see it in nurseries now and I recommend growing this for its beautiful scent. The foliage should dry well (retain the scent) for potpourri or maybe even for wreaths.

1 Comment

Posted in herbs, plants

Tagged , , , , ,

Growing Herbs in a Strawberry Jar

Posted on April 6, 2024 | Leave a comment
mint in strawberry jar

Mint in a strawberry jar

Growing herbs in a strawberry jar is easy — the trick is to plant herbs with similar light requirements. For full sun, try rosemary, sage, basil, thyme, oregano, or lavender. For shade, try chives, lemon balm, or parsley. Or alternatively, just one herb such as mint, which should be grown in a container instead of in the ground.

It is not necessary, but some gardeners like to insert a one- or two-inch diameter PVC pipe with holes drilled lengthwise to make watering easier. The pipe length should be one to two inches higher than the jar.

Purchase small herbs and a bag of potting mix. First take your herbs out of their containers and tease the roots apart. Sometimes you can actually tease the plant apart to get more than one.

Cover the top opening of the pipe so potting mix does not fall into the pipe. Insert the pipe into the center of the jar and add potting mix up until the first “hole” while keeping the pipe upright.

herbs in strawberry jar

herbs just planted in a strawberry jar

Push a plant through the hole, add soil on top of the roots in the jar, tamp down, and continue adding soil until the next hole. Plant each hole, in an upward spiral fashion, until you reach the top. At the top, add the last plant, which should be one that grows vertical and tall. Tamp the mix down so the soil level is a few inches below the jar’s rim. Pour water into the pipe.  If you are not using a pipe, water the top of the jar, gently. A little potting mix may become dislodged but over time, as the plants grow, everything will stay in place.

During the summer, make sure the plants are well-watered as most jars are made of terra cotta, which dries out quickly. Snip and harvest the herbs as needed.

Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , ,

Chives: Culinary Herb, Landscape Edible

Posted on March 29, 2024 | Leave a comment
chives coming back in early March

chives coming back in early March

Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) are a great addition to the garden, any garden, does not matter what is growing already, add chives. These perennial herbs are landscape edibles, they come back year after year, and can be tucked in between shrubs and flowers.

In my Virginia garden, my plants have already come back in March and I can’t wait to cut the leaves for scrambled eggs, chive butter, and mashed potatoes.

chive flowers

edible chive flower

To keep up with my family’s demand for fresh chives, I have several plants. After I cut the leaves back on one, I leave that plant alone until it rejuvenates and then harvest the leaves of another plant. The pink, clover-like flowers appear in the summer.  Chive flowers are edible but do not eat them whole — pull apart the individual florets.

In the spring, I divide my current clumps to create more plants, both for the garden as well as for friends. Chives can be grown from seed but it may take a while for the plants to mature to harvest. It is best to buy a few small containers in the spring and tuck them in different places in the garden. These plants die back in the fall but emerge in early March. They can be lifted in March, divided, and re-planted or give away to friends. They prefer morning sun and afternoon shade and moist but well drained soil.

chive plant

chive plant in the summer

To make chive butter, simply let the butter come to room temperature, stir in chopped chives to taste, then refrigerate in a container. I use about 2 to 3 tablespoons of chopped fresh chives to one stick of butter. This can be done with soft cheeses as well. Chives can be preserved in the freezer or in ice cubes. Chives also can be used in herbal vinegars. Fresh minced chives add green to potatoes, soups, and rice dishes. Really, chives are so versatile in the kitchen and so easy to grow in the garden, there is no reason not to have them in your garden.

chives

chives on pierogies

Leave a comment

Posted in herbs, landscape edible

Tagged , , , ,

Herbs of Interest to Grow in 2024

Posted on February 24, 2024 | Leave a comment

Panorama Red Beebalm, photo courtesy of Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co./rareseeds.com

Last year I wrote an article about new herb introductions. This year, I have decided to make this a tradition. Every year, I will write a short article about new herbs I have seen from reading more than 25 seed/plant catalogs (print or online). For this article, I am focusing on a narrow definition of herbs. Many plants could be considered herbs, including edible flowers. Herbs are plants that are of use to humans, either for culinary, medicinal, aromatherapy, cosmetic, and even coloring (dyes).

Also, “new” can be defined in different ways. The item may be new to the company’s inventory but that does not mean it would be a new plant for an experienced gardener. To me “new” is: “Wow! This herb is really different from all the other ones — I have not seen this before, and I think you might be interested.” Obviously, my list is not all new herbs on the market but a selection of “herbs of interest” – suggestions for you to try as you expand your herb gardening experience.

There are several new herbs in the Baker Creek Heirloom Seed catalog. The catalog is available online or you can order a free copy. This year they have a stunning beebalm (Monarda didyma) called ‘Panorama Red’. This is a hardy perennial with red flowers that can be used to garnish fruit salads and desserts. The foliage can be used for tea or syrups.

Last year, Baker Creek introduced ‘Marvelette Blue’ (Calamintha nepeta), a hardy perennial that blooms blue/lavender flowers. The foliage can be used to make tea. This year they introduced the sister: ‘Marvelette White’ which has white flowers. These are great flowering landscape plants that attract pollinators.

Greek Mountain Tea, photo courtesy of Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co./rareseeds.com

Baker Creek also is featuring an unusual looking herb called ‘Greek Mountain Tea’ (Sideritis scardica).  The foliage looks like a cross between sage and lambs’ ears. The foliage of ‘Greek Mountain Tea’ has been used in the Balkans as tea to improve the mood and strengthen the body. It has a positive effect on the digestive system, weight loss, and prevention of insulin resistance. It seems to be hardy to zone 6 so I should be able to grow this drought-resistant plant in my area. The flowers alone look interesting, they are large candle-shaped inflorescences that bloom in the summer.

Although I have grown summer savory and winter savory, I have not heard of Baker Creek’s lemon version of winter savory (Satureja montana var. citriodora). According to their website, this is a “citrusy herb used for bean dishes, casseroles and stuffing.” It is supposed to be hardy to zone 5 as an evergreen woody shrub that can be used for tea, condiments, meats, and sausage.

Experimental Farm Network is another treasure for gardeners interested in edible plants, vegetables and herbs. I was struck by ‘Odesa Market’ nigella, a black seed nigella (Nigella sativa). The plant is grown for the seed which has medicinal qualities and often is used in breads, pickled products, and cheese. This nigella is cousin to the blue flowering love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena), a popular cottage garden plant. When you order ‘Odesa Market’, make sure you also order the ‘Transformer’ (Nigella orientalis). The flower heads are amazing! This nigella is grown as a cut flower, but the seeds have been known to be used as an adulterant in ground black pepper.

I have the blue/purple flowering anise hyssop in my garden but I may try Adaptive Seeds’ white flowering form called ‘Snow Spike’. This white-flowering Agastache foeniculum is a perennial with anise-flavored/scented foliage that can be used for tea, syrups, sugars, and baking.

I also have grown the green foliage form of epazote but Adaptive Seeds is carrying a red form called ‘Oaxaca Red’ (Dysphania ambrosioides). Epazote is another “bean” herb, used to reduce flatulence. It is common in Mexican cuisine and has medicinal qualities. The green form is weedy looking, but ‘Oaxaca Red’ may not look as weedy because the red foliage adds a lot of color. This may be a possible heat tolerant source of red color to a flower garden as well.

Silver Scent Salvia, photo courtesy of Darwin Perennials

Another great source of herb seeds is High Mowing Seeds and this year they are introducing two new parsley types: ‘Laica’ which is bred for flavor and sweetness and ‘Hilmar’ which is bred for high yield and excellent vigor.

Johnny’s Selected Seeds is introducing two new downy mildew resistant basil seed. Building on the original Prospera line, this new line is called Prospera Active with increased resistance to DM for environments where more is needed. Noga Prospera are tall resistant basil plants and Lihi Prospera are short, compact basil plants, excellent for containers.

And there is a new salvia plant from Darwin Perennials: Salvia Silver Scent. This is the culinary sage, Salvia officinalis, hardy to zone 5. This one has a pleasant fragrance and grows to about 20 inches tall. Deer resistant, salvia makes a great drought-resistant landscape plant.

I hope you try some of these this summer. Let me know how they perform by commenting on this post. Also feel free to add “new” herbs or “herbs of interest” that you have seen or recommend. The sources for seeds and plants are found in my list of more than 100 seed catalogs on my website.

Leave a comment

Posted in herbs

Tagged , , ,

There’s More to Basil Than Pesto

Posted on August 18, 2023 | Leave a comment

Pesto Perpetuo basil

I cannot imagine a garden without basil plants. Basil is the essence of summer. I don’t limit myself to just one — I grow lemon, lime, sweet, Thai, holy, and cinnamon, just to name a few. It seems that most people only know sweet basil and only one use for it: pesto.  Granted sweet basil has become the poster child, but there are many different types of basil plants to explore. The genus Ocimum has more than 30 species. Within the Ocimum basilicum species, there are more than 40 cultivars.  All of these can be used in a variety of ways both in the garden and home.

Basil plants are herbaceous annuals that need warmth, full sun, and well-drained soil. If I think of basil as an annual flowering plant, I can imagine how to use the different varieties. Also, classifying basil into five basic categories makes it easier to select a particular type for a particular function.

  • sweet green foliage (the green plant we always associate with pesto such as Genovese or Italian large leaf)
  • small leaves and dwarf size (spicy globe basil, dwarf Greek basil, Minette, or Pluto)
  • colored foliage (purple leaved Purple Ruffles or Dark Opal or light green/cream variegated Pesto Perpetuo)
  • colorful flower heads (Thai Siam Queen has purple stems and fragrant purple flowers), African blue (many prominent purple flowers), or cardinal (purple stems, purple/red flower heads)
  • fragrant leaves (holy, lemon, or lime).

Some basils fall in two or more groups. For example, cinnamon basil has fragrant leaves, purple stems and veins, and deep pink flowers. This plant provides scent, flavor, and color.

cinnamon basil

The following are suggestions for using basil. The exact species or cultivar depends on your personal preference and availability in your area.

Container Plant

All types of basil can be used as container plants for green, variegated, or purple foliage, or colorful flower heads. Basil comes in different sizes from 8 inches to 4 feet so make sure the maximum height is in proportion to the container. Companion plants must also like well-drained soil and the container should have drainage holes. I had a few extra holy basil plants that I stuck in the same container as my bush beans and both are thriving.

basil flowering in container with ornamental pepper

Annual in the Garden

All types can be used as an annual in the garden bed, either for green, variegated, or purple foliage or for colorful flower heads or simply to fill in a gap. If you think of basil as a flowering annual like a marigold, you could plant them in the same type of location. My Thai, lemon, and lime basil have filled the gap left by my bleeding heart plant, which goes dormant in the beginning of the summer. In particular, the dwarf basils are best for creating a tight edging effect. They have small leaves, similar to boxwood, and are great for delineating a garden bed in the summer. Spicy globe basil is often used to outline a garden bed.

purple basil

Cut Flower for a Vase

The basils that are grown for colorful flower heads or dark foliage are beautiful in flower arrangements. For example, Thai and African blue provide purple flowers and Purple Ruffles provide purple leaves.

African blue basil

Potpourri and Dried Flower Arrangements

Basil produces a tall, sturdy flower stalk that dries well and can be used in dried flower arrangements. The leaves or flowers can be used in potpourris, especially the more fragrant leaves such as cinnamon basil. When I cut Thai basil and fresh flowers such as dahlias for a vase, I can throw away the dahlias after they have past their prime and put the Thai basil flower spikes in another vase with purple gomphrena as a dried flower arrangement. A basil flower has a rigid calyx, like a socket, that holds the small delicate flower like a lightbulb. Once the flower is past its prime, it drops out and the rigid calyx remains.

Thai basil

Pollinator Magnet and Bird Food

Basil’s small flowers are attractive to beneficial insects and bees. Birds, such as goldfinches, love the seed heads. I grow lemon basil in a container on the deck to attract the finches so I can see the birds up close through my kitchen window.

Botanical Flavor

Usually a sweet basil such as Genovese is used in pasta, eggs, pesto, soups, salad, and vegetables, but you can try any type of basil.  I use lemon basil with fish and Thai basil with stir fried chicken and vegetables. Thai basil is often used in Asian cuisine because it keeps its flavor at high temperatures.  Holy basil often is used in Indian cuisine and the sweet basil is often used in the Italian cuisine. There are so many cuisines that employ basil and so many recipes it is best to obtain an herbal cookbook.

sweet basil

The purple basils work well in vinegar or oil for color and scented basils such as cinnamon can be used for flavor in either a vinegar, oil, or marinade. I use the cinnamon which has a purple tinge in homemade vinegar and give it as a gift to my family.

Sweet basil is good for butter and the spicy types are good for honey and jellies. I swirl small pieces of sweet basil into a stick of soft butter for use on breads and rolls. (This also makes a good hostess gift).

Lemonade, cocktails, tea, and fruit juice pair well with basil. Try adding the spicy, cinnamon, lemon or lime flavored basils to these drinks for flavor or just make a cup of tea with basil leaves.

Basil flavors cookies, pound cakes, and breads (rolls, muffins, flatbreads). I use the sweet basil for flatbreads and dinner rolls and the lemon, lime, or cinnamon for pound cakes. For a real conversation piece, sometimes I decorate a cake with basil flowers, which are edible. The actual flower is small and within the calyx so I have to pull the flower out from the calyx with tweezers. This takes time but is good for a special occasion when you want to “wow” folks.

Basil can be used in sugar syrups for fruit salads, desserts, and drinks. This is especially good with cinnamon, lemon, or lime basil. Make a sugar syrup by bringing to boil one cup of water and one cup of sugar with one cup of leaves and then simmer for 15 minutes. Drain through a colander to remove the leaves and let the syrup cool before using. Keep the syrup in a jar in the refrigerator to have on hand (throw out after a week or two).

glass jar of basil sugar syrup

Another way to “wow” family and friends is to sprinkle strips or ribbons of lemon, lime, or cinnamon basil leaves on fruit salads and/or add the small flowers to the fruit salads (again pull the actual flower out with tweezers).  As mentioned before, coat fruit salads with the sugar syrups or intersperse a leaf with chunks of fruit on a kebab.

Try growing several basil plants in your garden, which are easy to grow from seed but small transplants are commonly found at the local nurseries in the beginning of the growing season.

Leave a comment

Posted in Edibles, herbs

Tagged , , , , , , , ,