May 21, 2008  

Here we are not two weeks behind National Herb Week. Established in 1991 by the International Herb Association, National Herb Week is designated as the week preceding Mother's Day. I felt it was time I wrote about herbs, something many moms knew about from day one. This year Calendula is the herb of the year.  

The planning and dreaming, plotting and scheming should be more than complete by now, and if you entertained or visualized a culinary herb garden, you can begin to hunt down the plants you wish to include.  

I got the shock of my life a few weeks ago when I went searching for French tarragon. I found it, okay, dried, but to my dismay, the cost came out to $34 per pound. "Yikes!" I thought. Then, in another store, I saw it for $53 per pound. But then, upon further ruminating, I rationalized that only a few grams are used at any one time. $3.49 and well worth it. May last me six months. Hmm... maybe I should be growing it? Fresh is the preferred way to go.  

The real reason to plant and grow culinary herbs is not to save money. It is to harvest and use the exquisite freshness of superior herbs that you grow yourself and dry slowly and naturally for later use. You might say goodbye to commercially dried, chopped, stemmy herbs that are lackluster compared to the new world of taste you and anyone lucky enough to share in your efforts will discover.  

If you had looked into this type of garden already, you most likely considered the key factors: location, size, space, shape, sunlight, soil drainage, soil pH, protection from critters, and ease of planting, maintaining and harvesting. I've counted thirty-four herbs used regularly for cooking to impart flavors and enhance foods. This number does not include the many family members of say mint, thyme, scented geraniums etc. This consideration increases the number exponentially.  

Being a plant lover and a lover of quality cooking herbs is a dangerous combination. Why? Because a purist would say a proper herb garden should also have healing herbs, salad herbs, tea herbs, strewing herbs, those for scenting a bath, for attracting butterflies, for perfuming the garden and surrounding air.  

If you are dedicated to practicing your culinary skills, and/or growing gifts for special friends, you might start small enough to put in maybe ten herbs this year. Choose a mix of perennial, biennial and annual herbs. Basil, chives, sage, parsley, chervil, coriander, French tarragon, lovage, wild marjoram (oregano), mint, rosemary, sage, winter savory. Oops! I'm already at thirteen. I could easily keep going. Maybe the best strategy is to plan annual additions.  

This way you will have the luxury of adjusting your design each year. From traditional to whimsical, to wheels, to long narrow beds, to modest squares or rectangles, the choice is yours. Outside the culinary cornucopia, you can include other herbs for fragrance, dried and fresh arrangements, wreaths, medicinal uses, teas, ant and insect repellants, potpourris, dyes, hair rinses, ground covers, incense, cosmetics, cat tonics, healing, sugar substitutes, candies, cough drops, salt substitutes, bouquets, hedges, even composting.  

As long as you're going to go to all that trouble, don't overlook planting some edible flowers, too. You might surround an herb garden with other very aromatic herbs that deter and repel four legged invaders. There are many that deer will not even walk through such as the artemesias and catmints.  

Right here, I have to stop and remind everyone, you have two options you can embrace. You can purchase transplants, or you can directly plant seed into your chosen plot. It's too late for the third option, grow your herbs from seed starting them indoors a month ago, unless you've already done so (Bravo!).  

Most commonly used herbs will grow in our area. If you have room, you can stick an herb here and there in your vegetable garden. However, you may prefer to grow herbs in a separate area, particularly the perennials. First, decide on the size of your herb garden; this will depend on the amount and variety you want. Generally, a kitchen garden can be an area 10 or more by 4 feet. Individual plots, 12 by 18 inches, should be adequate for separate herbs.  

But, be creative with a star-shaped pattern, or a wagon wheel, a quilting square, a zodiac, a kaleidoscope? I know I would opt for raised beds if starting from scratch. Colorful and frequently used herbs, such as parsley and purple basil, are great border plants, or accents in containers or corners, or near entry points. I can imagine five or six intersecting sections of related herb gardens with a central axis. Not unlike knot gardens of centuries ago.  

While almost all herbs can be grown from seed, I would buy transplants for the first attempt at a dozen or so. They're inexpensive and promise success the first season. It's always rewarding to grow a plant from seed and there's plenty of opportunity to do so down the road. You're the author. You write the script. If starting from seed is your thing, there are all kinds of kits and miniature greenhouses to choose from.  

Once your herb garden is up and running, so to speak, you can pick fresh leaves as soon as the plant has enough foliage to keep itself going. Pick or snip leaves as soon as the dew had dried or evaporated and before the sun gets too high and hot. These will offer high oil content, which is what you are really after. Don't be too heavy handed with fertilizer. You may get more leaves but with less intense flavor.  

Frequent harvesting will keep plants in the vegetative mode longer, but, sooner or later, they will insist on flowering. Flowers and seeds are flavorful, too, but a sure signal that the leafy bounty is coming to a close. Thoroughly washing and draining will allow you to dry plenty for future use.  

If you include perennial and biennial herbs, plan on mulching these with three to four inches of material once the ground freezes in early winter. Straw, shredded leaves or bark, pine needles and evergreen boughs will all do just fine. Be sure not to remove it prematurely. The herbs should show active growth before taking off the mulch.  

Here's hoping your culinary herb garden rewards you tenfold. Surely using freshly harvested herbs will delight the palate of any who are fortunate enough to savor the unique quality of well prepared foods enhanced with the product of their labor.  

One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it provides.    - W. E. Johns

From The Garden of Ed. Submitted for publication in The Towne Crier on May 21, 2008

© 2008 Ed Mues. All Rights Reserved.

eMail:  eGarden@MountainAir.us