Grow Groceries Herbs 5-23-20, LS

5/23/20 Resources The information contained in Growing Groceries presentations is based on WSU home gardening publications and other science and research based materials. Resource lists are provided on the King County Growing Groceries website and at the end of some presentations. Growing Herbs To enliven the learning experience, speakers may use Presentation Created by and Presented by examples from their own garden experience and draw from Emilie Castle their personal gardening successes and failures. 5/27/2020 What is an Herb Why Grow Your Own Herbs? • Google dictionary defines Herb as: 1. Any plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for • Rewarding flavoring, food, medicine, or perfume. • Fresh garden material on hand anytime 2. Botany: any seed-bearing plant which does not have a • You know what has/hasn’t been sprayed on them woody stem and dies down to the ground after flowering. • #2 excludes common herbs such as Rosemary, Thyme and • More varieties available Sage. • Add beauty and enhance your garden • “A plant, some part of which, roots, stems, leaves, flowers or • Economical way to get fresh ingredients fruits is used for food, medicine, flavouring or scent.” – Growing Herbs: design, planting, harvesting and using, by Jessica Houdret 1 5/23/20 General Culture Uses • Food/Flavoring • Most herbs prefer full sun and well-drained soil • Teas • Scents • With ideal conditions, herbs are disease and pest free • Medicinally • Fertilize like you would a vegetable garden ▪ If herbs have officinalis in their name they were • Herbs taste best before they flower previously used in medicine ▪ Make sure you take care in use. Some herbs are • To discourage flowering, pinch off developing buds toxic and can be dangerous when not used correctly. Please use care in self medicating and check with your doctor before using. Traditional Herb Garden Design Herb Basics Included • Herb garden design • Formal • Propagation • Traditional • Harvesting • Straight lines • Preserving • Geometric shapes • Specifics on individual herbs • Often edged with boxwood shrubs • Topiary, sphere and pyramidal shapes • Knot garden • Rigid patterns and symmetry Image from Davesgarden.com 2 5/23/20 Informal Herb Garden Design Raised Beds Herb Garden Design • Relaxed look • Can use wood, bricks, stones and more • Simple framework ▪ Careful with woods that have chemicals • Meandering beds imbedded in them • No complex • Useful for improving garden conditions patterns or ▪ soil symmetry ▪ drainage • Generally, taller • Easier access, less bending plants towards the • As flowers are higher up, easier to view and enjoy back Photo from advicefromtheherblady.com Container Gardening with Herbs Container Gardening with Herbs (continued) • Containers allow plants to be located in ideal growing • Use a good potting soil, not garden soil conditions ▪ Not enough nutrients ▪ On a deck, with more sun ▪ Garden soil may harbor pests ▪ Close to kitchen, more likely to use • Watch roots • Useful for improving garden conditions ▪ Give roots room to spread ▪ Can improve soil, drainage ▪ Move to a bigger pot as needed • Easier access, less bending • Fertilize more often than if in the ground • As flowers are higher up, easier to view and enjoy • Regular watering important • Use clay, plastic or metal containers • Depending on the size of the pot, one plant per container or mix among annuals and perennials 3 5/23/20 Container Gardening with Herbs (continued) Aero Garden with Herbs • Hydroponic herbs Good drainage is key • Pros ▪ Make sure container has a hole or holes in bottom ▪ Plants are indoors ▪ Hardware cloth, coffee filters block soil ▪ Easy access ▪ Do not add gravel or stones to the bottom ot the ▪ Good for tender herbs: basil pot • Cons ▪ Some proprietary systems can be costly ▪ Not large harvests ▪ Not as big a selection Considerations with Planning an Herb Garden Rosemary Bush 4 feet tall by 8 feet wide • Read descriptions on plant tags or seed packets • Look at final height and width at maturity • Some herbs have varieties that are tall and also low • Tall herbs in back of beds ▪ Angelica, Artichokes, Fennel and Rosemary • Climbers ▪ Hops, Jasmine, Wild Honeysuckle and Roses • Creepers and low growers toward the front of borders, or pathways ▪ Creeping Mint/Thyme, Vinca Minor, Dwarf Comfrey 4 5/23/20 Soil Prep Before Planting Considerations with Planning • Similar prep as a vegetable garden • Most plants like dry, well-drained soil • Test soil composition ▪ Mints, Angelicas and Monarda didyma (bee • Test soil drainage balm) can do well in wetter conditions • Work to improve as necessary • Many are drought tolerant • Herbs are adaptable ▪ Can use less water once established ▪ Will grow where planted, but not thrive • Not suited to clay soils ▪ Can introduce disease and pests • Most like full sun ▪ Best to try and make it as ideal as possible ▪ 6 hours minimum ▪ Parsley, Chives, Angelicas, and Mint can tolerate some shade Choosing Herbs Choosing Herbs • Look at color and texture • Many herbs enhance garden with flowers: • Look for different colored and shaped ▪ Blue: Ajuga, Borage and Rosemary leaves ▪ Yellow: Lady’s Mantle & Sunflowers • Foliar interest can prolong visual interest ▪ Orange: Calendula and Nasturtiums in design ▪ Purples: Lavender, Oregano, Salvia • Colors include: ▪ Pinks: Dianthus, Rose, Thyme ▪ Silver: Dianthus, Lavender, Salvia, Sage ▪ Red: Dianthus, Bee Balm, Rose Sweet Woodruff ▪ White: Yarrow, Foxglove, Thyme, ▪ Bronze: Fennel, Ajuga Sweet Woodruff ▪ Purple: Basil, Fennel, Sage, Salvia • Flowers can attract and nourish pollinators ▪ Gold: Golden Bay, Lemon Balm, • Sometimes smaller flowers, can plant en Mints, Thyme masse for effect ▪ Variegations: Mint, Salvia, Sage Thymus × citriodorus ‘Silver Queen’ 5 5/23/20 Choosing Herbs Growth Seasons of Herbs Taste variety before purchasing/planting • Herbs classified as ▪ Some flavors vary within variety ▪ Annuals ▪ Ask friends for samples and cuttings ▪ Perennials ▪ Biennials • Depends on if they grow from seed each year, return from crowns, roots, bulbs and cuttings Annual Herbs Perennial Herbs • Annuals are plants only last one year • From seed to flower to seed in one growing season • Perennial herbs last can live for many years • Many are easy to grow from seed • Often spread and grow in size each year ▪ Generally best to grow in spring • Some can be raised from seed ▪ Hardy annuals can be sown in autumn • Some don’t produce seed ■ Cervil, Cilantro (Coriander), Calendula ▪ French Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) ▪ Tender herbs like Basil shouldn’t go into the ▪ non-flowering Golden Sage (Salvia officinalis garden until June ‘Icterina’) • Harvest all of plant before last frost • Caraway (blooms second year), Catnip, Chicory, • Some can self seed (dill) if allowed to flower Chives, Echinacea, Fennel, Ginger, Horseradish, • Basil, Chervil, Cilantro/Coriander, Dill, German Lemon Balm, Lemon Grass, Lovage, Marjoram, Mint, Chamomile, Summer Savory Oregano, Sorrel, Tarragon and Winter Savory 6 5/23/20 Evergreen Perennial Herbs Biennials • Some hardy perennial herbs form woody, shrub-like • Biennial herbs have a 2-year life cycle stems and are evergreen • Can start in late summer or early fall • Good for including with landscape design • Their life cycle is complete after they flower • Include: Bay, Hyssop, Lavender, Rosemary and ▪ Angelica (Angelica archangelica), Caraway Thyme (Carum carvi), Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea) and • Careful to plant annual and perennial plants together Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis) as you can disturb the perennial plants roots ▪ Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) • Careful with pruning woody stems ■ Best to seed every year ● Woody stem and leaves not great the second year ■ Readily reseeds Vernalization of Herbs Propagation of Herbs • Some herbs require a period of intense cold to • Various techniques to get an identical copy of the germinate original plant • You can put seeds in a plastic bag with sand for 4–6 • Includes weeks in the freezer ▪ Stem cuttings ▪ Layering ▪ Aconitum or ▪ Primula spp ▪ Root division monkshood ▪ Rosa ▪ Arnica ▪ Sweet Cicely ▪ Agrimony ▪ Sweet Woodruff ▪ Juniper ▪ Sweet Violet 7 5/23/20 Stem Cutting of Herbs Layering of Herbs • Choose non-flowering stems • Bend side shoot down to ground to create new roots • Remove all but top two or three • Remove middle leaves and ‘plant’ the middle stem leaves • Anchor using a rock or a peg • Can use rooting hormone • Keep watch for new roots • Insert stem in pot with moist soil • Once rooted, move plant to new location • Make a “greenhouse” with bag or cover to increase humidity • Rooting will take 2–4 weeks (softwood) to 4–6 weeks for hardwood • Sometimes can root in water Disease in Herbs Root Division of Herbs • Best to remove affected foliage • Some herbs are easy to propagate by division ▪ Make sure not to add to compost • Dig up a clump of herbs and pull apart roots with • Careful using insecticides with residue fingers or fork or chopstick • Ideal environmental conditions are best to combat • Cut some of top growth to let plant recover disease and pests • Chives (Allium schoenoprasum), Oregano (Origanum ▪ Keep free from weeds and assure good air spp.), Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis), Lovage circulation (Levisticum officinale) and Comfrey (Symphytum ▪ Inadequate air movement can lead to mildews spp.) and botrytis • Always use clean pruners when pruning and clean between cuts • Watch for overwatering, can lead to rot 8 5/23/20 Deer Resistant Herbs Rabbit Resistant Herbs • Many herbs are deer resistant

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