Winter Sowing Herbs

A friend of mine who lives in zone 7 recommended this.  She said instead of sitting back with your seed catalogs and dreaming of that gorgeous garden you are going to grow next summer, take action now and get a head start on spring.  But I kept thinking, I live in zone 5 and trays of seeds will just freeze out there and die.  This winter I decided to give it a shot. (Why this winter I can only guess is because it has been so much winter that I am dying to get into something like gardening.)  This is what I know about it.

Winter sowing refers to planting seeds in flats or trays during the winter months and setting them outside to allow seeds to germinate and seedlings to emerge naturally when the weather warms. Not only does this give flowers and vegetables a head start in the spring it allows you to start seeds in the midst of winter while the landscape is frozen.  Once temperatures rise and the soil thaws, seeds germinate and sprout naturally at the ideal time for growing.

The best source on the internet for winter sowing tips and guidelines is www.wintersown.org by Trudi Davidoff.  On that site you can identify what can be winter sown or if you should just save the seed and direct sow it in the garden.  Not all flower and vegetable seeds are suitable for winter planting, but many are. Tender annuals or tropical flowers and herbs are not likely to do well if planted in winter as their seeds do not require cold stratification and may not survive the exposure to cold temperature. Look for seeds from plants that self-seed. This includes many wild flowers and native plants. If you have noticed seedlings emerging in early spring near flowers and herbs, they are a good candidate for winter sowing. Most perennials thrive with winter sowing.

The materials you need to winter sow are pretty simple:

Seed starting soil (you can make or buy)

seeds

containers with lids

waterproof markers

water

assorted tools

You can also look in seed catalogs for plants with notations for "fall planting", "early spring planting", "hardy seeds", "self seeds" or "will colonize". Some may note the seed requires cold stratification. These are all perfect to use for winter sowing. I like Park's Seed catalog, it has a great germination table right in the middle of the catalog. They have a numbered guide indicating the best germination requirements for seeds. I took a yellow highlighter and went down that numbered list and highlighted all the numbers that would be appropriate for Winter Sowing, then I carefully went through their list of seeds and highlighted the varieties that corresponded to the correct numbers. This is how I chose which varieties I would Winter Sow. A lot of catalogs, not just Parks, will have a germination table, or some information about germination, look at them, study them, and learn. Additionally you get sowing information on the back of seed packets as well.

Nice to have dirt under the fingernails in February

Milk jugs and soda bottles seem to be the best choice for me in Zone 5 to use for winter sowing.  They create mini greenhouses for seeds. You can also use traditional seed starting trays, but this is not necessary. One person I know lines toilet paper tubes up on a cardboard box, fills them with soil and seed and covers it with a clear plastic bag.  Each tube is a different seed.

Wash and dry the containers with hot soapy water to remove food residue and to prevent the spread of bacteria or disease causing organisms. Poke holes in the bottom of the container. 

Add the moist seed starter to the jugs.  It does not need to be very deep about 1 ½ to 2 inches at most.  You can make your own seed starter by mixing equal parts potting soil, peat moss and vermiculite or perlite. Mix in large bowl or bucket and moisten with tepid water. The starter should be damp, but not soggy.

Plant seeds to the recommended depth and cover with soil. Firm down with your hands to remove air pockets. Since I did not cut these containers I used the handle of a wooden spoon to firm the soil. Replace the plastic cover or cover with plastic. You need to have 2 inches above the soil to allow space for seedlings to grow. 

Label the container. Even though you think you will remember, chances are you will not. A label makes your life easier.

Place trays outside. Many prefer to place trays on a picnic table or an elevated structure where they can be reached easily. Although you want to expose the seeds to elements, placing them in a sheltered location prevents them from being blown over when the winter winds howl. Seeds can be placed on the deck or porch and moved to a sunnier location once snow begins to melt and spring approaches.  I placed mine on the shelter of window boxes.  I tied ribbon on them so they looked like a decoration to those passing by.

Allow trays to freeze and thaw naturally. When spring arrives, the soil will thaw and seeds will germinate at the proper time. Remove the plastic once seedlings emerge and danger of freezing has passed.

As many people know my garden is rented and I live in an apartment, so the place where I am winter sowingis on my apartment patio.  I placed a window box on the ground near the windows so the containers did notssit on the concrete.  I have several hanging window boxes that I decorate with greens for the holiday that 

were frozen to the railing by January, so I tied bows on pop bottles and nestled the bottles down in the old 

soil and started a few there as well.  My patio faces north to northeast so those near the window are rather 

sheltered the ones in the hanging boxes are exposed to more elements.

 Winter sowing is relatively maintenance free and produces young seedlings just in time for spring planting. There is no need for constant monitoring of the seeds as you allow nature to take its course to produce vigorous young seedlings that do not require hardening off and don't take up precious space in your home. So, get out those seeds and satisfy that gardening bug by starting your seeds now with winter planting.

We will see what happens and follow up with you about it as winter progresses.

Herb seeds I recommend for winter sowing:

Calendula

Viola

Flax

Basil

Mint

Oregano

Parsley

Sage

Thyme

Dill

Hyssop

Marjoram

Chamomile

Chives

Yarrow

Winter Sowing

I am attending the Chicago Flower and Garden Show this weekend and next week will be sharing gardening ideas I picked up or improved learning there.  To get you in the mood, I thought I would share an idea I have been toying with and finally decided to accomplish.  If there are no pictures with this post, please bear with me, I am having some trouble with the computer recognizing the .jpgs  I will post photos as soone as it allows me too!

Winter sowing is an easy germination method that allows you to start hardy seedlings for pennies.  Winter sowing is done outdoors during winter using mini-greenhouses made out of recyclables.  There is no heating devices, no energy using grow lights and nothing very expensive at all to start your seeds.

The best source on the internet for winter sowing tips and guidelines is www.wintersown.org by Trudi Davidoff.  On that site you can identify what can be winter sown or if you should just save the seed and direct sow it in the garden.

This is a great green project for recycling old milk jugs and toilet paper rolls, yet you can get a bit of dirt under your finger nails when it is hard to do that outside in Illinois just yet.

What you need:

Sharp scissors or a knife

Milk cartons, gallon size or paper towel tubes and a card board box

Seed packets

Waterproof marker

Water

A roll of duct tape

Potting soil

Outdoor location to place your planted seeds

Steps:

Place the tubes in a small cardboard box spaced so they touch each other and do not fall over.

Or poke holes in the bottom of a one gallon milk carton.  Then using sharp scissors cut the carton all the way around by the handle, leaving the handle intact.  This will leave a hinge for opening the milk jug.

Add the potting soil to the milk jugs or paper towel rolls.  It does not need to be very deep about 1 ½ to 2 inches at most.  Label the milk jug or writ on the inside edge of the towel rolls the name of the seed you will be planting.  You can put a label on the bottom of your milk jug too in case the other falls off.

Give the soil a good watering before placing your seeds.  This will keep them from floating away when watered after.  I watered the milk jug before I planted and the towel rolls after I planted them. 

Remember to plant the seeds at the depth specified on the seed packet.  Pat the soil down or add a layer of soil on top of the seed instead of pressing them in.

You need to have 2 inches above the soil to allow space for seedlings to grow.

Secure the sides of your cut milk jug with duct tape and place it in the snow outside or on a picnic table, sidewalk ledge or balcony.

I put plastic wrap, double thickness over the top of the cardboard box.  To give the greenhouse effect I need to get the seeds to start.

Herb seeds I recommend for winter sowing:

Calendula

Viola

Flax

Basil

Mint

Oregano

Parsley

Sage

Thyme

Dill

Hyssop

Marjoram

Chamomile

Chives

Yarrow

UPDATE: we actually planted a variety of herbs in winter sowing containers in 2014.  Here is a step by step

Harsh Winter - Hardy Plants!

This winter was harsh.  There was so much snow and so much cold and the only garden safety net we had was the covering of snow which settled in on December and did not melt away until April.  The covering of snow protected the plants when the weather turned bitter, going 25 degrees below zero at one point.  My favorite saying this winter was the ground is still white.  I was saying that in May when we had one last snow storm that covered the grass in white one last time making it impossible to plant even perennials until after May 18.

Good for the garden was the fact the snow fell in December and never melted.  This snow cover protected everything in the garden.  However anything not covered by the snow was wind damaged or killed outright.  The tops of some plants were dried out by raking winds.  Climbers, trees and shrubs have large amounts of winter kill.  My thyme bed is so disheartening that I could not take photos of it.  However, this year I have a special project-- a 20 x 20 foot community garden patch and in that patch is a 3 foot by 3 foot raised bed with thyme, so at least I have beautiful thyme plants to enjoy without memory of what once was!

The garden as first planted 5-18-14

These are a combination of French, German, English, Common Lemon and Doone Valley Thyme.  The Doone Valley I wintered over in the house, the others I purchased this spring from nurseries and plant sales.

The soil did not really warm up until between May 15 and 20.  I did no direct sowing in the garden until around Memorial day.  The winter sowing I did was slow too.  The plants finally germinated and sprouted in late April.

You can see the snow cover even in February

Here are the spouts on 4/27/14

They are large enough and have their first two real leaves, so I can plant them out in the garden now at the end of May.  For details and photos of that task, check out my Community Backyard Blog later this weekend.  Winter sowing was to give me a jump start on the seed season, but I think it is not going to be the coup I'd hoped it would be this year!

To my surprise the seed that fared worst was Nasturtiums.  These hard shell seeds usually are perfect for winter sowing, but the germination of the seed was 1 plant in the entire container.

Winter sowing update

Okay this winter was pretty brutal.  As a result I waited until well into January to try to grow plants by winter sowing.  And Now it is April, but to be honest it has not really been that warm yet.  I grabbed the camera to document the activity (or non-activity) of my winter sowing.

Here are the bottles that were out on the railing.  I moved them to the table when the wind threatened to remove them from my planters.

Upon closer inspection I see no green -- you?

Here is the milk carton style.  Green anyone?


I am not giving up hope.  If they are to germinate I think they still need more warmth and I expect the ones on the table to sprout first, so we are now holding vigil for green!  More updates to follow.

Bucket List for a Quarantine Winter 2021

Since most of my life got put on hold to complete orders starting in November, many of my grandiose plans for the holiday and crafts I wanted to try got shelved.  The other day I realized that Covid is still raging and I am not going back to the office while it is, I cannot teach in person until late January at the soonest, and it will be cold (it is Illinois afterall!) So why don't I just get cracking on a list of activities.

One of our few activities this fall was winter lights at the Chicago Botanic Garden, so we will be visiting the garden in winter also.

There is no excuse not to work on that set of ideas I made a concerted effort to save to Pinterest - see my herb themed Pinterest boards here - so here is my quarantine winter bucket list 2021. I chose only 4 items per topic so that I can keep this manageable and therefore attainable!  Think of these as new year resolutions.

Business

Work up some new packaging for gift items

Finish the upgrade to Herb Mix packaging

Find some herb bloggers to do some group projects with

Create / find and adapt the recipes for the Recipe Theme for 2021

Just a few of the hundreds of recipes in my collection

Personal

Get out and walk everyday, regardless of the weather!

Organize the craft spaces and supplies so I can figure out if I have what I need to make these:

    Fun snow globes / kits

    Spring decorations / wreaths

    Make dried flower arrangements with garden materials I dried and saved last year

    Create some of the organizing ideas I have saved

Practice and get better at playing my bowed Psaltry

I can't find the photo of the Psaltry my hubby got me last Christmas, but these are just as lovely from 

Gardening

    Order Seeds for exotic herbs

    Create Winter Sowing area and materials and begin winter sowing for 2021 garden

    Make self watering seedling starters

    Take scented geranium cuttings and learn to grow them hydroponically

Savory - Herb of the Week

It is Wednesday again and time to give you some rejuvenation for hump day.  So here is the herb-of-the-week a post where you will find details and recipes on herbs we hope will  get you thinking creatively about growing and using them at home.  Now as you coast down into the weekend you have either a new herb on your list or something new to do with an herb you already know.

Herb of the week is Savory (both winter and summer)

Savory is actually two different available plants.  Satureia Hortensis  - Summer Savory, which grows well from seed is a native of southern Europe.  It grows to a height and spread of about 12 inches. It is an aromatic annual that will flower in pale lilac during the late season and after the frost will turn reddish.

Satureia Montana – Winter Savory, grows from cuttings rooted in sand or root division and is a North Africa native.  It grows into a dark green woody shrub with needle-like leaves and will get slightly larger than the summer variety getting 12 to 18 inches.  It is also bushier and denser and will live several years.



Summer Savory



Winter Savory

You can use the fresh or dried leaves from both for flavoring string beans, fish, cheese, and egg dishes, as well as stuffing and soups.

History

Whether used for its medicinal properties or to flavor food, Savory has been around since the days of the Romans, and before. The English word Savory means “Pleasing in taste or smell” and was derived from the Old French word savoure meaning to taste, which came from the Latin word satureia.

Historically, savory has a reputation for regulating sex drive.  Winter Savory is said to decrease sex drive, while Summer Savory is said to enhance it.  Romans used Savory as an herb and seasoning even before they used pepper. They used it as a medicine, a bee sting treatment, and an aphrodisiac. When the Romans brought it to England, it was used as an ingredient in stuffing rather than as an herbal remedy.

To Grow

Easy to grow, Savory, a close relative of Thyme, and a distant relative to Mint, makes an attractive border plant for any culinary herb garden. According to plant experts, it requires around six hours of sun a day in soil that drains well. Savory does not grow in full shade.

Winter savory (S. montana) is grown as a perennial in zones 5 to 9. It has foliage similar to summer savory but is spicier and evergreen in mild climates. The plant forms a mat 12 inches high. White flowers appear in late summer. You can propagate winter savory by layering or cuttings. A low-growing form, creeping winter savory (S. montana 'Procumbens'), is also available. Winter savory should be replaced with new plants every 2-3 years. You can propagate replacements from the original stock.  It can be pruned to form a loose, low aromatic hedge. Cut as needed prior to or immediately after flowering for culinary or medicinal use.

Plant summer savory in well-drained, moderately fertile soil and full sun. Space plants 12 inches apart. To ensure fresh summer savory all season, start a second crop in early summer for late harvests.  You can start summer savory from seed, sowing it outdoors in spring. Or start seeds 4 to 6 weeks early indoors.

To Use

Although Savory is largely a culinary herb, it contains oils and tannins that have mild astringent and antiseptic properties that can be useful in medicines.  Summer Savory is the type most often used for medicinal purposes.  Teas can be made for occasional colic, diarrhea, indigestion, flatulence, stomach upsets, mild sore throats, and as an expectorant.  It is also sometimes used in a tea by diabetics to alleviate excessive thirst. 

Externally, rubbing a sprig of Savory on wasp or bee stings provides instant relief.  Try using an ointment made of Savory for minor rashes and skin irritations.  The essential oil forms an ingredient in lotions for the scalp in cases of incipient baldness. An ointment made from the plant is used externally to relieve arthritic joints.

For cooking, try savory as a substitute for black pepper. Harvest summer savory as you need it. The rich aroma will be most intense just before the plant flowers. Use it fresh or dried for a pleasant sweet, spicy flavor to vegetables, meats, pastas, and rice. It is my favorite for tossing with beans and adding to soups. Add a bite of summer savory in salads, lettuce salads, potato salads, and serve chopped as a topping to hot dishes. You can also use the leaves in tea. In cooking, winter savory goes very well with both beans and meats, very often lighter meats such as poultry or fish.  Winter Savory is also a great mixing herb. It blends well with different culinary oreganos, thymes and basils and can be added to meat, poultry or fish. Its small leaves are the perfect compliment to herb cheeses or as last-minute additions to sautés. Even though it has a strong flavor when fresh, it does not hold up well to prolonged stewing. Famous for making its mark on beans, dried Savory also perks up stuffing and can be mixed with Sage, Thyme, and Bay. Add to ground Turkey or Pork with Fennel Seed, Cayenne Pepper, and Thyme. Or, add a pinch to Chicken, Seafood, or Tuna salad or to a hearty soup. There are very few dishes that a little Winter Savory won't make better.

Recipes

Herb Dressing

1 cup dried parsley  

½ cup each dried basil, thyme, savory, and marjoram

¾ cup olive oil

¼ cup vinegar      

Mix together dry ingredients and store in an air-tight container. Each time you need a dressing, shake together 1 tbsp. of the herbs mixed with ¾ cup olive oil and ¼ cup vinegar. 

Hearty Herb Blend

2 parts dried rosemary

2 parts dried savory

1 part dried thyme

1 part dried marjoram

Grind fine to use in a shaker or leave coarse.  Great salt substitute.  Good rubbed on roasts or added to stews.

Savory Herbal Marinade

For use on Red Meat:
2 1/2 Cups Red Wine
3/4 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
1 Small Onion or Several Shallots, chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, sliced
2 Fresh Greek Bay Leaves, broken into pieces
2 teaspoons each Fresh Thyme, Oregano and Winter Savory, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons Salt

Allow meat to marinate overnight or for at least 12 hours.

To use on Chicken, exchange the red wine for white wine and the red wine vinegar for white wine vinegar. The herbs may also include French Tarragon, Lemon Thyme or Rosemary or any combination of those listed.

For Pork, add fresh mint to the White Wine Marinade.
For Fish, use lemon juice in the place of the vinegar and the Winter Savory chopped fine and be conservative with any other herbs.

If you prefer to cook without alcohol, you may substitute as follows:
For 2 ½ C red wine, Use 2 C apple juice 1/3 c cranberry juice and 1T Lemon Juice
For 2 ½ C white wine, Use 2 C white grape juice & juice from 1 can of mushrooms

Pickled Green Beans with Savory

Makes 6 pints

3 pounds of green beans

12 three-inch sprigs of fresh summer savory

1 quart of white wine vinegar

1 quart water

¼ cup pickling salt (do not substitute table salt)

1 Tbls. Sugar

Wash and dry beans.  Remove the stem ends and trim the beans to fit the jars chosen, leaving ½ inch headspace.

Prepare the jars, lids and boiling water bath.  Fill each clean dry jar with beans and two sprigs of savory in a non-reactive pan.  Combine the water, vinegar, salt, and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.  Pour the hot liquid into the jars, just covering the beans.  Wipe the rims and attach the lids securely.

Place in a boiling water bath and when the water returns to a boil process for 15 minutes.  Remove the jars, cool, labels and store.

These recipes are just one aspect of the Backyard Patch. To read our herb research, or see a listing of our 200 +  herbal blends for cooking, tea and bath, including many that contain savory visit the Backyard Patch on-line at www.backyardpatch.com

All recipes copyright 2010 Marcy Lautanen-Raleigh and should not be copied without permission of the blog owner.

Growing herbs from SEED - Do's, Don'ts and Plants

I believe the reason winter doesn’t bother me much is I spend most of it thinking about spring. It's the time I order seeds and think about what I will grow in my home garden.  Some herbs grow well from seed, others should be avoided.  Here is my list of best and worst herbs to grow from seed.

Best Herbs Grown from Seed:

(It I say "resents transplanting," then you should try to sow them in place rather than indoors.)

BASIL, SWEET (Ocimum basilicum) Both green and 'Dark Opal' basil are attractive plants for the garden. I prefer to plant the seed where it is to grow directly to -the garden in mid-May. Germination usually occurs in 7 to 10 days. Basil is not difficult to transplant. Grows to 18 inches; space 12 inches between plants. 'Dark Opal' has beautiful deep red foliage and lovely pink flowers and is excellent to use along a walk or as a solid bed for decoration in the garden. Basil is very good to use to flavor tomato juice and tomato pastes.

BORAGE (Borago officinalis) This has pinkish blossoms which turn blue like the perennial pulmonaria. It is an annual and should be planted directly to the garden in early May in the North. Growing to 2 feet it should be spaced 10 inches apart. Germinates in 7 -to 10 days. Resents transplanting except when quite small. It is excellent used in tossed salad to add a most elusive flavor.

CHERVIL (Anthriscus cerefolium) Although this plant will germinate in the fall and live over the winter I would advise the inexperienced gardener to grow it as an annual, sowing the seed to the garden in mid-May (in this area). Grows to 2 feet and should be spaced 8 inches apart. Grows quickly and is mature in 6 weeks. Resents transplanting. Fresh leaves can be frozen in small packets after washing carefully. Excellent to flavor egg dishes.

CHIVES (Allium scboenoprasum) This is a perennial plant growing from bulblets. They are really very easy to grow from seed. Mine, started under the fluorescent lights as well as in the greenhouse in the spring germinated in 10 days. The tiny little plants look like fragile spears of grass. When transplanted they wilt slightly. Even during a continued drought they grow very well. Mature plants grow to 12, inches; space 6 inches apart. They are very hardy even in cold locations. Flowers are pretty enough so that chives can be grown as a border or in the rock garden. Fine in salads, egg dishes and sauces of all kinds. Potted up, chives will grow on a sunny windowsill in winter.

DILL (Anethum graveolens) This is an easily grown annual with feathery foliage. Blossoms are tiny and pale yellow. Grows to 21/2 feet in my garden and germinates in 7 to 10 days planted at the same time as tender vegetables. Resents transplanting. May be spaced as close as 4 inches apart. Self-sows readily. Fine for use in pickling and to flavor meats.

LAVENDER (Lavandula). I have had excellent success with germinating seeds of lavender giving a four-week pre-chilling period in the coldframe before bringing into the greenhouse with germination in 14 days. This year sown under the lights the seeds germinated in 15 days with no pre-chilling period. This is a hardy perennial with gray foliage and spikes of fragrant lavender flowers, which when dried are used to perfume the linen chest and for sachets. Dry easily when hung free in a dry garage or attic.

MARJORAM, SWEET (Majorana hortensis) This is a perennial in frost-free sections of the South but is grown as a hardy annual in the North. Sow seed indoors with germination in 7 to 10 days. Grows to 12 inches; space 6 inches apart. Plants may be potted up and grown in the greenhouse or sunny window over -the winter. Adds a delicate flavor to lamb, fish, salads and soups.

MINT (Mentha spicata) This mint is very easy to grow. It is a hardy perennial and spreads by root. Sown indoors seed germinates in 10 to 15 days. It grows to 2 feet and is rather sprawling, in habit. Space 12 inches apart. Is at its best in good rich soil. Fine to use for mint jelly and in mint juleps, lemonade and other fruit drinks.

SAGE (Salvia officinalis) This is a hardy perennial in our location and is often grown in gardens for its pretty foliage and spikes of bluish flowers. Seed sown indoors germinates in 14 days. Grows to 2 feet and should be spaced 12 inches apart. Can be sown outdoors in May with germination in 21 to 30 days. Fine herb for dressings for chicken, turkey, pork and for flavoring sausages.

SAVORY, SUMMER (Satureja bortensis) This is an easily grown annual being best planted in mid-May in our location directly to the garden where it is to grow with germination in 7 to 10 days. Grows to 12 inches tall; space 5 or 6 inches apart. Good to flavor fish dishes, beans and soups.

THYME (Thymus vulgaris) This is a hardy perennial being of somewhat shrubby growth. Leaves are cut for drying before the blossoms are open. It is easily grown from seed sown indoors with germination in 21 to 30 days. Grows slowly when young. Grows to 12. inches; space 8 inches apart. It needs rich soil. Thyme is used for flavoring soups and poultry dressing.

Worst Herbs from seed:

DON’T plant French tarragon and specific mint cultivars from seed. According to Nancy Bubel, author of The New Seed-Starts Handbook (Rodale Press, 1988), French tarragon doesn’t provide viable seeds and specific mint cultivars hybridize readily and, more often than not, fail to come true to the seeds listed in catalogs.

PARSLEY - Parsley seed is best started indoors and then planted in the herb garden. Although it is very slow to germinate, don't give up; Don't be discouraged!

Growing Tips:

Once you’ve purchased your seeds, pay attention to the information on the seed packet. But here are universal rules for successful seed starting:

DO plant in seed starting mix, not natural soil. Before your seeds sprout, DO provide seeds with the warmth they need by setting them on a warm furnace or a store-bought heat mat.

DON’T just place seeds next to a window. Place seedlings on a table directly underneath a shop light. These lights are usually enough to provide sturdy, stocky seedling growth.

DON’T use fancy “grow lights.” They are designed to help plants flower indoors, not sprout seedlings. Instead, use a cool white fluorescent tube light to give your seedlings an approximation of the sun they need, which is a lot.  Find them at any hardware store

DO keep seedlings close to the light—they should be almost touching the tubes. Adjust the distance between your herbs and the light. When seeds have to stretch for light, they become leggy and susceptible to garden damage.

DO keep seed lights on at least 16 hours a day

DO water seeds moderately. Steer clear of watering too much or too little

DO cover unsprouted seedling trays with clear plastic to regulate moisture levels

Nurturing herbs from seeds offers many benefits to the herb gardener: You get a head start in the garden; you can minimize the chance of introducing soil-borne diseases to your garden; you’ll save money; and you may even have fun along the way. So, if you have the time and the patience to start herbs from seed, gather your favorite seed catalogs and start plotting.

If you are not sure which seed catalogs to choose we’ve written a blog on seed and plant nurseries to get you started.  It ran last week – Here is the link: http://backyardpatch.blogspot.com/2011/01/herb-garden-planning-seed-catalogs.html

Herb Garden Planning - How to read a seed catalog

Last week I gave you a list of print and online herb catalogs to look at and this week I thought I would help with some tips for reading those catalogs too!  Gardening catalogs contain more information than pictures and prices.  In fact if you follow this sort guide, you can learn the keywords and symbols found in seed catalogs and enhance your gardening experience.

Late winter and early spring is when attentions turn to the business of planning and planting. I am instantly reminded it is time, when the seed catalogs start arriving. I then get out the garden planning journal, look over my notes from previous years and lose myself in the pictures and descriptions.  However, this is usually the first place I make a mistake, because getting caught up in those wonderful images and descriptions of taste often results in buying too much or the wrong plant for my garden. So what I wanted to do was save you the hassle of making the same mistakes I have with a bit of information about the books you are delving into.

Don't Judge a Seed by Its Picture

The first thing that grabs your attention when you open a seed catalog is the pictures, especially if they are in color. What you need to remember when looking at these wonderful color pictures is that they represent the best of the best. The herbs, flowers and vegetables shown in the pictures were more than likely grown in the best conditions, with the very best of care. And, the photographer may have searched through hundreds of tomatoes to find the one that she finally took a picture of. Your results will vary, depending on the weather and the amount of time you spend working in your garden.

Words and Symbols are Clues

If you make it past the pictures to the actual item description, you may run across words and information that also need some translating.  The plant description is the place you go to determine if this is the plant you want.  It should include the variety name and the growing time, from sowing or transplanting to harvest or maturity.  Look carefully at the words used, as they can provide insight into what to expect during the growing season.  For example:

• Vigorous: This plant will want to take over your garden if you let it.
• Compact: Perfect for small gardens or container gardening.
• Early: This plant is perfect for climates that have a short growing season or for gardeners that like to use different varieties to extend their harvest.
• Hardy: Will usually survive over winter or self sow.
• New: This variety has not been offered before.
• Pelleted: Some catalogs offer pelleted seed to help make sowing small seeded plants easier. The coat the seed in a clay medium so it is larger and easier to see.  However once treated the seed will last only one season so don’t save them for next year.

You will also learn if the seed is disease tolerant, and if so, which diseases they are tolerant of. Other information unique to the variety of plant is included in the description.

Some of my favorite catalogs use a little symbol system to show zone, annual vs. perennial, organic, sun vs. shade and other tidbits you want to know about every plant, so you can scan the listings more quickly and leave out those that would never grow where you live.  Most of these types of symbols are unique to the company catalog, so look for a key toward the beginning of the catalog or long the bottom of facing pages, which will explain how they use their symbols. I also enjoy catalogs that slip in growing tips and recipes, so don’t overlook the little articles and information they tuck into the pages.  This year Nichols’ Garden Nursery catalog has the story of Turnip the Cat.

Read Before You Seed

All in all, by spending a little time reading your seed catalog, you will discover a wealth of information, some of which you may not have known before.  I credit seed catalogs with great improvements in my early gardening, because they gave height and shape information that helped me plan more space than my gardening books suggested.  Plus if you read carefully you avoid buying too much seed or the wrong seed for your climate conditions or season length.

Flat parsley & Curly Parsley - Herb of the Week

Nothing worse then overlooking an herb as a feature because you are sure you have done it before, only to discover that you have never focused on it. That is the case with Parsley.  I was compiling my list of herbs to research in 2015 and realized that Parsley had never been an Herb of the Week.  So here is to 

    Parsley Petroselinum crispum 

              a well deserved Herb of the Week

There are actually three common varieties of parsley and I will highlight all three here.  The popular one these days is Flat leaf or Italian Parsley (Petroselinum crispum hortense), then you have the one we all recognize from a restaurant plate, Curly Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) and parsnip rooted parsley (Petroselinum crispum var. tuberosum) also known as Hamburg.

Parsley was believed to be the herb of choice for Hercules and as such was woven into wreaths for winning athletes in Greece.  It was also fed to horses to increase their stamina.

Oddly enough it was also associated with death by the Greeks.  It was used to make wreaths for graves.  By the Middle Ages it was being touted as an herbal medicine, credited with curing a great range of ills, including anything to do with the liver and kidneys as well as plague, asthma, dropsy, jaundice and an aid to digestion.

There is much folklore associated with Parsley.  It is believed that only a witch or pregnant woman could grow it, and that a fine harvest was only ensured if the seeds were planted on Good Friday.  Also it is said that if parsley is transplanted misfortune would descend upon the household.

To Grow

This biennial herb that flowers only in the second year is brightly green leafed.  The leaves are divided pinnately into feather-like sections that lay flat like celery leaves or curl into small frilly leaflets depending on the variety.  Parsley has been naturalized through out the temperate region needing full sun to part shade. Curly parsley grows 12 to 16 inches tall and can be grown easily as far north as zone 5.  The flat leaf parsley is taller growing 18 to 24 inches and is best for cooking.  Hamburg parsley is a perennial grown for its root, which can get up to 6 inches long.  An old plant that you find only occasionally as it has fallen out of favor as a root vegetable with other easier to grow plants available.

 

flat leaf at the top of photo, curly here in the front

Curly Parsley, as a bright green compact plant, makes a nice border or edging plant.  Parsley is susceptible to underground attackers, like nematodes and parsley worms, due to its large tap root.  As a result one should relocate parsley at the end of its lifecycle.  Many people treat it as an annual, removing the plant at the end of the season.  Some like to allow it to flower the second year, but once the plant sprouts a flower shaft, the leaves become bitter and untasty.

You can sow seed directly in spring once the soil temperature reaches 50 degrees F.  It transplants badly so it generally best to sow it where you plan to grow it.  Drill in the seed about an inch deep.  Parsley will go to seed in the second year, so most people treat it as an annual.  It is slow to germinate (up to 6 weeks) because the seed of parsley actually has a germination inhibitor.  You can cover the seed with a moisture retaining material, water frequently, pour boiling water over the seed before covering it or even treating the seed by soaking, refrigerating or freezing.  I tossed the seed packet in the freezer and then planted it one year with good success.  Winter sowing also works well with parsley.

 

Hamburg Parsley

Six plants set 6 to 8 inches apart will supply the average family and allow extra for freezing or drying.  To keep the plant productive weed it often and cut back the full length of the outside stems and remove all flower stalks.

The soil needed to grow parsley is deep and not light or acidic.  Rich and well draining is important to avoid rot.

To Use

So many think is it only a decorative green, but it is actually has more vitamin C per volume than oranges.  It also contains Vitamin A, several B vitamins, calcium, and iron.  Beyond this contribution of vitamins and minerals, however, it is not considered significantly medicinally. You can use a tea made from the seeds of parsley to kill hated lice.  Pour it over the head after washing and rinsing, wrap your head in a towel for 30 minutes and then allow the hair to dry naturally.  Equally the seeds and leaves steeped in water can be used as a hair rinse.

That camphory odor that parsley tends to have is the work of a combination of volatile oils found in the leaves and stems.  This scent attracts rabbits.  Parsley is a diuretic and has been used as a tea to treat bladder infections. Avoid using it in excess as it can irritate kidneys and decrease pulse rate.  Pregnant woman should avoid parsley oil or large quantities of parsley, but the sprinkle or sprig is just fine.

In many food regions Parsley plays and important role, in the Middle East it is an important part of tabbouleh, in France it is used with ham, garlic, butter and escargots.  Belgians and Swiss make deep fried parsley and the Japanese make a deep-fried parsley tempura. In Mexico it is part of Salsa Verde and even the English use it, making a parsley jelly.

If you want a good Parsley to dry, try Petroselinum crispum var. neapolitanium, a flat-leaf Parsley.  With a slightly stronger taste it is best for drying.  You can freeze curly parsley to help it retain color and flavor. Cooking with parsley enhances the flavor of other foods and herbs.  The best flavor is had if added just before the end of cooking.

Boil Hamburg parsley as a root vegetable or grate raw into salads.  Using in soup mixes, the flavor resembles both celery and parsley.

Create a sauce for cold beef, shellfish and pasta by pureeing a bunch of parsley with garlic, olive oil and ricotta cheese in a food processor of blender.

Recipes

Fines Herbs ala Marcy

1 part chives

1 part chervil

1 part parsley

1 part tarragon

Blend together dried herbs and store in an airtight jar.  Use on a variety of dishes, including eggs, fish, and chicken.  Make a great salad vinaigrette when you blend a tablespoon with 2/4 cup oil and 1/4 cup vinegar or lemon juice.

Fish Bouquet Garni

2 sprigs parsley

1 sprig French tarragon

1 sprig fennel

2 leaves lemon balm

Tie the fresh herbs together in a bundle and add to the cooking liquid in casseroles, sauces, soups, broths and stews and use to brush fish or place in water when poaching fish.

Tabbouleh

Tabbouleh recipes originally come from the Eastern Mediterranean. There are thousands of versions out there for this one we are using Quinoa.

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water (or vegetable broth)
2 cups chopped parsley
2 cups chopped fennel bulb
6 chopped green onions
1 cup of sliced cherry tomatoes
1 cup diced cucumber
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/2 cup of freshly squeezed lemons (about three lemons)
zest from lemons, minced
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
paprika to taste

The first step in our tabbouleh recipe is to cook the quinoa. Rinse the dried quinoa well, then add it to a medium sauce pan along with 2 cups of water (or vegetable broth). Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer for 18-20 minutes or until the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is light and fluffy. Set aside to cool.  Meanwhile gather the veggies, tomatoes and mint and get those chopped and sliced. Measure out the olive oil, lemon juice and zest. Once the quinoa has cooled put it in a large bowl along with all the prepared veggies, tomatoes and mint. Pour in the lemon juice, olive oil and lemon zest. Stir well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir well. Sprinkle with paprika and it’s ready to serve. We like this tabbouleh as a side dish to rosemary chicken.