It's the First Day of Spring.
Herbs have had a place in the home since before gardening, when people would gather the plants from the wilds. And while our pharmacopoeia has expanded to include all sorts of exotic drugs, there is still something primal and comforting about having an herb garden of one's own.
Surviving and bringing the aromas of last summer are both oregano and lemon balm. The garlic has broken ground and basil seedlings sit under lights waiting for warmer weather. A few sweet marjoram seedlings straggle in small pots.
One of my favorite herbs is basil. There seems to be a basil for every occasion. Lemon basil, lime basil, pretty purple basils with pink flowers, spicy basils, and, of course, the good old standby, Genovese basil. They say to plant them 6 inches to 12 inches a part. I plant them closer, knowing that I might be encouraging disease when the humidity is high.
I try to plant most of my herbs in 2 parts sand to 1 part potting soil. They like good drainage and don't appear to be hindered by a lack of fertility. The only herb I really plant in good soil is garlic.
A 4 ft x 8 ft raised bed should keep me well stocked with most herbs for the whole season with plenty to save for freezing. Well, except for garlic. A 4 ft x 8 ft raised bed holds about 45 - 50 cloves of garlic - not really enough garlic for me. This year, I have two beds of garlic with a total of about 100 cloves.
I wonder if I let the oregano creep in and around all the other herbs if it will bother them? The oregano I have is labeled "Greek Oregano" and seems to be a creeping, not really climbing variety. Last year two tiny seedling spread to cover about 2 square feet of ground over the course of the summer. This season, it has already expanded a good 6 inches further. At that rate, the whole bed should be well covered by Autumn.
Time to start thinking about buying another little $2 rosemary plant. I have been, as yet, unsuccessful in keeping one alive indoors through the winter. The little $2 plant I bought last year, however, grew into a sizable little bush over the course of the summer, even with frequent trimming.
1 comment:
I think I'd like to start using shredded paper as mulch. I'm a bit worried that the wind will just blow it away, but you say that once it's been made wet it will bond and stay put. All I need to do is invest in a paper shredder. It's amazing how much paper rubbish we generate in a household.
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