Thinking about this year's herb garden.

Amazingly, that time of year has come around again when it's time to start thinking about this year's garden. As I mentioned in this post, laying out my goals for the year, I would like to try growing herbs in our tiny urban backyard this year instead of vegetables. My vegetable gardening didn't go so well in 2010, so I'd like to try something different. I know that most herbs are fairly easy to grow, which is an advantage for me this year when I will be busy all summer with a new baby. As well, growing and using herbs is simply something I've always been interested in but have never pursued.

Although life has been so busy and crazy lately for a variety of reasons, I have made an effort to sit down and read through the Richter's catalogue of herb seeds and plants--they have every herb I've ever heard of in there, as well as many I haven't--as well as an old book I picked up at a library sale a few years back, The Harrowsmith Illustrated Book of Herbs.

I think the general conclusion I have come to after researching is that I'm going to focus mostly on culinary herbs for now. I love using herbs to dress up a dish in a simple way. Fresh herbs like rosemary, basil and even humble parsley are delicious, and this year what I want to do is grow enough of the ones I use often, to dry some for winter. Dried herbs in the grocery store are so expensive, and I find the ones at the bulk store are lacking in quality and freshness.

Probably I will get most of my herbs from the local garden centre rather than start them from seed, since I have limited space and don't need multiples of each plant. Right now I'm planning on parsley, rosemary, thyme, dill, and basil. I expect the chives I grew last year will come up again as they usually do.

Spearmint and lemon balm are already in the garden for adding to cold drinks or for tea.

And, I also plan on planting lavender and chamomile, for making potpurri and baby powder. I hope I get enough chamomile to dry for tea as well, since I find it very helpful for heartburn and indigestion.

I might not have room after planting all the above, but I'd like to grow two or three medicinal herbs as well. Something I have always wanted to do is make my own healing salve for the skinned knees and scraped elbows that inevitably happen to children who spend the summer playing outside. So I'm going to get a few packets of seeds from Richter's for this purpose. Calendula for certain, perhaps chickweed. I know comfrey is highly valued for healing wounds, but I'm not sure about adding it to the garden as my Harrowsmith book indicates it can take over.

Perhaps when it comes time to make my salve, I'll remember to harvest some plantain from around my neighbourhood, where it is the most common weed. Did you know that fresh plantain leaves are supposed to remove the pain and stinging of insect bites?

Well, those are my tentative gardening plans for this year. When I get the chance I'll try to do up some sketches of plant placement in my gardening journal. It's so pleasant to think about all this greenery in early February, when the view from my window is decidedly lacking in green. :)

P.S. For those of you who expressed an interest in the perogy cutter Chris made for me a few weeks ago, they are now in our Etsy shop. :)

Comments

[Citysister]

You can always put those invasive herbs in a pot or plant the pot in the soil and keep it trained to that area so the roots don't spread. We have to do that with our oregano and mints.

[Laura Jeanne]

That's a good idea--I wish I had done that with the darn spearmint that comes up all over the place now!

[Marlyn]

I am at the same stage as you. I have the Richter catalog beside the bed and drool over it not knowing what to buy.My dearest friend who's daughter is a agriculturalist told me last year her seeds from Richter did not do will but the plants they bought from the outlet did??? I bought my herb seeds from William Dam and was very pleased with these.That said I am buying only ones we eat and use in dishes. Not for medical purposes, as that is something I need to study. I do buy lemon thyme to rub on to ward off mosquitoes out here in the country.

[Julia]

How exciting for you. I love the joy that comes with planning for the new season's garden! Comfrey is such a good one to have as it makes a great liquid tea/fertiliser and helps break down composting matirals faster..along with the medicinal healing properities for us humans. For that reason I don't mind it's presence in the garden :-)

[Provincial Homemaker]

Sounds good. We have also had some success with Sage - our plant has done superbly. DH also just planted mint which we picked up as one of those fresh herb plants at the supermarket:)

[Leigh]

I love herbs. Like you, I've started with mostly culinary and a few medicinals. I hope to expand this year. For comfrey, I planted Bocking 14 Russian Comfrey last year. It's a sterile strain, so shouldn't spread out of control. It's fairly easy to find, so look for that strain if you're interested in comfrey.

[PlainandJoyfulLiving]

Sounds great Laura. I planted two chamomile plants last spring (from our local grower) and they did so well. This year I hope to have 10 so we can harvest lots more tea. I also miss not growing calendula and will do so again this year.
It sure is fun to plan.
Warm wishes,
Tonya

[Teresa]

Awesome! We're still in the planning stages as well...our garden is still months away...

Happy Valentines Day!