Herbs - A Link to our Past

Herbs - A Link to our Past

Herbs have been around since the beginning of time. They have been in usage for at least 5000 years, as recorded by Egyptian writings. Man has used herbs for many reasons, such as medicinal use, flavoring foods, natural insect repellants, groundcovers, potpourri, wreaths, scented gardens, perfumes and dyes. Early settlers brought herbs to America. Some herbs, such as parsley and lavender, were found growing wild. Herbs have gained in popularity, partly due to a link to our past.

What is an herb? Simply put, it is a plant that flavors our foods, heals our wounds, soothes our pains, and sweetly scents our surroundings. Many herbs are very drought tolerant. Being indigenous to the rocky slopes of the Mediterranean sea, they thrive in the hot, dry summer weather we have. All too often, herbs are lost in the garden because of soggy wet soil. The hot sun encourages the production of the essential oils that protect the plants from drying out.

Herbs lend themselves to container gardening. Let creativity be your guide as herbs come in a multitude of textures, colors and scents from which to choose. Choose from pots of plastic, terra cotta or clay, recycled buckets, baskets and tubs. Containers can be easily moved for light requirements or to protect from adverse weather conditions.

Herbs can also be mixed into the landscape, adding an attractive variety of texture and color. A few examples are lamb’s ear, dill, yarrow, fennel, and wormwood. Rosemary makes a fragrant drought-tolerant shrub. It is available in upright or prostrate varieties with light blue flowers. It is one of the oldest herbs known to man. Mexican mint marigold is a beautiful perennial with its golden blooms in the fall. It can also serve as a substitute for French tarragon.

Sage is another herb that doubles as a durable landscape plant. It can be killed easily by over-watering. There are many varieties of sage available including Golden Sage, Pineapple Sage, Tri-color Sage, Clary Sage, Garden Sage, and Berggarten. Thyme is a valuable herb to use in beds, rock gardens, and as a landscape accent. Varieties include Common Thyme, Woolly Thyme, Mother-of-Thyme, Silver Thyme and Golden Thyme. Thyme is a durable plant and will perish in soggy wet soil. Parsley is the most used and least eaten herb in the world. Parsley is a biennial, producing leaves the first year and flowers the next. It has a long main taproot that uses water efficiently. Parsley makes a nice border plant. Dill germinates easily from seed. Both the delicate leaves and seeds can be used. The green and yellow striped caterpillars love dill and parsley. The caterpillars turn into our beloved Swallowtail butterfly, so plant enough to share.

No garden would be complete without oregano. The name “oregano” is given to several unrelated plants that share the same or similar flavor. True Italian oregano and Green oregano are both hardy plants that can withstand our harsh growing conditions. Greek oregano is useful as a landscape plant that can provide a green, dense ground cover in difficult soils. When it becomes too high, like Asiatic Jasmine, mow it to keep it under control. Mexican oregano is a small attractive landscape shrub with purple flowers. One of our favorites, coriander, or cilantro, is a bright green leafy herb that is a mainstay ingredient in Mexican dishes. Coriander is easily grown from seed. Aloe Vera, a member of the lily family, has its origin in the African continent. Its growing qualities are similar to many cacti. Its thick leaves contain the water supply for the plant to survive long periods of drought. The leaves have a high capacity of retaining water in veryhot, dry climates.

There are a few gardening practices that help produce healthy plants. Healthy plants are able to withstand our intense heat and droughts, using water more efficiently.

Site Selection: Most herbs need at least six hours of sun each day for peak performance. Sunlight helps develop their essential oils. Provide good air circulation for peak performance.

Proper Planting: Herbs perform best in average soil that is neither too rich not too poor. Raised beds are ideal for our topography and growing conditions. Improve the soil with amendments such as composted organic materials. This will help the soil to retain moisture.

Mulch: Mulch well around the herbs. It gives the garden an overall well-groomed effect, keeps the plants clean and free from splatters during heavy rain. Mulch uses water efficiently by insulating the soil from hot, drying winds and piercing sun. It also suppresses water-hogging weeds. Organic mulch breaks down and adds nutrients to the plants. Compost is a good choice for mulch because it slowly feeds plants as well as allows herbs to self-sow.

Water Efficiently: Herbs are drought resistant once established. If supplemental water is needed, water with soaker hose or drip irrigation to a depth of six inches. Allow soil around herbs to dry out between waterings. Some experts believe that stress brings out the aroma and flavor of herbs, so do not over-water. Try some herbs in your landscape. They have survived for centuries with little or no care, or supplemental water. They were found growing in the wild long before garden hoses, sprinkler systems, synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.