The summer months are a great time to pick, use and dry herbs. Herbs are easy to propagate and grow and you don’t need a big space. Even if you are living in a flat or apartment you can have windowsill planters filled with these useful plants.
We always have herbs in our garden, a lot of them are disguised as weeds. They attract the insects, grow in poor soil, are easy to look after and add colour, life and fragrance to the garden. They can be used in cooking, for cosmetic and medicinal purposes.
Here’s a taster of some of the more well known ones…..
Mint
Mint is great. A sprig in your new spuds adds flavour. Mint tea is very popular these days. It is supposed to be good for the digestion so it is nice to enjoy a cup after a meal. Just wash a spring under the tap and pour on boiling water. When the kids were younger and had to be nagged to brush their teeth, getting them to chew the left over mint leaves or using their finger to rub their teeth with a leaf, always worked a treat. I am sure this is why mint became a popular flavour for toothpaste. Mint grows like wildfire and can take over a patch quite quickly. Contain it in a pot or grow it somewhere you have a lot of space. Easily divided to propagate so you can pass it on to your friends.
Sage
Speaking of dental hygiene, my lad also uses a sage tea as a mouthwash. This is supposed to be very good for gum diseases. Sage is the herb of choice at Christmas in our sage and onion stuffing, but it has also been used as a natural purifier. Sage stalks and leaves were used in hospitals to purify the air and it has also been used as a natural deodorant. You can take stem cutting to propagate, cut the leaves back when you plant them to stop the cuttings drying out too much.
Rosemary
Rosemary is great with roast spuds and roast lamb. Use a whole sprig and remove before serving, It can also be used as a bath herb to revitalise and has been used as a shampoo or hair rinse. People burn rosemary oil and drink rosemary tree to keep them mentally alert.
Lemon Balm
My mother-in-law often has lemon balm with her rosemary to make a refreshing herbal tea. The lemon balm lends a more subtle pleasant flavour to the tea. It is also a great tonic and is supposed to have a calming effect.
Parsley
Parsley is always a popular garnish. Chop finely and sprinkle over food or add to soups. If you want to keep some for winter stews, freeze after chopping in an ice cube tray. For a garnish with a difference, try taking a sprig, rinse and shake dry. Then deep-fry until just crisp and serve with any grilled or fried food. Parsley sauce is great with fish and is a great source of iron and vitamins and should be included in the daily diet. It is so easy to grow from seed too.
All of the herbs here can be dried and used throughout the year.
COMPANION PLANTING
Companion planting done well does away for the need of any herbicides or insecticides in the garden. Companion planting can also enhances the yield of most vegetables. Trial and error is the most successful way to see what plants go well together as most gardens are different.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
Borage, comfrey, elder, lavender, lemon balm, lovage and tarragon: good with all vegetables.
Dandelion:Helps mature fruit and vegetables. Don’t let them go to seed though….
Horseradish: good with spuds.
Marigolds: Controls soil disease, especially between tomatoes, aubergines and sweet peppers.
Nasturtium: Repels aphids from brassicas especially broccoli and benefits fruit trees.
Parsley: Tomatoes and roses.
Santolina: Insect repellent, especially for spinach and lettuce.
Thyme: Good protective border for the veg garden and repels fruit moths.
Not all work….
There are a few combinations that don’t work though. Basil dislike rue, coriander hinders fennel. Fennel is harmful to most plants especially beans cucumbers and tomatoes….but don’t let that put you off of growing it.
Here are a few suggestions of how herbs can keep away most garden pests:
Keep ants away : Catnip, Mint, Onion, Peppermint, Spearmint, Tansy, Wormwood.
Scare off those slugs : Artemisia, Fennel, Garlic, Rosemary, Sage
Maybe the flies are bothering you: Basil, Pennyroyal, Rue, Tansy
Aphids and greenfly. Lots to choose from here: Catnip, Chives, Coriander, Dried & Crushed Chrysanthemum, Eucalyptus, Fennel, Feverfew (attracts aphids away from Roses), Garlic, Larkspur, Marigold, Mint, Mustard, Nasturtium, Onion, Oregano, Petunia, Sunflower.
