Basil: Genovese Purple Giant leaf green Cinnamon / Thai Lime
Chamomile: German
Chives: Common Garlic
Mint: Peppermint Spearmint Chocolate Pineapple
Parsley: Curly Flat
Thyme: Common Creeping Lemon
Lavender: Munstead
Oregano: Greek
Sage: Broad leaf Golden Tri Color Pineapple
Tarragon: French
Lemon grass: East India
Dill: Mammoth Fern leaf
Rosemary: Common
Cilantro / Coriander Cilantro - Plant Re seeds
Savory Summer
Cumin: Common
About our herbs.
When you stop by there may be a few additions or subtractions as we sometimes sell
out of something and we are apt to be trying something new which did not get on this list. Annual herbs such as basil and parsley are not winter hardy and we typically sell them in 3" round or 4" square pots and in mixed herb baskets.
Perennial herbs are winter hardy and if planted in a garden will come back in the spring. We sell Perennial herbs in 4 inch pots for this years crop and
in 6" - 1 gallon pots for established plants. Usually the gallon herbs have been held over from last year and are well established and winter hearty.
Many of the herbs we sell are grown from seeds. Others are propagated from cuttings as the true plants can not be grown from seed. For example common
thyme can be grown from seed but the variegated lemon thyme can not and must be propagated from cuttings.
Most herbs are very hearty and will thrive in the poorest of soil under conditions that would surly kill many other plants. It is thought that herb plants produce
more potent oils when grown under stress.
Growing Herbs
If you are one of those who has killed every plant you have tried to grow then you probably have not tried to grow herbs.
In fact many of them are so prolific they will take over other plants if not contained. A good way to keep the mint and oregano out of the rest of the garden
is to grow them in pots. Then you have the option of bringing them indoors or mulching them in the garden for the winter.
Cooking and Keeping Herbs
Nothing can beat fresh herbs for cooking.
To harvest for fresh use just snip what you will need from the plants . Give them a good rinse under the faucet and mince them with a knife.
We only use organic approved products on the plants we grow. We will never use chemical pesticides or fungicides because these are the same herbs we use and we are very fussy about what we eat.
Bruising the minced herbs with the butt of the knife can help to release the essential oils and enhance the flavors.
Add the herbs late in cooking to preserve the fresh flavors.
Keeping herbs:
There is no reason most people should be forced to buy prepared herbs in the supermarket. These manufactured versions are never as good as what
you can produce in a few pots or a small garden plot.
Most herbs can be dried for use all winter with the exception of chives and cilantro or parsley, but there are ways to preserve these types as well.
The problem with drying chives, cilantro and parsley is they lose all their fresh flavors.
When we dry herbs we place them on flat baking trays and put them on the top of the fridge. They will be dry in a few days.
We then keep them in a cool dry spot
in paper bags. We are told this is not the safest way to dry them but then I was recently told of how my forbearers would drink the water from a rain barrel
and dried apples on strings in the attic so we reckon this is not too bad.
Some people pull the plants up whole, roots and all, and hang them upside down to dry. Its thought the oils will go down into the leaves and this makes sense. Plus all the herbs hanging upside down in the shed looks cool.
Another way is to use a drying machine or dehydrator. We have found the dehydrated herbs are not as aromatic as the air dried versions but to each his own.
A good way to keep the herbs that loose all flavor when drying such as cilantro or chives and parsley is the ice cube method.
Clean your herbs and remove stems for cilantro. Don't remove stems for chives or you will have nothing left. ( chives are all stems, get it? )
Anyway, chop the parts you want to keep very fine, or if you have a large quantity to do, use the blender and as little water as necessary to keep the mass moving around.
Fill ice cube trays with the herbs pressing out all the air, and add enough water to make a herb cube. Freeze them and keep them in zipper bags in the freezer until you need them.
Even if you preserve a supply for the winter its always nice to have a few pots of fresh herbs growing on the window sill.
= Perennial herb
= Annual herb
