Gardening: 2002-2009 Seasons

[Michael M]

The thymes (so I've been advised) should overwinter fine here. They are bedded this year as well as the garlic chives and oregano. Anyone have any comments on overwintering herbs in beds? I've always grown the thymes in pots but plunked them down in beds with the basils this year and they have been the best ever! Would hate to lose them. The oregano is still a baby, started from a cutting this summer. Should I dig it up, pot it and bring it in?

Most thymes are hardy to zone 5 or 6, and in Texas you are more like 7, 8 and 9, so no worry there.

Basil - well, I live in Chicago, and I can't really help you there. I know that they are perennial in Italy, but cooks keep cutting them back to get the newest, most tender leaves. With basil, you don't want them to flower, otherwise they get bitter. If they make it through your winter, cut them back.

Oregano, again, you will have no problem. But a warning: oregano is in the mint family, and it spreads like wildfire. I would keep this one in a pot. Really, it will go everywhere.

Edited January 11, 2005 by Michael M (log)

[Mabelline]

Here's something I received that someone might be interested in.www.gmushrooms.com is also known as Gourmet Mushrooms, from Graton, CA, has a Morel Habitat kit, that helps you grow your own. In addition, they sell the kits for raising your own mushrooms (and here I have not come across some of these before):Sonoma Brown Oyster, Blue Oyster,and Pom Pom Blanc. Their prices seem very reasonable, and I think I will partake. Mhmmmm...Mushrooms!

Let me add that the morel kit seems to be intended to introduce them into your own habitat.

Edited January 11, 2005 by Mabelline (log)

[fifi]

Basil - well, I live in Chicago, and I can't really help you there.  I now that they are perennial in Italy, but cooks keep cutting them back to get the newest, most tender leaves.  With basil, you don't want them to flower, otherwise they get bitter.  If they make it through your winter, cut them back.

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Ummm . . . I have always allowed my basils to flower. The flowers are pretty when sprinkled on a salad and I am usually too lazy to keep the flower spikes pinched anyway. Besides, the bees and butterflies like them. I have never found that the basil gets bitter. Maybe it is a difference in climate. I had an African Blue basil once that never froze back due to the mild winters. The thing got to the size of a Volkswagon and bloomed prodigiously. While the leaves weren't the best basil in my garden (I think that African Blue is a different species than sweet basil), they were serviceable in a pinch in the winter.

[Michael M]

Fifi,

African blue basil is georgous, and you're right, it is Ocimum kilimandscharicum x basilicum purpureum, whereas sweet basil is Ocimum basilicum (and there are others, of course).

I, too, let mine flower, but only some of my plants, and just for the reasons you mention. For the absolute tenderest and sweetest leaves, though (meaning the pesto I make for guests!) I only use young, new leaves. Experiment with the difference this season and let me know what you think!

[snowangel]

I was at Menard's today (a local home improvement superstore) and went weak at the knees. The seeds are there. The hoses, the gardening tools, the trellises, everything that disappears come September -- it was all there. Target now has a gardening area. There is a rack of Burpee seeds at my local supermarket.

The days are getting longer, and in just a couple of weeks (OK, a bit more), we will have has much daylight as we have night, and from there on, the days just get longer and longer and longer.

My fingers are aching to dig in the dirt. My dreams are fueled by looking at seed catalogues and reading my gardening books as I lay in bed at night, dreaming of the coming season.

I can almost taste that first green bean, smell the smell of that basil that I crush between my fingers. The squeeze of that first tomato, that one that is eaten, with dirty hands, in the garden, in a moment of pride. And, although I don't grow my own sweet corn anymore, the thought of that first early, very sweet, very tender ear, is positively sexual.

Ah, the anticipation. The watching and tending, watering and weeding. Just call me hopeful and waiting.

[jackal10]

In the UK the last couple of weeks have been really cold and snowy - unusually so, and the first proper winter weather this winter. Before that everything was about a month ahead - outside there are snowdrops, aconites, iris stylosa and daffodils all at once. The shops are begiining to get their gardening stock. I've ordered seeds etc. I guess I'll do most of the sowing when the weather warms up towards the end of the month - pointless now with snow on the ground.

In the vegetable department the purple sprouting broccoli is just beginning - such a treat. Leeks continue.

I've set potatoes to chit (Arran Pilot, Pink Fir Apple and Blue Salad)

Sown some lettuce (indoor)

Planted out overwintered broad (fava) beans.

Edited March 6, 2005 by jackal10 (log)

[sparrowgrass]

Ahh, snowangel, I hear you. You know that I lived in Ely for 5 l-o-n-g years. The first March I was there, I woke up in the middle of the night with tears running down my cheeks--I had dreamed that I would not be home (back to Indiana) in time to start my garden.

I am fighting pneumonia right now--if I wasn't, I would be out with the tiller right now. The soil is dry, the sun is out. Daffodils are blooming everywhere, the forsythia and quince are starting.

I love March in Missouri.

[jgm]

I'm planning my garden in my head, and I have a couple of questions.

1. I live in the middle of Kansas, zone 6, and it can (and usually does) get scorching hot. Although we had a milder summer last year, it's not terribly unusual to have roughtly a month or more of temperatures around 100 degrees or more. I'm going to plant 3 or 4 kinds of tomatoes, including an heirloom variety if I can find one, and I have the choice of planting in a spot that gets sunshine well into the hot afternoon hours, or in one that will have shade from the garage after about 3:00 or so. Which do you think is better?

2. A neighbor, last summer, let me know that in another location, she has access to a large field of asparagus, more or less growing wild at this point. She's invited me to pick (and believe me, I intend to hold her to it), but I'm also thinking about asking if I can transplant some. If I do that, when is the optimum time for transplanting? Also, can you give me a nutshell course on growing asparagus?

Thanks

[jackal10]

Don't know about Kansas but I would have though that shade would be better. Tomatoes need a lot of water.

Asparagus is a permanent crop. You need to prepare the gound well, and the main problem is keeping it weedfree.

I doubt if they will transplant well. I'd buy new crowns from a reliable supplier

Here are notes from the University of Kansas http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/library/hort2/MF319.pdf

[suzilightning]

after 60F yesterday it looks like there are only 4-5 inches of snow on the ground and most of the storm is past - the town plow just made it's second pass. now the wind is beginning to pick up and they expect minus wind chills tomorrow. how can i think of a garden? but i am - just ordered some monkeyflower seeds and hosta for the north side of the house. two dwarf blueberry bushes that i can bring in during the winter and put on my back porch, a french tarragon plant and some seeds my girlfriend and i will split for our herbs. i plan on buying patio tomato plants from our local vegetable stand guy.

spring ...spring...spring

[Pumpkin Lover]

27 pages on gardening: wow! I have to go through all of this, but before I do (and I hope this question hasn't been asked):

I'm starting a little herb garden on my windowsill. Nothing too big, just chives, basil, and parsley. After casually reading that tea leaves are good for extra nitrogen, I sprinkled some on each pot last week (the plants have been going for about a week). Yesterday, I found some white, fuzzy mold growing on one pot, and I removed it, and some of the tea leaves around it. I was wondering if the tea leaves could have caused the mold growth, or if mold like this is naturally occurring in soil. I don't know much about gardening and plants, so any help would be much appreciated!

[sparrowgrass]

Don't know about Kansas but I would have though that shade would be better. Tomatoes need a lot of water.

Asparagus is a permanent crop.  You need to prepare the gound well, and the main problem is keeping it weedfree.

I doubt if they will transplant well. I'd buy new crowns from a reliable supplier

Here are notes from the University of Kansas http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/library/hort2/MF319.pdf

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Jackal is right. Digging up established plants is difficult and roots are cheap.

Buy the one year old ones. The two year old ones sound better, but they are the ones that were too small to be sold as one year olds and were replanted. Better to go with ones that started out big and strong.

If you plant them this spring (soon as the ground can be worked) you can pick a little next year, and more each year after that.

I have about 15 plants--not enough for me (and occasional forays by my son.) I am planting 25 more this spring, in a sunnier spot.

Your mileage may vary--I eat sparrowgrass every day while it lasts.

[snowangel]

  Daffodils are blooming everywhere, the forsythia and quince are starting.

I love March in Missouri.

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Please remind me what a daffodil is. I hate March in MN. Sunday was 60 and sunny. Brilliant. A nice long day, a day of hope. I doffed my polar fleece pants and socks, and donned my birkies.

Alas and alak, it was in the single digits when I awoke Monday morning.

I just blanking blank hate this time of year. The teasers. The anticipation. I really hate waiting for the really great stuff.

So, as I went to bed last night, I reminded myself that we are a little less than 5 months from home-grown heirloom tomatoes and sweet corn. Lest that seem like a long time, it's certainly a lot less than the 10 months we were counting down not long ago. To top it off, we're only 10 weeks, this coming Friday, from CABIN TIME!

[sparrowgrass]

It is snowing in Missouri today, snowangel. But come on down--it'll be warm by the time you get here.

[sparrowgrass]

Pumpkin, I think the tea leaves did cause the mold. Hold off on them, at least till the plants are bigger, and the weather is warmer and drier.

Be careful--gardening is like crack. One day it is a few innocent herb plants in the window, the next day you have a full blown Burpee's jones, and half your income is going for hellebores and amaranth.

[jgm]

Thanks to everybody for the advice on the asparagus. I think I know where I can get some crowns.

The local nursery is beginning to get in their herbs, and the fever hit big time on Saturday when I saw them. I now have, set out into their containers for this year, flat-leaf parsley, oregano, chives, rosemary, basil (1 plant), and 2 varieties of thyme. I will be planting peppermint (definitely in a container, don't worry), much more basil, curly-leaf parsley, tarragon, ...and who knows? Right now, everything's in my little red wagon, so that I can bring it outdoors during the day, and put it in the garage at night, to prevent freezing. We're supposed to get a rain and snow mix tomorrow and Wednesday, so it looks like they'll spend a couple of days in the garage as well. It was around 70 degrees here on Saturday; the high tomorrow will be only 40. We are definitely seeing the ups and downs of a Kansas spring.

To come: arugula, peas, tomatoes, asparagus, zucchini, and beans. This is my first year to grow anything other than tomatoes and herbs, so I'm trying to keep it reasonable. I'm also going to put the tomatoes in large containers for easy maintenance. We inherited an 8 x 10 concrete slab smack in the middle of the back yard when we bought the house, so the tomato containers are usually placed there.

A few years ago, I found something that has worked well for me, that I'd like to pass along. I use slats from plastic miniblinds, cut into 8-10 inch lengths, and write on them with Sharpie markers, as plant markers. They are waterproof and cheap!

Also, the nursery has chocolate mint, orange mint, and a couple other varieties. I'm trying to decide whether I "need" these. Anybody have any suggestions on how to use them?

[designchick88]

A few years ago, I found something that has worked well for me, that I'd like to pass along. I use slats from plastic miniblinds, cut into 8-10 inch lengths, and write on them with Sharpie markers, as plant markers. They are waterproof and cheap!

Also, the nursery has chocolate mint, orange mint, and a couple other varieties. I'm trying to decide whether I "need" these. Anybody have any suggestions on how to use them?

Great tip! I actually have an old miniblind lying around so I will use that this year.

I planted orange mint last year and used it as a garnish in iced tea and lemonade. The orange flavor isn't pronounced but the aroma is good and it adds a nice note to plain iced tea.

We had great weather here in Albuquerque this weekend, until Sunday afternoon. So I got a lot done - dug out my new expanded garden plot and planned out the fencing we are going to put up to keep our canine darlings out of the tomato seedlings this year. Despite near-70 and sunny weather on Saturday, today highs are in the mid-40s and this morning it was snowing like crazy. I want spring to get here and stay here already :)

[fifi]

Just a warning about mint. If you plant it in a bed, be prepared for it to take over. Some are more agressive than others, depending upon climate and where you plant it. I planted "apple mint" in a bed at my previous house. It was in a shady moist area. It went nuts. The resident 75 pound basset hound gave it a wide berth as we came to the conclusion, after much discussion, that it was capable of overwhelming small, and not so small, mammals. I have been accused of selling the house to get rid of the apple mint. (As a mint, it had pretty mediocre flavor as well.)

[sparrowgrass]

I have been fighting pneumonia for 2 weeks, and I know I am really sick--that garden has been ready to till for about 10 days, but I just don't have the energy. Ordinarily, I would have lettuce, spinach, potatoes already out, but I. just. can't. do. it.

[jgm]

Just a warning about mint. If you plant it in a bed, be prepared for it to take over. Some are more agressive than others, depending upon climate and where you plant it. I planted "apple mint" in a bed at my previous house. It was in a shady moist area. It went nuts. The resident 75 pound basset hound gave it a wide berth as we came to the conclusion, after much discussion, that it was capable of overwhelming small, and not so small, mammals.  I have been accused of selling the house to get rid of the apple mint. (As a mint, it had pretty mediocre flavor as well.)

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There's a legendary event in our family that we do not speak of, because it's still a touchy subject. My sister went through an earth mother phase a few years ago, and planted all kinds of herbs near their house, on their farm. A couple of years later, wheat harvest ground to a screeching halt for hours as her husband and their hired custom cutters abandoned their equipment to pull mint out of the wheat fields.

It wasn't a good day, and there was an uncomfortable silence at dinner. Needless to say, the iced tea did not contain mint.

[eje]

I will be planting peppermint (definitely in a container, don't worry...

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I could be wrong; but, I think Spearmint (Mentha spicata) is more commonly used culinarily. Most folks think the flavor of peppermint is a little much and reserve it for candy and the like.

It's nice to have a good size tub of Mentha spicata, 'Kentucky Colonel' or maybe 'Moroccan Mint' around for Juleps, Mojitos and Middle Eastern Cooking.

oregano, chives, rosemary, and 2 varieties of thyme.

Are these perennial where you live? I find, with enough sun, rosemary outgrows its containers pretty quickly. And you can't plant too much thyme. It never grows fast enough for my culinary use.

The only herb I have that I find grows too quickly, is marjoram. I just can't think of enough things to put it in and end up hacking it back and trying to give it away.

basil (1 plant)

1 basil plant! That's not even enough for pasta primavera for 4, let alone pesto. Plus, you run the risk of losing it overnight to some caterpillar on steroids! Believe me, I've been there.

Erik

Edited March 15, 2005 by eje (log)

[jgm]

Okay, I'll plant some spearmint, too! I have uses for both.

The chives are perennial here (zone 6) but I don't know about the rest, except for basil. It is not. I plan on trying to extend the life of all of these herbs by bringing them in and putting them under grow lights.

The one basil plant is a warm-up. I have 2 more packets of seeds (different varieties) that will be planted in large containers.

That's probably a good suggestion about the thyme. I'll check into some seeds, since I have two plants already.

Also, can anyone suggest a good heirloom tomato? I'm going to grow a few hybrids... the nursery carries only hybrids because of their disease resistance. They'll have one they haven't carried before, "Mountain Spring", so I'm looking forward to trying that. But I'd like to try 1 or 2 heirloom varieties, too. Any suggestions?

[snowangel]

Oh, I'm getting the burn to dig in the ground. Would be better if it were more than 20 (F) here!

I'm responding to many posts:

I've had great luck with Brandywine tomotoes.

I also had oregano that threatened to take over the garden.

I planted lemon thyme under the swing set in in the yard of our former house. It was wonderful. It spread, but did not have that "overtaking" quality of mint. It was perennial. And, as the kids feet swept the thyme when they swang, the scent was wonderful. It was much sturdier under swings than was grass.

Depending on the weather here, one basil plant can be plenty. During the last really hot wet summer we had, a neighbor asked what my new shrubs were. They were basil plants.

Oh, to garden and move beyong the dream and plan and look at books and drool over the seed racks that are appearing in the stores!

[troyml]

Oh, I'm getting the burn to dig in the ground.  Would be better if it were more than 20 (F) here!

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I hear ya. I upgraded my membership because I had to chime in with my Spring Fever blues too. I'm planning on planting my first REAL vegetable garden this year. I really don't have much space and in the past I've only done a few tomato and pepper plants, so I have little experience too. So as a fellow MN gardener I'll take any tips and hints you can spare.

I'm probably biting off more than I can chew, but I'm planting salad greens, carrots, radishes, onions, a slicing tomato, a cherry tomato, a paste tomato, sweet peppers, beans, edible pod peas, and a couple of herbs. Whenever it actually gets warm enough to work the soil

[maggiethecat]

Welcome to eGullet, troyml. In my experience, growing carrots is a magic Beatrix Potter experience, but they take up a whole lotta space. Go to a farmer's market for carrots.

(Reporting from Cihcago, where snow is drifting over my garden.)