Herb Garden Care
• Spring is the time to give herbs gardens a good cleanup. Prune broken branches, clip off old seed heads, and stem remnants from perennials.
• Keep an eye out for pests and diseases. The best plan is to notice problems before they cause significant damage (of course!). Ongoing observation is a good tool as the weather warms, aphids, scale, and spider mites get active—control slugs and snails early for best population control.
• Amend soil. Loosen the soil around perennials and planting areas where new herbs will be grown. Add organic compost and mix in for nice fluffy, nourished soil.
• Plant hardy perennial herbs like sage, oregano, and thyme when the ground is not frozen or too muddy.
• Shear lavender and other woody herbs when tiny leaf buds appear in the lower woody part of the plants. Based on the size and shape, they…

“Take thee a box of the wood of rosemary and smell to it, and it shall preserve thy youth.” Richard Banckes unillustrated Herball (1525)

I woke to a very chilly morning. Like most gardeners, I debate if I am ready for winter or want that basil plant in the garden to hang on just a little longer. Frost or not, there is a plant in my garden that never fails to capture my attention. It usually has hummingbirds dancing over it on a sunny morning and gives a nice dose of aromatherapy when I brush against it. Hello, rosemary!   

What prompted me to write today is I am having some electrical work done outside the home. A worker needed to dig in an area where there was a big, woody, rosemary plant. I have always known it would need to be cut out of the way of utilities…

Pick, pick, pick…are you harvesting your herbs?  As summer gives us it’s late summer heat, it seems like every day there is an herb to pick and preserve. Make a stack of these easy DIY drying screens for your bountiful harvest. These are perfect for drying delicate flower heads like Chamomile and Calendula or leafy herbs that are hard to bundle and hang like basil.

I have a stash of these I made years ago and use them in all seasons of harvest.

The name savory is a good descriptor of the flavor of this herb. It has a bit of hot spicy flavor on the tongue. Savory tastes like a combination of oregano and thyme. The essential oils of savory and thyme are very similar in their chemical make-up so their similar flavor that can be used interchangeably in recipes. Both winter and summer savory taste alike, but winter savory will be stronger and can be used in cooking and simmering without losing its flavor.

There are two types of savory-Summer savory (Satureja hortensis) and winter savory (Satureja montana). For culinary use, the summer savory is preferred. It has a lighter, less heavy flavor than winter savory.

Use the leaves of Savory in an herbal vinegar for an flavorful light dressing on salads or to marinate meat.

Mediterranean Garden Oil
A mix of pungent herbs native to the Mediterranean…

As summer heats up, so does herb garden abundance. Harvest fresh herbs and make some herb-flavored hydration!

Herb Infused Water
Why buy flavored waters when you can make your own? Cool, herb-infused waters are a healthy alternative to sugary or caffeine-laden drinks. Use fresh summer herbs from the garden with fresh fruits and vegetables. Fresh-made herbal waters are a great way to stay hydrated through the day with some micro benefits from the fresh herbs.

Cucumber Lime Mint
1 cucumber, peeled and cut into thick, chunky pieces
8 to 10 whole fresh mint leaves
Juice of 1 small lime

Add sliced cucumber to a half gallon-sized glass jar. In a separate small glass bowl, pour in about ½ cup of water. Add the mint leaves and muddle them into the water. Pour muddled mint water over the cucumbers. Add lime juice, and more mint leaves. Fill the jar with water…

Recently on one of my evening walks around the neighborhood, I came upon a  patch of Calendula. The bright orange flowers boldly showing off  that they had snuck under the fence and into the crack in the sidewalk.  These sweet little escapees seem ordinary and simple to some, but immersed in those flowers are amazing healing powers.

Calendula Healing Tea: Make an infusion from the flower petals of Calendula to use it’s calming healing qualities to soothe a sore throat or mouth sores.  Add extra healing by adding raw honey to sweeten.   To make- add petals (dried or fresh, gently pull the petals form the base of the flower) of 2 to 3 flowers or about a overflowing tablespoon to one cup of very hot water. Allow to steep in the water for about 15 minutes.

Healing  Oil: Calming and softening to sunburn or dry skin. I use it to…

It’s spring! Pick a small bundle of newly emerged perennial herbs and try this easy, refreshing recipe for a clean, healthy shine to freshly washed hair.

2 cups of boiling water
Plus
A large handful of fresh-cut herbs
Try:
Rosemary- good for brunettes, adds shine and enhances hair color
Mint- tingly to the scalp and refreshing and cleansing
Sage- enhances color of dark hair and adds shine and softness

Place herbs in a glass jar. Pour hot water over the herbs until they are completely submersed in the water. Cover and allow to steep for at least 15 minutes. After steeping and the water smells strongly of herbs, filter the water through cheesecloth or a strainer to remove all the plant material. Toss the herbs in a compost bin and use the fresh herb water to rinse just-washed hair. No need to rinse the herb water out.

Seasoning from the Garden

Herbal Workshop with Sue Goetz
Saturday May 4th, 2019 10 am
at the WW Seymour Botanical Conservatory
316 S G St, Tacoma, WA 98405
Grow Flavor! Create herb seasoning salt mixes using herbs from your garden. Shake them on a fresh leafy salad or flavor up a marinade for grilling meats. Stir them into olive oil to add zing to fresh tossed pasta. Add herbs from the garden and flavor your culinary dishes in a whole new way. Sea salt, Himalayan pink salt, French grey…which one to choose? We will talk about different salts and why to choose them, what herbs to use and how to harvest herbs in your garden for the freshest flavor.

Plus…Make your own seasoning blend!
Create a dry seasoning mix from a selection of herbs. We’ll talk about what herbs combine well together plus added ingredients like garlic and lemon to…