Well to answer the first question on drying your herbs, two things to keep in mind. 1: harvest your herbs just after the morning dew has dried from the herbs and before the heat of the day. . . I use 11:00 am as a rule. 2: when drying them: either bundle them a few pieces together and hang in a dim cool area with air circulation. .. even if it is a fan placed on low. If you are using a dehydrator, this takes a little practice and needs your attention until the process is done. Too long in the dehydrator will rob your herbs of everything your harvesting them for, not long enough will result in a mold situation. So, a little practice and you will get that down to a science
For the cats, they can be a big pest for sure and fencing is about the only way to discourage them. We have feral cats and barn cats around, the fence is the only thing that has worked. For the herbs in my small garden that we don't place a fence around, I made small cages to go over the herbs. . . they look like small bird cages sitting in the garden. . it allows the sunlight and rain in and keeps the mischievous kitties out.
Arctic Flower
True Blue Farmgirl
85 Posts
Marjorie
Nenana
Alaska
USA
85 Posts
Posted - Apr 02 2011 : 2:14:15 PM
There is nothing like weeding in an herb garden. The smells offer aromatherapy at its finest. It great to know there is so much herb gardening going on.
Hi Girls, I simple can not make it without catmint!! Zen and I both love it and its a main stay for my tea and his treat "that means I still luvvvvvv" him. With him and the barn cats and a few strays I can't plant it out in the ground ... I wouldn't have anything left of the plants. This is what I did last year and will do it on a bigger scale this year. I planted my catnip in a hanging basket and hung it up high on the porch. When it was time to pick the leaves it was easy to take the hanging basket down harvest the leaves and then hang it back up!! I actually think I have out smarted the cats!! The porch protected the catmint from the wind and too much sun so all-in all, this methodhas worked the best for me : )
This year I am doing a lemon herb garden, any and all lemon fragrance herbs, hope I thought of all of them. I too grow catnip for both my cats and myself for tea. I find old bird cages to cover my catnip, what grows through the bars is fair game for the cats, otherwise the lay on the plant and totaly destroy it, but I find my catnip growing wild. If you have wet paper towels to wrap the roots in, they transplant to home just fine. I find that the wilders have a stronger scent then those that I had purchused in the past.
I want to grow lovage again. I grew it at my old place and have not found where it will be happy on the farm yet. I've planted twice and lost it both times. I also want to try and keep rosemary in the ground over winter. I've heard the variety "Arp" is more cold hardy. Haven't tried to find it yet. I'm thinking if I mulch well with a light weight mulch after the first frost I may keep the roots alive over winter. (Straw or pine needles) Rosemary really does not like mulch but I can't figure out what else to try. Maybe wrap the plant in burlap? Connie
"I have three chairs in my house: one for solitude, two for friendship, three for company." Author: Henry David Thoreau
Connie, Although the Rosemary does not like mulch, it maybe that you need to mulch at the base of the plant and maybe place a pot over the rosemary plant then pile the mulch up around the pot. Since the pot has a hole in it, there would be air circulation enough for the plant and it would be protected from the harsh winds and snow. Worth a try.
Hi Fannie, I am so excited for you! Keep us posted and remember to take pictures of your process. . in a year or two if you need to do this again, it will help if you have some records of how you did this planting. A friend of mine got me into doing a journal of my herb gardens. . . it is a useful reference book with all your notes and pictures, not to mention fun to look at on a dreary winters day!
I love herbs. This year Cilantro is new to my garden. I have chives, sweet basil, sage, oregano, parsley, celantro, lavender (SEEDS SMELL HEAVENlY) and I still need to put in rosemary. it never makes it through the winter. Sage does well and so does the oregano. Both come back year after year.
I had a lot of spearmint and now it is in the field out back.Guess I must have transferred some. Boy that smells wonderful when we hit it with the garden tractor!
Chamomile is my challenge. I tried direct sowing outdoors and failed. This year I tried starting seeds inside and they are still barely big enough to hold their own when I water them. Maybe some warm weather will bring them around! -Paula
'Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery, and Today is a Gift' - Eleanor Roosevelt
This year my challenge is to put in a formal herb garden. Some of the herbs I recently purchased and others I am moving from other places around my yard. It has been slow going with all the rocks and stones I have to dig up. So far everything I've planted is doing well. I have planted: parsley, feverfew, anise, yarrow, oregano, sage, pot marigold, tarragon and hoarhound. I still have: southernwood, basil, thyme, bee balm, cilantro, chives, lavender, camomile, stevia, nasturtium and marjoram to plant.
2011 Herb Challenge
Posted - Mar 27 2011 : 3:03:06 PM
Well to answer the first question on drying your herbs, two things to keep in mind. 1: harvest your herbs just after the morning dew has dried from the herbs and before the heat of the day. . . I use 11:00 am as a rule. 2: when drying them: either bundle them a few pieces together and hang in a dim cool area with air circulation. .. even if it is a fan placed on low. If you are using a dehydrator, this takes a little practice and needs your attention until the process is done. Too long in the dehydrator will rob your herbs of everything your harvesting them for, not long enough will result in a mold situation.
