Growing Your Own Vegetables: An Encyclopedia of Country Living Guide (19 page)

Fennel

A striking, perennial herb that grows 3 to 5 feet tall, fennel (
Foeniculum vulgare
) is grown for its fine dill-like foliage, deep yellow pollen, and aromatic seeds, all of which have an earthy licorice-like flavor. (It should not be confused with Florence fennel, discussed in the Stems section.) Plant in full sun where it will not crowd other crops and can remain undisturbed for years

USES:
The foliage is best harvested when it is young and tender for use in salads, sauces, and fish preparations. Pollen is collected from the fresh umbel blossoms for use in any dish that requires a delicate touch; the ripe green seeds have a stronger flavor and may be used fresh or dried.

Lavender

This small, woody subshrub is a perennial favorite in herb gardens for its sweetly aromatic foliage and beautiful purple-blue flowers that bloom throughout the summer. Lavender (
Lavandula
sp.) thrives best in hot sun and a light, dry soil; winter losses are more likely attributable to wet weather than to cold temperatures. Depending on the variety, plants grow 1 to 3 feet tall and as wide. Shear the plants when harvesting the flower stems to promote well-branched growth.

USES:
The blossoms are used fresh or dried in jelly, in fragrant potpourri, and as a moth repellant; they are a component of the traditional French herb mix
herbes de Provence
, along with rosemary, marjoram, basil, bay, and thyme.

Lemon verbena

This attractive woody shrub bears sprays of tiny pink flowers and long, pointed light green leaves that smell and taste strongly of fresh lemon. Provide full sun and a fertile soil; lemon verbena (
Aloysia triphylla
) is drought tolerant once established but not likely to be winter-hardy in climates that get hard freezes.

USES:
The leaves have the strongest flavor in late summer but can be picked at any time for use in fruit salads, iced and hot teas, and desserts or dried for storage over the winter.

Lovage

Similar in culture, size, and habit to angelica, lovage (
Levisticum officinale
) can be grown similarly, starting from seed in late fall or early spring.

USES:
The leaves and seeds may be used wherever a strong celery flavor is desired. Lovage provides a dramatic focal point in the garden and offers good support to bees and other beneficial insects.

Marigold, pot

A hardy annual flower, pot marigold’s (
Calendula officinalis
) Latin name refers to its propensity to bloom in almost every month of the calendar year. Bright, multipetaled blossoms in the warm colors of the sun are produced on plain green plants that grow to about 18 inches.

USES:
The colorful petals may be included in mixed herb salads or brewed to create a strong tea. An ointment or balm infused with calendula is very soothing and used to treat inflammation and wounds.

Marjoram, sweet and Greek oregano

Native to the Mediterranean, both sweet marjoram (
Origanum majorana
) and Greek oregano (
Origanum heracleoticum
or
Origanum vulgare
ssp
. hirtum
) prefer a well-drained soil in full sun. (Other plants labeled
Origanum
are either ornamental varieties or weak in flavor; Italian oregano is a cross between sweet marjoram and Greek oregano, with the flavor of the former and the tougher constitution of the latter.) Neither species is either completely hardy or very long lived, so it is best to replace plants with fresh starts every couple of years, if not every year, depending on your climate. Plants are 1 to 2 feet high and clothed with tiny, aromatic gray-green leaves with small lavender or white flowers in summer.

USES:
Harvest leaves for use in classic Italian preparations and savory soups and stews as well as vegetable, egg, and cheese dishes. Marjoram is unusual in that its flavor is actually improved by drying.

Mint

These very hardy perennials can be overly aggressive in the garden due to their spreading roots and colonizing ways. All mints (
Mentha
sp.) need steady watering throughout the season and will tolerate partial shade. Purchase plants or get a start from a mint-growing neighbor—they’ll have plenty to share! The following is a list of various mints, each with their own character: apple mint, ginger mint (green and gold foliage), peppermint, orange mint, pineapple mint (green and white foliage), and the most common culinary mint, spearmint.

USES:
Cut the leaves and tender stems at any point during the plant’s growth for use in salads, sauces, teas, and sweets.

Parsley, curly and Italian

This popular deep green, biennial herb does well just about anywhere. Seeds can be notoriously slow to germinate, so most gardeners start with nursery plants. Transplant carefully so as not to damage the long, sensitive taproot. Curly parsley (
Petroselinum crispum
) grows 8 to 10 inches tall and keeps fresh longer once cut; Italian (
Petroselinum crispum
var.
neapolitanum
), or flat-leaf parsley, is taller, stronger in flavor, and hardier over the winter, standing through all but the most severe freezes. Parsley will flower in its second year, turn bitter, and go to seed; discard plants and start over.

USES:
Once relegated to use strictly as a garnish, today parsley is appreciated for its fresh, grassy “green” flavor and high nutrient value. It is used liberally in salads, vegetable dishes, tonic juices, and many other preparations.

Rosemary

This decorative, somewhat tender woody shrub has leaves like soft green needles. In moderate climates, upright forms may be planted as informal hedges; trailing forms will spill down rockeries, over a wall, or from a hanging basket. Delicate blue flowers bloom on branch tips in early spring, with some repeat bloom in the fall. Plant nursery starts in light, well-drained soil in full sun. Rosemary (
Rosmarinus officinalis
) is tolerant of heat but does not do well under humid conditions.

USES:
Harvest the needles at any time throughout the year to use fresh. Rosemary has a strong, distinctive flavor and should be added to preparations in small amounts, tasting after each addition, to avoid overpowering the finished dish. Stems may be dried for storage, and the wood is sweetly fragrant when added to an open fire or barbecue.

Sage

A savory, semihardy woody perennial that grows to 2 feet high and as wide, sage (
Salvia officinalis
) is evergreen in frost-free climates. Spikes of lavender-blue flowers appear in summer. Variegated, purple, and golden-leaved varieties lend an ornamental quality to the garden.

USES:
The broad, oval leaves have a camphorous flavor that enhances poultry, cheese, and egg dishes. Leaves may be used fresh or harvested and dried.

Sage, pineapple

This tender perennial has a character very different from that of its broad-leaved cousin. Transplant nursery starts into the garden after the last frost and provide a well-drained soil in full sun. Plants can grow 4 to 6 feet in a single season. Pineapple sage (
Salvia elegans
) is often the last herb of the season to bloom, producing its bright red-orange blossoms in early fall. It’s a favorite of hummingbirds, so many gardeners plant pineapple sage just to attract these antic birds to their garden. Both the flowers and the tender, somewhat fuzzy leaves are edible, with a sweet flavor likened to pineapple. A close relative, fruit sage (
Salvia dorisiana
) has distinctive large lime-green leaves and pinky red flowers; it may be used in the same way.

USES:
The leaves and flowers of both these sages are good in fruit salads, juice, and herb jellies.

Savory, summer

An 18-inch-tall annual, summer savory (
Satureja hortensis
) is easily grown from seed. Prepare a light soil in full sun and succession sow throughout the spring for a constant harvest of tender leaves.

USES:
See the entry for Savory, winter.

Savory, winter

This hardy perennial survives down to 10°F if mulched in a sheltered position. Smaller in stature than summer savory, winter savory (
Satureja montana
) displays lavender flowers throughout the summer.

Both plants attract bees, prefer full sun, do well in poor, stony soil, and prefer to dry out between waterings. The flavor is strongest when the plants are in flower. Summer savory leaves can be harvested in midsummer or can be pulled out by the roots in the fall for drying. Harvest the tips of winter savory 2 or 3 times a summer to use fresh or dry.

USES:
The leaves of both types of savory have a peppery quality that goes well in salads, soups, and sauces. Dried leaves are good in poultry stuffing and with meats, fish, cheese, eggs, and green beans.

Tarragon, French

This somewhat tender, short-lived perennial must be mulched well where winters are severe. Slender stems 2 to 3 feet long are clothed with narrow leaves with a delicate anise flavor. True French tarragon (
Artemisia dracunculus
) does not flower or set seed in temperate climates, so plants must be purchased as nursery starts. (Russian tarragon, a much taller and coarser plant that readily flowers and sets seed, is inferior in flavor and not recommended.) Provide a well-drained, fertile sandy soil in full sun to partial shade.

USES:
Widely used in French cuisine, tarragon is a good match with eggs, cheese, seafood, and many sauces.

Thyme, common and lemon

This popular, semi-hardy, low-growing Mediterranean perennial comes in a host of varieties. These two are the ones best suited for kitchen use. Common thyme (
Thymus vulgaris
) grows 6 to 12 inches tall with gray leaves and lavender blooms. It is evergreen in areas with mild winters and makes a good edging plant in herb gardens. Lemon thyme (
Thymus citriodorus
) grows 4 to 12 inches high with green or green-and-yellow leaves and lavender blooms and has a subtle lemon flavor that dissipates quickly when heated. Lemon thyme is not quite as hardy as common thyme. Purchase nursery starts and plant in full sun to partial shade. Poor soil and infrequent watering actually improve thyme’s flavor.

USES:
Snip the tips of the leafy branches often, both for use in the kitchen and to keep the plants well branched and bushy. Thyme dries easily and suffers no loss of taste in the process. Both common and lemon thyme have innumerable kitchen applications, matching up well with a wide variety of foods; the only caveat is to add a pinch at a time and taste as you go, because thyme is a strong flavor capable of overpowering a finished dish.