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LIFE’S FLAVORS 4/6- Growing Herbs

LIFE’S FLAVORS 4/6- Growing Herbs
  • PublishedApril 6, 2023


The Oaks Bed & Breakfast

 Early this week and last weeks weather was a little crazy and hopefully the last bit of freezing temps for our Northeast Texas area. I know that I am ready to get my plants in the ground with out cover and plant some new herbs. It should not come as much of a surprise that we have quite a few herb varieties planted at The Oaks bed and breakfast. We actively use our herbs for cooking and of course our Herb Infused Cocktail series.

The great thing about herbs, for the most part they come back every year without the need for reseeding or planting. Some of the herbs we have here are a little smaller than what I want so we are adding to our mix with a couple of additional plants. Those that we do not grow on site, we have out at Penny Lane Farm.

Our fennel, chives, sage, oregano, thyme, mint and rosemary all returned this year and are looking pretty good. I’m not sure if our lavender plants will return, I’m hoping that they will and that they are a perennial variety. Now that the weather has hopefully evened out we should be able to see a resurgence of growth.

In the meantime we have started seeds inside and I think it’s time to put them in the ground and see the flourish. Let’s get started! The new herbs that will be joining my herb family are Calamine, Marjoram, cilantro and basil.

We are introducing calamine this year in hopes of creating some additional flowers for the local bees to use as pollinators but also because calamine has been used as an herbal remedy for ailments ranging from hay fever to menstrual disorders, inflammation, insomnia, muscle spasms, gastrointestinal pain, and rheumatic pain. Not only that the fragrance from the plant, will help deter unwanted insects from entering the garden. My calamine will be plated at the end of my garden beds to help create a “zone” of protection.

Marjoram another new herb to join our garden this year. There are a few varieties to choose from and we like that it is similar to oregano, and should be able to manage itself well once established. Marjoram will add flavor to dishes we serve and provide attraction to beneficial insects. I can’t wait to see how it performs in the herb garden.

We will also succession plant cilantro, since once they flower and seed out, you need new plants to help keep your salsa flavored. When we plant cilantro, we do a mix of pot and bed growth. We wait about two weeks before planting the next group to allow for the first set to germinate and breach the soil crust. Once it does that, it grows pretty quickly and the need for reseeding begins.

My absolute favorite herb to grow is basil. Basil is so versatile and tasty we basically use it, in almost every dish we make during the summer months. We always companion plant basil with our tomato plants. That way the basil can use the defused light from the tomatoes to grow and flourish. Plus, I think it helps our tomatoes have a better taste. Hopefully next week, after the soil rewarms up, we can plant our basil and tomatoes. We do a mix of green basil, purple basil and lemon basil throughout our garden. Each has a different flavor that we use in multiple dishes and drinks. Our citrus basil margarita might be my favorite summer cocktail.

No matter if you are starting small or going big, be sure to try out some herbs in your garden this year. In the ground, raised bed or a pot. You can even plant more than one herb in a pot if you like to meld together flavors. Not only will it provide beautiful colors but also flowers and places for pollinators to land and spread their wings.

Contributed by Allison Libby-Thesing

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpQP8pNzNT5ml9CqehzJEqA

Written By
Taylor Nye

Taylor Nye is the editor of Front Porch News. She has degrees from the University of Wisconsin in human biology, Latin American studies, and public health. She has previously worked at the Wisconsin State Journal, Tucson Weekly and Sulphur Springs News-Telegram. As a sixth generation Hopkins County resident, she loves celebrating our heritage and history.