Herbs Learning Center Outline – Chalet

INTRO: Definition of an HERB - A plant or plant part valued for its medicinal, savory
or aromatic quality.

Rules of thumb for telling herbs and spices apart:

Leaves, both fresh and dried are normally called herbs; while seeds, roots,
flowers, fruits and bark are spices.
Herbs are more frequently grown in temperate areas, while spices come from
the tropics.
Herbs are green and often have more subtle tastes; spices tend to be shades
of brown, black or red with dramatic pungent flavor. (i.e.: coriander/cilantro)

I. Landscaping with herbs

A. Work into overall design as decorative elements or feature in special
theme gardens. (see attached list of flowering herbs)
B. Theme Gardens: Knot, Medicinal, Dye, Fragrance or Kitchen

II. Growing herbs

A. Site - Sunny, well-drained is preferred
B. Soil - Humusy loam is best (probably only exits in Heaven)
or average garden soil with composted well-rotted manure, shredded leaves
or other organic matter (which holds water in sandy soils and speeds drainage
in clay soils, and lowers pH). This will release nutrients slowly so herbs will
be fed without being glutted with fast-acting fertilizer.
C. If neither of the above:

Plant in raised beds or containers for better drainage or plant
angelica, beebalm, lovage and mints that grow in damp soil.
For shaded sites plant pennyroyal, lemon balm, chervil or sweet
woodruff. (see attached list for additional shade tolerant herbs)
If "too good" (dry soil and glaring sunlight), use Mediterranean herbs,
thymes, sages, santolinas, artemisias, lavender, rosemary and hyssop.

D. Mulch - using an organic mulch retards evaporation, reducing the need for
irrigation.

Use 2-3" of straw or other organic matter.
Wait until the soil warms up before applying.

III. Harvesting herbs (see culinary harvests at a glance)

A. It is best to harvest the majority of herbs just before they come into flower, when the
leaves are highly aromatic and the plant is producing the
maximum amount of essential oils.
B. The best time of day is during the morning on a dry day
C. Gather each herb separately to prevent cross flavors
D. Cut complete stems rather individual leaves, to help keep the herbs
fresh until you are able to preserve them.
E. Start harvesting when you put the plant in the ground - nip a little off the top
right away and keep harvesting like that all through the growing season to get
tender rich-flavored leaves and avoid woody stems without leaves.

IV. Preserving herbs

A. The simplest method of drying is to make a bunch of each kind of herb and hang it upside down in a warm, airy and sunless room.
B. When herb is paper dry, store in an airtight container out of direct light.
C. Leave the leaves attached to the stem and crush just before use to prevent
any loss of flavor.
D. The best flavored herb seeds are harvested after allowing them to ripen on the
plant for as long as possible, without dropping on the ground.

V. Propagating herbs
A. All annual herbs (like basil and rocket) and some biennial herbs (like angelica) are best raised from seed in the spring.
B. Some herbs can not be raised by seed (like French Tarragon), so cuttings are taken from midsummer onwards. Select 3-4 inch long tip cuttings, trim away leaves from the lower half of the stem, dip in rooting hormone powder and place in potting medium
with a plastic cover
C. The mint family ( marjoram, oregano and thyme) can also be increased by root division.

VI. Varieties of Herbs

Basils: culinary, ornamental
Lemon - citrus
Spicy Globe - spicier with smaller leaves, globe form
Sweet Lettuce Leaf - good in salads, milder
Purple Ruffles - striking ornamental, excellent in vinegar
Cinnamon - cinnamon flavor and fragrance
Thai - very sweet fragrance, Thai cooking
Anise - sweet anise fragrance and flavor
Red Italian - ornamental and spicy
Mints: culinary
Peppermint - strongest
Spearmint - also called curly mint, milder
Applemint - fruity taste
Corsican mint - ground cover, creme de menthe, blue mint
Penny royal - insect and flea repellent
Pineapple - fruity taste
Black Stem - ornamental cascading
Marjoram: mild oregano, marital bliss
Lovage: celery taste, easy to grow perennial
Geraniums, scented: ornamental grown for fragrance, includes Citronella
Garlic: culinary, antibiotic - allicin = 1% penicillin
Tricolor garlic - ornamental
Society garlic (Tulbaghia volacea) - ornamental, flowers edible
Curry plant (Helichrysum italicum): fragrance
Coriander: sage with citrus flavor, Chinese parsley, cilantro in salsa, immortality
Chives and Garlic chives: sweet mild onions, dry beautifully
Chamomile: calming, strewing herb, moist conditions, Roman best,’ground apple'
Bergamot (Oswego tea): Monarda, citrus fragrance, ornamental
Catnip: ornamental, aphrodisiac for cats
Lemon Verbena: lemon scent
Thyme: " when in doubt use thyme", courage, home to fairies
Lemon - citrus scent
English - classic culinary herb
Tarragon: French not Russian, vinegar, fish and chicken
Tansy, fern-leafed: ornamental, insect repellent, peppery taste, caution
Sage: longevity, mental capacity, culinary
Golden - variegated gold
Tri-color - purple, green and white ornamental
Pineapple - fruity and ornamental
Clary - showy, flowers and foliage, clearing eyes, mucilaginous seeds
Southerwood (Artemisia): lemon acid scent
Yellow Dock (Rumex crispa): pot herb, oxalic acid, vitamin C, laxative, skin rash
Rosemary: memory, evil spirits, friendship and love, volatile oil
Santolina: knot gardens
Parsley: vitamin therapy - A, >C than orange, B, calcium and iron
Curly - ornamental
Italian Flat-leaf - more flavor for cooking
Oregano: "Joy of the mountain"-Greek
Cuban - spicy
Greek - perennial
English - showy flower
Fennel, Bronze: softer and nuttier anise or licorice flavor, appetite suppressant, very ornamental
Caraway: rye bread, anise and dill with a nutty tang
Comfrey: insect repellent

Drought Resistant Herbs:

Catnip
Germander
Gray or green santolina
Hyssop
Lavender
Oregano
Rosemary
Rue
Sage
Southerwood
Sweet Annie atemisia
Sweet marjoram
Thyme
Winter savory
Wormwood

Shade-tolerant Herbs:

Agrimony perennial
Angelica biennial
Bee balm, bergamot perennial
Boneset perennial
Bronze fennel tender perennial
Chervil hardy annual
Comfrey perennial
Dame’s rocket perennial
Evening primrose annual/biennial
Feverfew perennial
Lady’s mantle perennial
Lemon balm perennial
Lovage perennial
Mints perennial
Mugwort, white perennial
Mullein biennial
Parsley biennial
Pennyroyal tender perennial
Rue perennial
Stinging nettle perennial
Sweet cicely perennial
Sweet woodruff perennial
Tansy perennial
Valerian perennial
Wormwood perennial

Flowering herbs:

Anise hyssop perennial 2-3’ sun purple
Bee balm perennial 3-4’ sun, part shade red, pink, blue
Borage hardy annual 18-36” sun blue
Calendula hardy annual 2’ sun, part shade yellow, orange
Chamomile, German hardy annual 1-2’ sun white w/ yellow cntr
Chives perennial 8-12” sun, part shade pink purple
Clary sage biennial 2-3’ sun white and light purple
Comfrey perennial 2-3’ sun, part shade blue
Dame’s rocket perennial 2-3’ sun, part shade pink,purple,white
Evening primrose annual/biennial 3-4’ sun, part shade yellow
Feverfew perennial 2-3’ sun, part shade white w/ yellow cntr
Garlic chives perennial 2-3’ sun white
Hyssop perennial 16-24” sun, part shade blue violet
Lavender perennial 12-30” sun light purple
Love-in-a-mist hardy annual 1-2’ sun blue,pink,purple,whte
Mullein biennial 2-8’ sun, part shade yellow
Nasturtium tender annual 6”-6’ sun red,orange,yellow
Purple coneflower perennial 2-3’ sun purple
Tansy perennial 3-4’ sun, part shade yellow
Valerian perennial 3-5’ sun, part shade pale pink

Culinary harvests at a glance

Seeds Leaves Edible flowers Roots
Anise Anise hyssop Anise Angelica
Caraway Chervil Basil Caraway
Celery Cilantro Bee balm Fennel
Coriander Dill Borage Ginger
Cumin Fennel Calendula Hamburg parsley
Dill French sorrel Chamomile Horseradish
Fennel Lemon balm Chives Lovage
Fenugreek Lemon verbena Dill
Lovage Lovage Garlic chives
Mustard Mustard Lavender
Nasturtium Nasturtium Mint
Oregano Nasturtium
Rosemary
Sage
Salad burnett
Savory
Sweet marjorum
Tarragon
Thyme