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 Spring
is still a few months away here, so instead of a
report from outdoors this time, I thought I'd
write a little about growing a simple herb garden
for culinary and magical purposes.
Most herbs
are easy to grow. Once established, they do not
need feeding and can get along without much water
either. Although most can be grown from seed, it is
easier and more reliable to buy small plants from a
local nursery, or to passed along from a
friend.
Most herbs
are perennial, meaning they live and grow year
after year. A few, however, cannot survive a
New Mexico winter and are grown as annuals. Despite
their durability, all herbs need reasonable garden
care the first year so that they can become
established. Perennial herbs often seem
uninterested in doing much their first year, but in
the second or third year they can become
surprisingly robust and vigorous.
Select a
site that gets sun most of the day, and is never
soggy. A little basic garden soil preparation
(spading, adding some organic matter) helps. Plant
the herbs after danger of frost has passed in the
spring. (That's late May here.) The perennials
can take a little cold weather, but there's no need
to be stressing them before they get used to their
new home.
Here are
some of the most commonly grown herbs that are
delightful in the kitchen as well as for their
magical use. Each becomes like an old friend after
a few years in the garden.
Basil
is a very tender annual; do not plant until
danger freezing is well passed. Start with the
basic Italian basil, as this has the right flavor
for use in most recipes. If you have room, you can
branch out into more exotic varieties. Basil is
associated with love, engagement and
betrothal.
Feverfew
is an annual or biennial that reseeds itself
copious. Use as a tea to treat migraines. Also a
protection herb.
Lavender
is a fragrant, flowering herb with healing
properties. Read about it here.
Mint
(spearmint, peppermint, and lots of other
flavors as well) is an attractive perennial with
dark green leaves that can become invasive. It's an
exception to the rule that herbs don't like wet
soil. It will do quite well in a moist shady corner
of your garden. Mint is good for healing, travel,
and wealth.
Parsley
tends to be biennial, overwintering but then
going to seed and dying the following year.
Protection, purification, feasting, and
festivity.
Rosemary
is a perennial, but is rather tender and can
die overwinter unless planted next to a warm,
south-facing wall or well mulched. The plants have
a very neat appearance, like small pine trees.
Clears the mind for thought and for sleep. Also
associated with devotion, good luck, and
remembrance.
Sage
is a delightfully attractive perennial, with
broad, textured, grey-green leaves. The purple and
tricolor varieties are fun to try and have the same
flavor. The sage usually grown for smudge sticks is
a different kind than kitchen sage, but they are
similar and can be interchanged. Sage is associated
with longevity, virtue, skill, and
wisdom.
Thyme
is a perennial with tiny leaves on tough, woody
stems. You can get the leaves off by running your
fingers down the sprig from top to bottom. Health,
purification, activity, bravery, and
courage.
Use your
herbs fresh from the plant during the summer
months. To continue to enjoy them through the
winter, harvest them in quantity shortly before the
first frost in autumn, and hang them upside down to
dry inside or in a protected location
outside.
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