Thyme for a herb garden
mint and lemon balm in pots as they will completely take over any patch if allowed to roam free! Harvesting herbs by snipping off leaves regularly will encourage further growth. The likes of rosemary and bay will need clipping to keep them miniature. And remember to save seed for next year when they flower.
You can start off a little herb garden by purchasing some pot-grown varieties or get sowing seeds now. Last week,Igot started with some parsley, basil, chives andcoriander seeds.Just one week later, I can already see signs of germination, except for the parsley which usually takes three to four weeks to germinate.
This is a simple project andall you’ll need are seeds,compost and some pots – recycled yoghurt or coffee cups are perfect.
Thinly sow into moist compost, lightly cover witha sieving of compost andcover with clingfilm to prevent them from drying out.
Place in a sunny spot such as a kitchenwindowsill to aid germination and whenthey have “hatched”, you can remove the cover.
Alternatively, you can buy pots of basil from the supermarket–thesearefull of seedlingswhich you can divide and pot up to grow on.
You can also grow supermarket bought lemongrass – treat the stalks as cuttings and pop them into aglass of water. When they grow roots, they can be potted up andgrown on.
Last week,Iinterviewed a long-timefriend, Jekka McVicar –the undisputed Queen of Herbs who has been awarded the Victoria MedalofHonour for her work in the field
It was great to hear her story,how she got started in the business andhow herbs havealways been a part of herlife.
Growing up, her mum was agreat cook andgrew all sorts of vegetables and herbs, so as a youngster Jekkacould taste the difference between applemint and spearmint. Newly married she started to grow herbs inthe back garden and eventually moved to a farm.
Her displays at Chelsea have won many awards,but it’s Jekka’s undimmed enthusiasm which is so inspiring.
After 30 years she is still learning, and was bubbling with delight asshe showed me herlatest pet herb, Mertensia maritima, whose leavestaste of oyster.
You can dip into her encyclopaedic knowledge at her website jekkas.com or, when restrictions allow,arrange a visit to her farm, which is just north ofBristol in south Gloucestershire.
Jekkaisvery excited about hosting the first-ever Jekka’s HerbFest – a three-day event running from July 2-4, which will be filled with expert talks, gardening workshops and cookery demonstrations from Jekka and herteam.
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It’s Jekka’s undimmed enthusiasm which is so very inspiring