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I was recently asked at a Garden Walk “When I am told to pinch back an herb, exactly what does this mean? How many inches of stem should I take as I pinch? Do I pinch off all the tips, or just one or two?”

When you pinch back herbs, you are orchestrating two fundamental forces of plant life: the need to reproduce and the need to stay alive long enough to reproduce.

Herbs, like other plants, want nothing more than to reproduce. Most herbs want to make flowers and seeds, so they channel their energy toward stems that will grow fast and bloom quickly. With annual herbs such as basil and marjoram, bud production begins within weeks after plants are set out in the garden. Perennial herbs prepare to bloom in spring soon after days become long and warm.

Whether annual or perennial, herbs’ fast-growing tips send chemical signals down the stem telling secondary buds not to grow. In nature, sprinting to maturity is smart. What we see is a lean, upright plant with few lateral branches. It is totally intent on blooming.

This is not exactly what we had planned for the garden. ...

Tags: basil, harvesting herbs, pinching, scented geraniums, the backyard patch, thyme

June 16^th was National Vinegar Day.

Try this example:

• 1/3 c. lemon...

Tags: basil, chives, cucumbers, dressing, herbal vinegar, lemon, preserving herbs, thyme

Cultivation of  Purple Ruffled Basil

Site:  This Basil, just like sweet basil needs a sunny location which receives at least 6-8 hours of bright light per day and moist but well drained soil conditions. Protect from heavy wind, frost and scorching. It does not do well with blaring midday sun.

Propagation: Sow seeds thinly in a warm location in pots or directly in the soil after danger of frost has passed. Sow evenly, covering with 1/4" of soil and keep moist and free of weeds. Germination will occur within 5 - 8 days. Once seedlings have developed, they can be thinned or transplanted to stand 6" - 12" apart. Seeds can also be sown indoors 6 - 8 weeks before planting outside. Avoid over watering seedlings.

Growing: Depending on the amount of regular rainfall, water deeply once every 7 - 10 days to insure the roots are receiving adequate moisture. Always watering at midday not in the evening. In hot weather, syringe leaves. As a smaller basil, this grows well potted in containers. Plants grown in containers will dry out faster than those in garden beds and therefore will have to be watered more frequently. Choose container with holes in the...

Tags: basil, cultivating, gardening, herbs, purple basil

Every year I scour the catalogs and websites of my favorite nurseries looking for something new to experiment with for a season.  Sometimes it is an herb that dopes not grow well in Illinois and I need to prove that to myself.  Other times it is one I have heard about but never grown.  Sometimes it is a cultivar of a plant I love so I want to see what someone else has crafted into a new plant.  When the Herb Companion magazine came up with a list of five plants to try in 2010, it got me thinking of my own list of plants to recommend.  So here are 5 plants to try out in your garden this year.  In the next 5 days I will give information of growing cultivating, harvesting, and using these same five plants.

1. Mexican oregano  (Lippia graveolens) -  While not actually a member of the oregano family it still possesses the requisite essential oils that provide oregano's heady, easily recognizable fragrance and piquant flavor. Mexican oregano has a sweetness and intensity that many gourmets prefer to the flavor of the true European or Mediterranean...

Tags: basil, calendula, ezapote, gardening, herbs, marigold, oregano, sage

Some plants do better than others in containers.  Most annual herbs will do well in a container and grow larger in the ground.  Some perennial herbs can also do well in a container and you can bring them in to winter over.  Here are some facts and figures to use to create containers in your home with annual herbs.

Basil, Sweet (Ocimum basilicum ) - a taller grower, can get as big as 18 to 24 inches even in a container.  I suggest using Basil Genovese, Dwarf Sweet Basil, Lemon Basil, Cinnamon Basil, or Purple or Purple ruffled Basil instead of traditional sweet.  The others will grow shorter and not spread as widely and have smller leaves so they don't require as much water.

Dill (Anethum graveolens) - another tall grower it can get up to 36 inches in the ground it usually only gets as tall as 18 to 20 inches in a pot.  Place in the center of a round pot or the back side of a square and  enjoy the light fluffy foliage.

Pot Marigold (Calendula) - this is an edible flower, growing only 6 to 10 inches tall and coming in...

Tags: annual herbs, basil, container gardening, dill, marigold, parsley, savory