You mean the Co-op? [HYPERLINK@davesgarden.com]
or do you want the instructions they used in Garden Gate Magazine?
you can download them for free. (i'm cheap)
I think you can make the tipsy pots, without the birdhouse decorations, etc., yourself for MUCH cheaper.
Top ten must have's for your Garden
I love thyme varieties! Let's see, some of the thymes I grow, off the top of my head, cause I am too lazy to find my list...
Rose Petal Thyme
French Thyme
English Thyme
Mother of Thyme
Hall's Woolly Thyme
Lime Thyme
Lemon Thyme
Lemon Myst Thyme
Elizabeth Thyme
Creeping Red Thyme
Lavender Thyme
Juniper Thyme
Caraway Thyme
PA Dutch Tea Thyme
Peter Quint Thyme
Doone Valley Thyme
Silver-Edged Thyme
Orange Balsam Thyme
Magic Carpet Lemon Thyme
Oregano Thyme
Greek Thyme
There are more....must have more coffee...
Nanniepb..you mentioned, earlier:
"glancing over at my snowball and lilac bushes with brown, dried up blooms...a new thought for me popped in my head...can I save seeds from them? =) it was a good thing......"
I don't know about the snowballs, but lilac flowers are sterile, as far as I know. They're usually propagated by dividing rootballs, or rooting suckers or cuttings.
I just planted one in honor of my Dad, (now deceased), on Memorial Day. They're not terribly happy growing in my area, so I hope it thrives; I have fond childhood memories of lilacs, ("Flieder", in german) from overseas. Wonder how many years it'll be before I can pick my first blooms...
Now I've got more research to do, thanks to herbalbetty. :)
. I was introduced to different varieties of Thyme by a DG friend but had no idea there were so many others.
My favorites are ...
French Thyme
English Thyme
Hall's Woolly Thyme
Lemon Myst Thyme (this is exquisite)
Lemon Thyme
Caraway Thyme
Greek Thyme
Unfortunately, I don't have all of these at present but these are the ones I've had experience with.
My, my... y'all certainly have a lot of 'thyme' on your hands! Hahaha, I slay me.
My top 10:
Cinnamon Basil
Clove Basil
Oregano
Rosemary
Betony (for headaches)
Lavender
Chocolate Mint (but I don't have any right now :-( )
Roman chamomile
Fennel
Borage
IO1, enabling is what I do (when it comes to herbs)! And if you want lots of varieties, check out www.thymegarden.com and www.wellsweepherbs.com They have lots of things a person must have.
Kubileya, I impose a pun tax on thee!
Is it just me that replies to a thread, includes a picture, and as it's uploading, it says 'done' but it just sits there. And if you hit refresh or try to go back, you loose your thread? grrrrrrrr
HerbalBetty, how many acres do you have? That must be a pretty sight.
Cera, I don't know. It was here when I moved here 3 yrs ago. I think it's been here for years based on how many there are. What surprised me is that the lilacs are in the shadiest part of the place. It's like an alley between the house and detached garage. The bed is FULL and needed to be thinned out this year, but, sigh. maybe fall.
Here is mine. there was a dead tree in the middle that all the limbs had been broken except a smidgen, so I made a bottle tree out of it.
I know, I know, I digress from herbs ....
Whoo Yoo!!! I found a Lemon Verbena, And it now is the #1 top spot forever on my list..
I had no idea it smelled so strong, I love it.. Oh! and I found a very first use for it.
After an incredible hot and hard day of playing in the garden, 2 leaves placed in a ice cold Corona, Is a perfect ending to a great day!!
nannie, we have 3 acres, but just bought the adjoining 2 acres, so now 5! We have lived here 6.5 years. When we moved in, it was eye-high weeds, we have slowly been reclaiming the space. We have left a good portion of meadow which has Joe Pye, blue vervain and boneset and the butterflies and birds love it. We have planted a small orchard, berries, a few grapes, etc. as well as veggies, flowers and the multitude of herbs.
Sounds Dreamy Betty!!
My top ten are:
1. Parsley--I use tons of both varieties and dry parsley.
2. Basil--Goes in just about everything from salads to pizza sauce.
3. Oregano--Grows everywhere on my property. I use oregano at least twice a week.
4. Chives--a bagel just isn't a bagel without fresh chives.
5. Rosemary--I love using fresh rosemary with fish or lamb
6. Lavender--versatile as a culinary herb, an ornamental herb and a crafting herb
7. Lemon Verbena--a couple of leafs go a long way in tea. I always have a potted plant on hand.
8. Dill--my bunnies love eating dill and I love the smell of dill and its versatility as a preservative and as a flavor enhancer for fish dishes as well as salads.
9. Dandelions--many people consider these plants a burden. I consider their tender greens a necessity in salads and use the roots in teas and the flowers to make a wine.
10. Winter savory--I love the smell of this herb and it's a necessity when making stock.
Honorable mention go to borage which has pretty flowers that go well with drinks and taste like fresh cucumbers; tarragon which is another culinary essential for spicing things up; savory for spicing up game and poultry; hops for the beers I brew and because my bees seem to love it; anise for its licorice flavor that it adds to certain types of beer I make and pastries; mint as my bunnies also love to eat it and it smells great even if it is a rambling mess and; catnip for my cats who love fresh catnip. It keeps them occupied for hours when I bring in fresh sprigs of it.
HerbalBetty, now that I read your answer, it sounds like I was being nosey..how many acres do you have. But yanno, LOL, when I read how many different thymes you had, my mind went.....sheeese....how many acres does she HAVE? like you must have a REALLY REALLY large garden. =) I'm sorry if you thought different. There was envy in that question too.
if I could just stop typing like I think, haha.
GeorgiaGarden...it's on my list. So it's better than a lime, eh? ;)
I kept dreaming about basil last night. chopping it and my family being upset when I tried to put it in everything. =)
Nannie, I didn't think any differently than "she's wondering how many plants a person can cram into "X" amount of space"! Or, how obsessive is this woman? Just figured you were crazy like I am. LOL
HAHA me thinks crazier. surely no one is crazier than I =)
recently saw this sign in a garden shop,"Never Enough Thyme In The Garden" Very cool,Edge
WHOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOO 'Magic Michael' is alive after the catsitter didn't water. This is one tough basil!!! The foliage was all dead and just a little green in the stems above the soil surface. New foliage emerging now (picture me doing a dance of joy^_^)
wooooooohooooooo Diane's seeds is having a buy one, get one free on overstocks.....i found bronze fennel and russian sage...(thats the one I'm excited about), and lime basil.
AND, if that wasn't good enough...wallyworld had another lavender and a slew. or is that a sloo,
( LOL did i make up a word? ) well, a lot , of basils.... Cinnamon, Genovese, lemon.
I didnt see any thymes =). wrong thyme to look, eh? haha corny .... i know.
Wow can you have to many herb books? Got another one that tells even more about herbs , the how to grow, use and meanings. Let me share, oh first credit--"Your Backyard Herb Garden by Miranda Smith"
From medieval to Victorian, herbs and flowers were used to send messages between friends and sometimes even between enemies. Nowadays not many know the language of herbs.
That be me, I enjoy herbs and sometime i'll pick up on some folklore. But mostly grow herbs for there usefulness in many things.
So heres some translation of a few herbs. So when you give a bouquet of herbs you might just send a note along explaining the message.
Herb: Meaning:
Aloe-----Healing,protection
Angelica-----Insiration
Basil, sweet-----Best Wishes,friendship
Bee Balm-----Virtue
Borage-----Courage,bravery
Calendula-----Sadness, hopelessness
Chamomile-----Wisdom, patience, resignation
Chervil-----Sincerity
Chives-----Usefulness
Cilantro-----Hidden worth, hidden feelings
Dill-----Good cheer, fortitude in adversity
Fennel-----Strength, endurance
Geranium, scented-----Happiness
Hyssop-----Cleanliness
Lavender-----Slience, recognition and acceptance of love
Lemon balm-----Sympathy, regeneration
Marjoram, sweet-----Joy, happiness
Mint-----Wisdom
Nasturtium-----Conquest
Parsley-----Celebration, festivity
Rosemary-----Remembrance
Rue-----Repentance, grief
Saffron-----Marriage
Sage-----Wisdom, long life
Santolina-----Virtue
Savory-----Interest
Southernwood-----Constancy
Sweet woodruff-----Humility
Tansy-----Hostility
Tarragon, French-----Lasting involvement
Thyme-----Daring
Valerian-----Conciliation
Violet-----Modesty
Yarrow-----Good health
tc linda, heres a handful of Sweet Basil for ya : )
Linda, don't you love the Language of Flowers? However, I have also read where basil means hatred! Talk about mixed signals. You better know which book your intended recipient reads for meanings before you send a bouquet. Yikes.
Oh my ,herbalbetty, yes you sure do , best send a copy of the book you intead to use meaning from, lol.
But really sending me any of the herbs I would love no matter what their meaning : ). I would take it as a good thing ,lol
Had tornado warnings out last night and had to shut down the hatch, hope any in the path of storms were safe and sound.
Just thought I'd let you know--I went to DeBaggio's Herb Farm last weekend and bought Lime Basil, amkong other things. It sure smells wonderful, and I want to try the cuke thing soon!!
You can sure say that again ^_^
Oh...I bet it was amazing. I sowed seeds for the lime and lemon basil this weekend; it might be too late in this area.
I started looking for his book Saturday and got distracted so I never finished the search ;(
I don't think it's too late at all to direct-sow basil seeds... the soil is nice and warm now, so they'll take off like a shot.
Tom's son said they're looking for a new publisher to do the next printing of the books (sounds like there was a falling out of some sort perhaps), so hopefully they'll be more available again soon. I hope they reprint the Basil book while they're at it -- that one needs to be on my shelf, and I was thinking, oh, I can pick it up any time... :-( All the info in the "little book" is repeated in the "big book" as far as I can tell, but it's still the little book that I grab most often for basic info and to lend to friends who are just starting out growing herbs and other plants.
I get a lot of nice compliments on my writing style and my how-to articles, and I give Tom DeBaggio a lot of credit. His "little book" on Growing Herbs showed me that you can get across all necessary information in a very easy, approachable fashion that leaves a reader thinking, hey, that doesn't sound so tricky, I think I could do that... That's the sort of friendly tone I try to achieve when I write, and I think of it as my "Tom voice," especially when I'm writing about herbs!
It must not be too late because my 'magical michael' seedlings which I thought had died due to lack of water from the catsitter has resprouted ^_^
Hooray! I've got half a dozen Magical Michael seedlings (still, I hope, after the big storm that just went through!), and I'm excited about trying it this year. Anybody know if it's a hybrid or if it'll come true from saved seed?
This is my first year for 'Magical Michael' critter with store bought seed. I'm gonna save seed to see what comes from it next year.
Critterologist...off the top of your head, is there a place that gives detailed info on how to sow herbs directly in the ground?
a few of my attempts have been to no avail. i'm not sure if it's bad seeds or if its something I'm doing. ( haha surely not )
I was watering my new, tender plants tonight and I swear the smell of Dill as the water hit it .... I wanted everyone else to take a deep breath too. it's not always about the blooms, is it?
With herbs, I think it's mostly about the scent!
Off the top of my head, I remember Tom DeBaggio being really big on preparation of "the seedling bed" in his book on growing herbs... digging, amending, raking out clumps & clods, etc. I'll have to check to see what specific recommendations he may have made (I'm on the deck, book is in the house, too nice to move inside right now). I do know good drainage is always vital to herbs, and regular moisture is important to germination & young seedlings.
Do your seeds not germinate, or do the tiny seedlings perish?
Here's what I'd try: Sow seeds in prepared soil, and cover with a scattering of potting mix (nice and light, no clumps to make life hard for emerging seedlings). Moisten, and press down gently to be sure seed makes good contact with moist potting mix & soil. Place a piece of spun poly row cover over the seedling area, maybe "tenting" it up a bit on some sticks pushed down on either side of the row. The row cover will help keep moisture in (water will still go through) and will filter the sunlight, which might be a bit much for new seedlings (you probably planted in full sun, since these are herbs). When the seedlings have a couple sets of true leaves, take the row cover off (do it in increments -- a couple hours of full sun one day, half a day the next, then off on the third day).
How does that sound to anybody else? I know it's a bit more than "sow and walk away," but when you've tried that and it hasn't worked, I think it's time to see what else you can do to help them out.
I usually dont' have problems with direct sowing most of the herbs. Basil is slow as you probably can guess. Especially this spring. My basils are teeny tiny, but the parsley is at least 4" high. It seems the same every year. I SHOULD learn my lesson and begin indoors, but I don't have the equipment or the sunlight.
I never saw seedlings; now its just weeds and grass. because I didnt have my herb area ready for planting seeds, I made raised beds in my veggie garden in between my tomato plants. The cilantro is doing well, but nothing from the rosemary or the catnip. In defense of the soil, we have had 3 extra heavy rains, like last saturday, even my yard and road in front of the house was like a lake.
But, I ordered lime basil, bronze something dill, (what a brain fade and I'm in a hurry to go look) lemon basil, and a couple of lavenders, and I dont want to waste those seeds this time, so I thought I'd check. my new mantis tiller (yes I am bragging...its been a llife long dream to get one, theres a another story about the big tiller, but I wont bore anyone) should be here monday, so I was going to enlarge my herb bed and get these seeds planted. Which will take a few days; Mantis encourages tilling and then waiting a week, then re-tilling before planting.
All of these packs say full sun, spring to early summer, so I'm thinking it's not too late for this season; I'll just be a late bloomer.
I just wondered if I was doing something wrong.
as always, thanks for additional info; I really appreciate you taking the time to give me your advice =)
enjoy the rest of the weekend...
OK ladies now I am hooked. I am starting a herb garden in the spring and you all seem to have done it all never knew there were so many type of the same herb. I just gotta find a good source to get seeds/plants.
I have a 24 by 30 plot marked off. Now to plan and dig .
Where /what is your favorite source to get herb plants or seeds?
Lavina
Well Sweep Herb Farm has an enormous variety of plants. I have not gotten any for a few years but I recall that they were great plants and they have a lot of difficult to find herbs. I am sure you can order online but request a printed catalog anyway. The information in there is very comprehensive and makes a great reference.
My favorite source is Richters http://www.richters.com/ They ship to the states and eat the cost of the phytosanitary certificate which not many do. I've bought plants and seeds from them and they are great!
Richters looks great but I never did order from them.
I like this company, http://www.kitchengardenseeds.com/
Thanks ladies, I have ordered the catalogues.
You are welcome. I have a funny story about that place. One year I ordered a bunch of stuff and when it still didn't come I had to call them They sent out more seeds no problem. Then one day 9 months later, I got a package of seeds from them. Sure enough it was postmarked nearly a year before; the post office had lost it!
I just received Ginseng.I know it goes in woods but any help will do .Thnaks in advance..Porsha