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                      RAMBLINGS ON WINTER HERB GARDENING
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As aromatic plants bestow
No spicy fragrace while they grow,
But crushed or trodden on the ground
Diffuse their balmy sweets around.
--Oliver Goldsmith

I've done a bit'o searchin' since the last message and come up with the
following suggestions.  Let me know specifically which herbs you intend to
winter over.

Repot in Aug-Sept. using a liquid manure (generic term for homeade fertilizer)
of Bloodmeal-bonemeal-and crushed horn in the new soil. Herbs (with a very few
exceptions) prefer neutral or slightly alkaline soil.  Never use fast release
fertilizer since it causes lush growth. The suggested liquid is all in
slow-release form.  In the cultivation of herbs, lush growth is undesireable
since new lush growth is scant in essential oil. Sandy, medium-dry soil, with
plenty of sun provides the best flavor.  To winter over, dormancy is maintained
best with good insulation and a 35-45 degree temperature.

Containers should have a diameter 1/3 to 1/2 the height of the plant. Small 
pots will hinder good growth since they dry out too quickly.

Until I know more about what plants you have, here are some thoughts on herbs 
I like;.

Basil - Bring in this annual from the garden and do not allow to set seed. In
warm climates it may be considered a perennial but rarely is the climate good
enough.   It is native to India, having grown in the Mediterranean for 
thousands of years.  Spray once a week with soapy water to ward off mites. 
Likes humusy well-drained soil. Will start well from seed, but is a difficult 
grower.  Do not disturb seedlings.
"Madonna, wherefore hast thou sent to me
  Sweet basil and mignonette?
Embleming love and health, which never yet
  In the same wreath might be.
--Shelly

Bay (Sweet) - Perennial tree.  Frost tender, difficult to propagate, best done
from suckers and root cuts.  Two to five years until plant is well-established.
Needs rich soil.
And when from Daphne's tree he plucks more Baies
His shepard pipe may chant more heavenly lays.
--William Browne

Borage - Start seedlings for winter, since it's an annual that once gone to 
seed will die.  Easy grower that will thrive in your soil.
"I, Borage always bring courage."
-Pliny (in repeating an ancient verse)

Catnip - Can root from cuttings or transfer plant.  Likes cool, sunny spot and
moist soil.  Treat as any mint.
If you set it, the cats will eat it,
If you sow it, the cats won't know it.
--Old Rhyme

Chives - Wonderfully hardy perennial allow to freeze outside and then bring in
where it will produce excellent new leaves.  They especially like a top 
dressing of compost.  Cut leaves steadily to 2 inches.

Dill - Annual easily grown from seed.  Sow seeds and use the foliage throughout
winter.  Full sun.
Therewith her Vervain and her Dill
That hindereth witches of their will.
-- Michael Drayton

Feverfew - Take care to only divide out the strongest plants for replant in the
spring.  Will not grow well in the house without extremely careful care.
Best to winter it over.
There's many feet on the moor tonight,
And they fall so light as they turn and pass,
So light and true that they shake no dew,
From the featherfew and the hungry grass.
--Nora Hopper

Lemon Balm -Bring this perennial in from the Garden and cut freely. Treat as 
any mint. Do not allow to flower.  Grows well from seed, too.
The several chairs of order look you scour
With the juice of balm and every precious flower.
--Shakespere

Mints - Grow from division, and in a seperate pot from other herbs.  Do not
allow to flower and give it plenty of drainage.  The more sun, the more
flavorful the mint.
"In Greek mythology, this fragrant herb was once the nymph Mentha.  Like most
male dieties, Pluto, ruler of the underworld, had a roving eye, and carried
Mentha off to the underworld to be his lover.  Pluto's wife, Persephone, who
herself had been abducted by Pluto, did not enjoy the competition and began
stomping Mentha into the ground.  Pluto, in order to protect the maiden,
transformed her into the herb we know as mint."
--Herbs for all seasons, Sally Freeman

Oregano - Best to winter this over and come again from root divisions in the
spring. Another Mediterrainian plant.
"Where the bee can suck no honey, she leaves her
sting behind; and where the bear cannot find
origanum to heal his grief, he blasteth all other
leaves with his breath."
-- Fletcher

Parsley -(omen of death and bringer of babies!) Sow seeds for this bienniel,
since the leaves of the second year plant are not as good, give it a cool,
sunny spot and a moist soil. Harvest is slow from seed.  If brought in from
the garden bring in small divisions.
"At sparta's palace twenty beautous mayds,
The pride of Greece, fresh garlands crowned their heads
With hyacinths and twining parsley drest,
Graced joyful Menelaus' marriage feast.
--Theocritus

Rosemary -(meaning "dew of the sea") This evergreen shrub must be wintered
carefully as frost will kill it. It is a woody plant so do not cut it hard
back for the winter. Sap runs in the woody sections.  Take cuttings in June.
Young men and maids do ready stand
With sweet Rosemary in their hands-
A perfect token of your virgin's life.
--Old Ballad

Sage - Divide old plants for indoor winter growth. Do NOT overwater.  This
plant despises wet feet.  Sage is perennial but 4-5 year plants grow leggy
and lose some of their value.
Sage is singularly good for the head and the brain; it quickeneth the senses
and the memory; strengtheneth the sinews; restoreth the health to those that
hath the palsey; and takes away shaky trembling of the members.
--Gerard

Having thusly blown myself quite out of wind, I shall retire this message
with the following ballad.

THE SPRIG OF THYME
Come all ye pretty maidens all
And young men in your prime
I would have you keep your gardens clean
And let no one steal your thyme.

My garden was planted full
Of flowers everywhere;
But for myself I would not choose
The flower I held so dear.

The primrose I did refuse
Because it came too soon;
The lily and pink I overlooked
and vowed I would wait till June.

In June came to roseso red
And that's the flower for me
But when I gathered the rose so dear
I gained but the willow tree.

My garden is now run wild
When shall I plant it new?
My bed that once was filled with thyme
Is all overrun with rue.

Green willow it will twist
Green willow it will twine
And I wish I was in that young mans arms
That once had that heart of mine.
--Folk Song

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This Article COPYRIGHT Jan. 1988. Nicholas Morcinek. First
published in Toronto Dimensions magazine Feb. 1988. 
 
  
If you would like more info please write: 
Botanic Medicine Society. 
P.O. Box 82. Stn. A. 
Willowdale, Ont. CANADA. 
M2N 5S7. 

Well here we are again, February already and before too long the
Spring and Summer and a whole new crop of fresh herbs to waken up
those flat and jaded Winter taste buds! Can't you just feel the
taste of Spring in the air? Yes I do realise that its not too
easy, particularly if you're driving through a white-out on the
Don Valley Car Park, but one month from now will see the first
stirrings of the new Season. (O.k. so I'm an incurable
optimist!). However, just in case you're not feeling so good 
here's a tip to help you through 'til March.

     If you really do feel down and grumpy there's no better pick
me up than a walk in the garden and if you live in Toronto you
can do exactly that! Just pop down to the Allen Gardens at
Carlton Street and Sherbourne, and spend an afternoon surrounded
by exotic and fragrant plants. The Gardens have many varieties
that were originally collected from every Continent and it is
easy to imagine yourself luxuriating in a tropical paradise in no
time at all.

     You can see and smell the aromatic Jasmine, a plant that has
a long history of medicinal use. You will find the flowers in
China tea, and in all sorts of Asian herbal potions, where their
fragrance is used as a "pick-me-up" or tonic. Just a few drops of
Oil of Jasmine rubbed into the skin or dropped into the bath can
work wonders, lifting away that tired and run-down feeling! You
may find Pomegranates from the Middle East, (still used today to
destroy intestinal parasites), and Carob, grown for its' food
value and delectable chocolate-like flavour. If you travel deeper
into this contained jungle you can find Orchids and Date Palms,
Papyrus and Eucalyptus and dozens of varieties of Peppers and
Spice. If you are lucky you may spot the Piper Methyisticum, or
"intoxicating pepper". It's a pity this fellow doesn't grow here
in Canada as it makes an interesting anti-depressant when
correctly prepared. The whole root is collected and mashed well
together with Coconut milk to form a thin paste. This is then
placed in clean sealed containers and left in a cool place to
ferment for about a month, whereupon the mixture is ready to
drink. The effect is quite unusual, for the active ingredients in
this mixture seem to directly affect the feeling centres of the
brain, producing a warm and gently serene sensation of well-
being. Just what we all need in the middle of a long Canadian
winter eh!
     
     Seriously though a walk through the Gardens can be an
uplifting experience particularly at this time of year. If you
take along a good herb book, (e.g. A Modern Herbal- Mrs. M.
Grieve), you can check out some of the uses for the plants that
you see, and it becomes very easy to spend the entire day there.
( You could take your camera ). Oh and unlike so many of
Toronto's expositions there's no charge to get in! 

     "Where can I find a good herb class?" If I had a dollar for
every time I've been asked this question..... There are many "so-
called" herb classes that offer only dry text, with no emphasis
placed on plant recognition, or harvesting from the wild and so
students inevitably feel disappointed and cheated. Finally
though, I can feel confident in recommending a new series of
classes being provided here in Toronto by members of the Botanic
Medicine Society. These classes are given by full-time
professional herbalists and cover all aspects of practical
herbalism, from plant recognition to clinical assessment. Classes
start the first week in March. For more details regarding
syllabus and enrolment please call (416) 221-1662, or (416) 534-
0622.

Next issue looks at readers letters so if you have any questions
about herbs and herbalism please write to me here at T.D. See you
in the Spring!



	WINTER HERBS   

	  by  ???  

(Southern Living Magazine)   


  As the growing season comes to an end, cooks turn to the grocer, the
pantry, and the freezer rather than the garden.  However, fresh herbs can
still season your winter fare.  Here are a few that endure.   

WINTER SAVORY  (Satureja montana)  is an evergreen perennial throughout
the South, except in South Florida where it may die during the warm, wet
summers.  Although some cooks prefer the flavor of summer savory (S.
hortensis), others like the carefree nature of the perennial herb.  It is
a low, spreading shrub with dark-green, glossy leaves.  frequent, light
pruning helps maintain a constant supply of tender new growth.  Plant
seeds or young plants in spring or fall.  Choose a location with full sun
and well-drained soil, and allow 10 to 12 inches between plants.   

THYME  (Thymus sp.)  offers a large variety of forms, flavors, and flower
color.  For culinary use, most people prefer one of the shrubby, upright
thymes because the leaves are easier to strip from the stems.  However, if
you prefer the ornamental quality of the creeping types, you'll find the
flavor to be excellent.  Although thyme can be grown from seeds, you need
to start with a division or rooted cutting for selections such as lemon,
caraway, silver, or creeping red-flowered thyme.  Plant in a well-drained
location.  Traditionally, thyme has been grown in full sun, but many
gardeners in the South are finding that by midsummer the plants that
receive a little afternoon shade look better.  When your plant becomes
leafless in the center, cut it back to encourage new growth.   

ROSEMARY  (Rosmarinus officinalis)  is only dependably hardy in the Lower
and Coastal South.  In other regions grow it in a container that can be
moved to a sheltered location.   
  This woody shrub has two forms.  The upright form is the more cold hardy
and will grow into a globe 3 to 4 feet in diameter and sometimes larger.
Jeannette Frandsen of Village Arbors, an herb nursery in Auburn, Alabama,
has found that it is hardy to about 15øF.  Prostrate rosemary may reach
2 feet in height and will trail over the edge of its pot or a wall, but it
is definitely more tender.  If you are in a marginal area, plant your
rosemary in a container or at the base of a south-facing wall.  You can
also cover plants when unusually cold temperatures are forecast.  Rosemary
grows best in partial shade to full sun.  If plants are allowed to wilt,
they will probably not recover.  Ideally the soil should be moist but well
drained.    

BAY  (Laurus nobilis)  is actually a tree, but few will ever grow that
large in the South.  This herb has about the same hardiness as rosemary.
It needs at least partial sun and well-drained soil.   

SALAD BURNET  (Poterium sanguisorba)  is a perennial that offers the
delicate flavor of cucumbers to a salad.  It is so hardy that, according
to Frandsen, "On the coldest January day, you can use it."   

Neither  CHERVIL  (Anthriscus cerefolium)  nor CORIANDER  (Coriandrum
sativum)  , also called cilantro, is a perennial, but both can be planted
in early fall, grown and harvested through winter, and then allowed to
flower in the spring.  The foliage may die down in the Upper South, but
plants will flower, set seeds, and then volunteer in the garden for years
to come.   


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