• About the garden

Corner House Herbs

~ news from a south midland garden

Corner House Herbs

Category Archives: Herb gardening

Lemon balm

18 Tuesday Sep 2012

Posted by marytheherb in Herb gardening, Herbs

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

bees, borage, lemon balm

– Lemon balm with a halo of borage flowers

The other day I was having one of my morning wanderings in the garden, with a cup of tea in one hand, when I accidentally brushed against the lemon balm (Melissa officinalis). Instantly I remembered my first attraction to herbs and lemon balm was one of those early charmers. In fact I think its scent is the most beautiful of all. However, I have paid it no attention at all this year while my mind has been on propagating the more popular and easy to grow herbs. When I say ‘easy to grow’ I don’t, of course, mean that lemon balm doesn’t grow quickly, and lusciously but that it is very difficult, for an amateur at least, to keep it looking healthy enough for someone to want to buy it. It succumbs to rust very easily indeed and I have never had a bush without that affliction.

At this time of year, with its tiny flowers out, or having gone to seed, it is well past its best. I always mean to have at least two plants of each kind so that I can keep one well clipped and let the other do its own thing, but I haven’t got there yet.

And what of lemon balm’s other charms? Margaret Brownlow in her book ‘Herbs and the fragrant garden’ suggests making a tea using one part lemon balm leaf to two parts of tea leaves. I haven’t tried this but I can imagine it would be good.

I do use lemon balm with mushrooms, where it provides just the right zing, especially in an omelette. I also put the leaves in my salads.

Lemon balm is otherwise known as bee balm. The name Melissa originates from the Greek word for the honey bee and bees do love this plant. Gerard, in his ‘Herball’ says ‘The hives of bees being rubbed with the leaves of bawme, causeth the bees to keep together, and causeth others to come unto them’. In addition to all this lemon balm is traditionally known and used as a cure for melancholy.

Selling herbs

09 Thursday Aug 2012

Posted by marytheherb in Herb gardening, Herbs

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

plug plants, Selling herbs

Last week after much prevarication I finally put out in the front garden a small selection of herbs for sale. I meant to do it before but finally plucked up the courage.

Herb sales from the front garden

I was amazed to find that on the first afternoon I actually sold one and then several on each of the following days. Admittedly sales have slowed in the last couple of days but I hope they will pick up again. I don’t expect to sell them every day but perhaps a few every week during the summer.

I have learned a lot from buying in a small number of plug plants and growing them on this year.

  1. The fact that they grow faster the later you buy them. I bought my first lot in mid-April but the next batch, bought in mid-May, grew considerably faster.
  2. Most common herbs can go into their final pots in the garden quite early and will grow happily.
  3. Once they were out in the garden they came under severe attack from the slugs and I had to watch what was happening carefully and replace badly damaged plants, so keeping them under cover for longer does enable you to protect them from predators better.
  4. It is important to keep their growth under control and not let them get too leggy before you cut them back. You need to try and create a good, bushy shape.
  5. Some plants like mint really do look past their best about August time and need to be sold by then.
  6. It is best to put herbs requiring the same conditions in pots together. Having said which there doesn’t seem to have been a significant problem when I haven’t done this.

Herb garden

I am planning on having a herb sale in the garden in a few weeks. So providing I manage to sell a good number of the plants I will feel that this year has been successful and a very good learning experience. Also, when you really love what you are doing it is simply wonderful when people want to buy what you are selling.

Herb pots ready to sell

 

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Archives

  • October 2014
  • January 2013
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • February 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011

Blogroll

  • Gardeners Tips
  • Louisa's Potting Shed
  • My Tiny Plot blog
  • Out of my shed
  • Redneckrosarian
  • The Galloping Gardener
  • Weeding the web

Herbs

  • Iden Croft Herbs
  • Jekka's Herb Farm blog
  • Jekka's Herbs
  • Judith Hann's herb garden
  • Juliette de Bairacli Levy
  • National Herb Centre
  • Norfolk Herbs
  • Sonning Common Herb Farm
  • The Herb Society

Categories

Autumn plants Churches and churchyards Flower arrangements Flower garden Fruit Fungi Gardening Garden soil Garden visits Greenhouse Herb gardening Herbs Pond Uncategorized Vegetable gardening Wildlife Winter garden

Blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • Corner House Herbs
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Corner House Herbs
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...