Review ('08) The Herb Bed

A big mass of winter creeper grew in a huge tangle in our backyard. Even though it’s a vine, this pile was so thick that it looked like a bush, three feet tall. It took many passes to chop it all out, and the center vine was as big around as a thigh. (Mostly, I don't like killing plants, but this thing is a monstervine that takes over everything. Horrible stuff, invasive and hard to kill. I can’t believe they sold this at the hardware store as a groundcover.) Not only this, but it sheltered mosquitoes, lots of them. So it had to go.

In it's place, we planted the herb garden. Besides oregano, catnip, and basil (covered in a previous post) we grew lavender, rosemary, lemongrass and strawberries in that spot. 3 beds, each surrounded by rocks, enclosed a center area, making a small bed for the lemongrass. Off to one side is a small tree of some kind, not yet determined, possibly a chokecherry.

Rosemary & Lavender (one plant each) In April, we went to Baker Creek and bought these as seedlings from a vendor at the festival. Both plants fared well in the spot, which received a lot of sun. The bed was raised slightly, enclosed by a circle of rocks about 4-6 inches high. These plants shared their bed with basil and peppers, because when the plants were small, they had plenty of room. As they grew, though, the basil partially shaded the lavender. Still, they fared fairly well and are overwintering in the garden. I am hoping that the proximity to the large rocks on their south side, plus the glass windshield and mulch I place over the plants when the weather is particularly nasty, will help protect it from the winter. I've taken cuttings just in case, and with luck, these will root and form their own plants.

Lemongrass (one plant) Another plant given to me by my good friend Steve, this one came as a scraggly-looking weed, half dead and decrepit. It soon revived, filling in with bright green spears of grass, looking like a beautiful living fountain in the middle of our herbs. The leaves made the best tea, and the smell was so nice. Unfortunately, the way we planted it made it too difficult to dig out for the winter, and since it is a tropical plant, it will probably die. I pulled some pieces and started roots in water, but so far, they look pretty bad in the pot.

Strawberries (two plants) We bought these at the farmer’s market. I could not decide between the two types, so we bought one of each. Of these, one died, and one went on to make more plants. I wish I'd kept the tags so I'd know which one we have. Ah, well. We've mulched them with corn stalks and leaves (although the leaves are not recommended, as they hold moisture next to the plant, which is, apparently, bad). I hope they make it. If they do, they will get transplanted to a different spot, since the bed they are in is pretty small.