Late-season ideas for using the
last of your herbal harvest.
The first official day of autumn has passed and we are headed into the realm of flannel sheets and down comforters. It is also time to start putting some of our gardens to bed for the winter months.
Once the temperature falls below 55 degrees, most every type of plant stops producing growth. They either die back or simply go dormant. For you basil lovers, you will notice there is a change in the taste, almost bitter, and if you look closely at the base of the plant you will see it has become brown and woody. Basil is definitely an annual here and will soon be past its prime. If you have let your dill go to seed, you can safely assume there will be several (hundred) volunteer plants in the spring. Your perennial herbs love this cool weather. Sage is at its best flavor right now. So are oregano, thyme and rosemary. These cool clear nights cause the plants to produce more oil and it enhances the aroma and flavor. Last year I harvested sage all winter; drying it in the oven makes the house smell warm and wonderful. And don't forget to cut your chives back to the ground once we get a good hard frost.
Your scented geraniums need to be brought into the house before first frost. They cannot survive outdoors when the temps dip below freezing. They will do well in a south or west window, and you can take cuttings to root so there will be strong plants to place back outside in May.
Since we had so much rain, many of us actually have had to mow a lawn. Save your grass clippings and use them as mulch this fall. Now is a good time to add compost to your garden beds.
I don't know about you, but I noticed something eating my nasturtiums right down to the stem and I could never see anything during the day. So I made my Akita go outside with me after dark and I turned the flashlight on the plants. There were a bunch of little green worms just chomping on the leaves. Being the fabulous pet owner I am, I yelled, "Get em' Simba!" and the dog turned around and went in the house. So I made up the fabulous soap-water spray of two tablespoons of dish-washing liquid to a gallon of water and drenched the plants. The worms all died and their little corpses hung on those leaves until the bitter end. But no others ventured into the planters. I can hear them now: "She thinks she won, but we already have reinforcements in the geraniums." Just a friendly reminder to spray any plants before you bring them in the house for the winter.
There are still plenty of culinary treats to be had from the garden. I want to give you some quick recipes for using some of our wonderful Southwest perennial herbs.
Let's start with oregano. That old Roman rascal Pliny recommended oregano as a poultice for scorpion and spider bites and as a soak for the nether regions when sore from riding a horse. Perhaps that's why its Greek name means "joy of the mountains." Men also used to rub olive oil and oregano on their heads to stimulate hair growth. The practiced changed when they realized it was attracting insects instead of wives. And while we do have the aforementioned creatures in our area, I like to concentrate on the culinary aspects.
Try using oregano in the following:
Time for thyme: This low-growing herb comes in a variety of flavors including lemon, lime, nutmeg and coconut. It is one of best-loved cooking herbs. Try these thyme ideas:
Rosemary is for remembrance: We are so fortunate to have rosemary grow into hedges in the Southwest. The trailing variety blooms almost all season and attracts honey bees. There is a variety called Tuscan Blue that can grow up to 10 feet tall. Makes you want to roll naked in it. In the privacy of your backyard, of course.
There are so many delicious uses for rosemary:
If you have any lemon verbena or lemon balm growing in your gardens, cut
some large bunches and bring them in the kitchen to bundle and dry. Use
them in teas and give some to your friends. The same goes for any of your
mints. Mint does not freeze well, and looks like canned spinach when you
thaw it out. With our usually gentle winters you may even get a second crop
of chives pop up if we get a couple of warm days.
At the end of October, plant some cilantro seeds in a pot and put it in a sunny window. It is always nice to see new green shoots in November. You can do the same with leaf lettuce and dill.
Here is a garden thought to hold you over the winter:
"There are days when my garden is the only solace I have. It calls to me in the morning to start the day with hope and renewal and beckons me in the evening for peace and solitude. I can walk with bare feet on the warm ground and smell the green in all of it It is one of the few things in life that is pure joy."
The Kitchen Gardener can now be found in the new Silver Confectionary, in the historic Silco Theater Building on Bullard Street in downtown Silver City. For information call 538-5317 or email alicepauser@msn.com.