Category: herbs

Unexpected herbs

December 12, 2025

a day in this life, dirt under my nails, grow your own, herbs

Our herbs are out of hand this year. Usually, the parsley and oregano die back in the Fall and come back in the Spring. Chuck has been replanting cilantro in a pot every Fall (because it’s a cold weather plant) and basil every spring (because it absolutely cannot take any cold.)

So.

We have a feral cilantro growing next to the kale bed. I’m not showing you a picture because it’s looking pretty punk this morning. It likes cooler weather and comes back after a freeze. But, it doesn’t actually like it to get beloew about 35º.

The parsley and oregano haven’t even paused for breath.

I thought I was going to be a little short on oregano by Spring because I didn’t get started drying before it’s first bolt this year. I pinched it back and got on it when the second flush got healthy and I did get a couple of batches done. But, we use a lot of oregano. So, I was a little concerned.

I did not need to be. When I went out to look at it, there was tons and it wasn’t even slightly frost nipped.

You may notice the onion leaf in between them. I’ve quit storing green onions in the fridge. I put them in the ground and they just get bigger while they wait to be used.

Anyway. This is what I did last night.

I hope I didn’t hurt this guy who accidentally came in the house for a while. I didn’t see it when I was clipping.

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Feral dill

June 27, 2025

a day in this life, grow your own, herbs, plants

I did not plant this.

I don’t use dill much. But, I like growing it because….

…. it produces swallowtail butterflies.

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This was a busy day

December 15, 2023

a day in this life, Herbs, herbs, home, plants

The hedge is coming down. The left side was the easy side and it’s almost done. There are 3 little blueberry bushes over there that we’re leaving amd 2 small hazels that have yet to come out. But, that looks a lot more open and I’m pleased with our progress.

I got the herb bed shifted. That means lifting out the oregano, parsley, 2 green onions and 2 garlics I thought were dead, shovelling out most of the the dirt, lifting out half of the rocks that are in the bottom and shoving. Then, putting it all back. I didn’t move the trough the apsce of its footprint. But, it’s back, over and angled so that there is more room for a path, more room for the butterfly bush and it just doesn’t look so crowded. The 19 year old wheelbarrow gave out when I tried to use it to return the shovels to the shed. I don’t know if Chuck can fix it or not. I am not invested in that outcome.

I am clean and there is a Porch Rocker in my glass.

I was supposed to fix dinner. But, after seeing me shoveling dirt back into the trough, Chuck decided he’d do that instead. My reward for my labors is scallops, polenta and asparagus.

Totally worth it.

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Rearranging the herb bed

October 25, 2023

a day in this life, dirt under my nails, grow your own, herbs

I have decided to change how my herbs are grown.

I pinched the little bit of flat leafed parsley that was available and hung 3 bundles to dry.

I don’t like the Greek basil. It grows low and flat in a way that isn’t conducive to drying. So, I pulled it up. I have clipped as much as I could, which wasn’t much, and have 4 bundles on my drying rack.

I left the Italian oregano where it was. I moved the tiny curly leafed parsley to a roomier place in the trough and settled the flat leafed parsley into its spot at the end of the bed. It has all had a good soak.

I think I’ll pinch the Italian oregano tomorrow. It’s mostly low growing at this point and I won’t get much more that’s easy to hang until next summer.

I had already mangled the thyme and moved it to one of the giant pots that I moved from the front of the house to the patio. It’s doing well. AND some saffron crocuses I had planted in that pot a couple of years ago appear to be coming up. I really did think they were dead. So, I’m delighted. And hopeful.

The saffron is the straight bits behind the thyme. I’ll show them off later if they do bloom. They’re Fall blooming. So, maybe soon-ish.

The sage is thriving in the other huge pot. It grows so well that I have plenty for my own use and have given 4 oz. jars to my cousin and uncle for their holiday cooking.

The large pots are taller than my knee and shorter than my hip.

I moved some sweet mint from the bed by the Texas Everbearing fig into a pot. It should be easier to manage and use next year. If it dies in the pot, there will still be plenty popping up where I don’t want it. I put it in the pot for easier access and so that grass management wouldn’t interfere with it.

And I just spotted more saffron by the chives!

I really did think they’d all died. So, I am very excited.

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Basil

October 24, 2023

a day in this life, dirt under my nails, grow your own, herbs

This is our basil pot.

It’s not quite as tall as my knee. I’ve picked and dried from it 3 times this summer. I expect to to pull the final plants from it soon.

This is what I’ve produced, so far.

I think it will be enough until we get the next crop going in the spring.

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