GARDENER'S READING ROOM
Edibles

When Will You Get in your Basil?

Good question! I'm glad you asked!

Sky carries a good assortment of culinary herbs year round. However, our selection grows from early spring through summer, with a few herbs preferring the warmer months.

How about parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme? You can find these here even in the winter months, but for the widest selection of herbs look from April through June. Did you know at the height of the season Sky carries eight varieties of oregano, ten of thyme, and a dozen different mints?

Our first big shipment of the hardier herbs comes in mid-March, and it will include over twenty-five different herbs including catnip, cilantro, French sorrel, and salad burnet.

More tender herbs such as dill, stevia, lemon verbena, and basil arrive later, typically in April/May. The herb that's the most definite heat and sun lover is basil. Until the sun shines and night time temperatures stay above 50° F, this pesto ingredient would be happier inside. In fact, early in the season you will see "protect from cold and frost" signs on the warmth-lovers. This lets you know that a sunny window, greenhouse, or at least cloche may be in order until warmer weather arrives.

Herbs are easy to grow in pots or in the garden, requiring primarily good drainage and lots of sun. Plant them by your door or in your vegetable garden, where they will be ready to help transform a mediocre cuisine to magnificent.

And don't forget about beverages! So many deliciously wonderful drinks can be made from herbs, from chamomile tea to lavender lemonade to mojitos... Or sweeten your black tea with stevia.

So perhaps if you're wondering when we will get in the basil/chervil/Vietnamese coriander you're looking for... come in to take a look and I'm sure you'll find a new herb variety to enjoy while you're waiting.

By Heather Small
Skylights Spring 2010, Vol 25, No. 1

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