Lemongrass is a tropical grass that thrives in summer heat. It is well suited to container growing, and ideal for greenhouse cultivation. It can be grown as a perennial where winters are mild, but...
Lavender is a genus of the mint family, Lamacieae, that includes 47 species and a great many cultivars. The species name Lavandula is thought to derive from the Latin word lavare - "to wash," and probably speaks...
Dill grows tall and produces lots of aromatic leaves. The umbels of yellow flowers attract numerous beneficial insects to the garden. Dill plants are attractive to ladybird beetles, which will lay their eggs on...
Traditionally used to flavour bean dishes, epazote has the added medicinal benefit of acting as a carminative, or anti-flatulent agent. Epazote is an unfussy plant that will grow in even poor soils. Grow in full...
Cumin is used in nearly all cuisines of the world. It is commercially grown in North Africa and West Asia, but if it’s given a head start and a warm summer, it will be...
Learn how to grow culantro in the home herb garden for a never-ending supply of sharply flavoured leaves. This herb is so widely used around the world that it goes by many names: Shado...
Cilantro is easy to grow and fast to go to seed in summer. The umbel (cluster) of flowers that forms at the top of the plant is highly attractive to beneficial predatory insects. The...
Chives have been in use as a culinary herb in China since around 3,000 BC. It was Marco Polo who returned westward with the notion that they made good eating, but chives were not...
A delicate, parsley-like plant with a hint of liquorice, chervil is one of the traditional fines herbes. Chervil is an excellent companion for Brassicas, lettuce, and radishes, but does best in part shade. Try growing...
German chamomile is also known as scented mayweed and wild chamomile. It’s a hardy annual with pleasantly scented flowers, and is primarily grown for medicinal use and teas. Learn how to grow organic chamomile...
Known in antiquity as “catswort.” Bees are highly attracted to its flowers, but the flea beetle is deterred by it. The universal appeal of this species to cats is underscored by the fact that the herb’s...
Grow caraway for its intensely scented seeds or as a parsnip-like root vegetable. It will manage in partial shade, but grow in full sun if harvesting the seeds is the intent. Caraway will thrive...
Borage is an excellent all around companion plant. Borage deters hornworm and cabbage worms, and is particularly useful planted near tomatoes and strawberries. Very attractive to pollinators and excellent for the soil and compost....
Bergamot is also known, somewhat confusingly, as Bee Balm, Scarlet Bee-balm, Horsemint, Oswego Tea, and by its genus name, Monarda. All varieties are aromatic and highly attractive to pollinators, including hummingbirds. Pick the leaves...
Basil is a very easy crop to grow from seed for summer harvests. Basil seeds germinate slowly, a bit faster when heated from below, and basil enjoys hot weather and full sun. Each variety...
The seeds and fronds are also tasty, and beneficial insects love the flower heads. Fennel (as well as anise, star anise, and some other plants), contains the compound anethole, which is widely used as a...
Sesame is commercially produced in desert settings, so when we say it’s drought tolerant, we really mean it. In fact, this is really the key to success with sesame seeds, as we will outline...
The much maligned dandelion actually has a lot to offer. It has been vilified in our culture as the invader of lawn spaces, thrusting its dazzling yellow colour into an otherwise tranquil field of...
Growing food outdoors over winter is easy if you equip yourself with the right gear. Outdoors, we use cloche protection, row cover, and mulches to insulate the soil and keep frost off plants. And...
In a relatively short growing season, we need to grow most food crops in a fairly intense way. We need to select crops that mature quickly. Some crops, like mescluns and salad greens grow so...
Author and blogger Andrea Bellamy recommends these varieties for container growing on balconies and in other small spaces. These seeds are perfect for the urban grower or part-time farmer who lacks garden space, but...
The weather outdoors is cold and gloomy. Here on the coast it is altogether wet — the ground is sodden and squishy. Elsewhere, the first blankets of snow are falling, and the ground is...
Lavender is a genus of the mint family Lamiaceae that includes 47 species and a great many cultivars. The genus name Lavandula is thought to derive from the Latin verb lavare – “to wash,” and probably...
