Perennial herbs

What herbs would be considered perennial in the herb gardenning dept. I would love to plant some that would not have to be replanted every year. I would love a nice peppermint for tea. Is that a perennial? I also love basil especially a good italian or chocolate basil. Do those have to be planted every year. I am thinking ahead as every year I seem to be moving a little slower. I have so much I want to do and it seems like time isn't being very friendly the past couple of years. SO...... help me to figure out a good pereinnial herb garden if you will.
Thanks.
Check out my basket trade for herbs too.
Jan

Mints are pretty hardy. I have tyme, sage and garlic chives come back every year. Also my chocolate mint.

thats great to know. Now I know what to plant.

rosemary, chives, fennel, parsley are all coming back for me--tyme too---i will watch and see for cilantro--i think some are perennials and some just reseed

Oregano, Marjoram, Winter Savory, Lovage, Bay Laurel, Lemon Balm and Tarragon, Fennel are few more Perennials....

Thanks you guys i appreciate all the info. My strawbales are going to be pulling double duty this year.

What's perennial for you may not be for me(zone5). I'm too cold for rosemary to winter over.

Gourdbeader..BBQ rosemary is hardy to zone 6, and if you have a sheltered micro-climate anywhere in your yard (a sunny south wall, for example) I would bet you could get a couple years out of it at least..ours was still green this past winter until we had that really nasty 20 below spell in january, and it was just in a large pot by the house.

Ewwwh. that sounds nice. BBQ rosemary. I have never heard of it before. I have the perfect spot for it too. Would you happen to have any seeds for this? I will check our local gardening shop which will be either Walmart or Fred Meyers. We don't really have a local nursery around here. There is one that is about 25 miles away though and if I can't find it I could probably call around.
Do you use it like the name suggests? In BBQ sauses and rubs?

I have only seen it as a plant at garden centers, but Territorial seed has it, and I have had really good luck with them in the past:

http://www.territorialseed.com/product/1505

I use the leaves/needles just like any other rosemary, like on potatoes and lamb, but it has a tall, upright habit, and supposedly, the branches make really good skewers on the bbq, hence the name.

I apologize for not having a cutting to share, but I had to replace mine this year, too:)





This message was edited May 22, 2009 11:02 AM

Oops..I just noticed that they were sold out already, this place lists it, but I've never bought anything from there:
http://www.accentsforhomeandgarden.com/catalog_i7475887.html?catId=292138

My advice would be to look around, I am pretty sure I saw some at Lowe's or Home Depot last year..

Thank you for the info. I will have to look for seeds somewhere because we haven't got a home depot or a lowes here.
I like the idea of using the stalks for skewers. That may even infuse some flavor from that.
Thanks again
Jan

I couldn't survive without Rosemary.....I am just getting the Rosemary going and looking for new ones.......when we lived in Los Angeles, years ago, hedge across the front of our yard was all Rosemary....I loved it....you can't have too much Rosemary!!

When is a good time to take Rosemary Cuttings??

That I wouldn't know. But I am sure that someone will be able to answer that questiong for you. I would think that you would take them in the morning but I am just guessing.
Jan

I do rosemary cuttings in the spring just after blooming and in the fall. The best are the fresh growth stems and they survive well either way here. The fall cuttings need more protection of course and the spring cuttings need more tending. I really only do it as insurance because every five years or so one of my parent plants just gets tired. Still, one of the most effective ways to keep rosemary going (I'm in stream of thought mode here) is to take outer branches and scrape off a bit of bark and bury it in the ground while still attached to the parent plant. It will likely produce its own roots and create an entirely new plant that can be divided if needed or desired. There is a term for this that escapes me at the moment.

Throw a couple of branches on the coals for bbq. Also it is known as the herb of remembrance. I have a few bushes growning near my deck and everytime I pass I slide my hand over a branch and sniff and smile.

When using fresh leaves in cooking a good tip is to sprinkle a bit of olive oil and kosher salt on the leaves stripped from the stems before chopping. This helps keep the leaves from popping off the cutting board.

Don't even think about trying to grow rosemary from seed. It can be done but the effort is not worth it. Territorial Seed does offer some seed.

Z

Thank you so much for the info....Laura and I will have to get busy and see what sort of luck we have!!!

Hi...I don't know what kind of rosemary is in the supermarket produce section, but it will root. I took several sprigs dipped them in roottone and soil and everyone rooted.

Hope this helps.....

Peg

Wow, I wonder if basil or some of the other herbs will do that so long as there is a stem.

Basil is very easy to root-in water or soil-

i didn't know that about basil--that is good to know--when my plants start to go to seed i will just start a new one! that is if i remember!!

Wow, thanks for the info.

I keep my Greek Columnar Basil going by rooting cuttings. It doesn't go to seed, so that's about he only way to propagate it. Sometimes the cuttings go into shock when rooted in water then potted in soil.Try rooting in soil too and see what works best for you. I do mine on a sunny windowsill- Good luck!

And mints are also very easy to root.

mints are almost too easy to root :) and hard to stop once they get started!

True Linda, but you really can't have too much mint, or too much Basil, can you??? I also need more Sages (not my granddaughter, the Plant)...

well yes --too much mint i think yes! it just sort of takes over and sprouts up everywhere--i think i might use it to fill in an area under a tree where not much grows--i bet mint will grow there!

There are more perennial herbs than annual if you get right down to it. The zone you are in determines whether it is tender or not.
Columnar Basil although not a true perennial will winter over and live for many years.The Columnar, originally hybridized as Sweet Aussie, will not bloom so it doesn't go through the "normal" bloom and die sequence. Annuals try to go to seed since their purpose is to set seed and die. A friend of ours has one that is several years old and has a stem ( main trunk) like a tree. She has it in a barrel and takes it in in the winter. This is now the only Basil I grow- it produces with a vengeance- more production more basil , more Pesto. I can never get enough basil.

Per another post Rosemary Arp is hardy to zone 6, protected all the way to 5. It has a bit grayer tone to it but has a great flavor too. Barbecue Rosemary is strictly marketing it is Salem Rosemary, which was hybridized at Old Salem in Winston Salem , NC hardy to zone 7. The Rosemary in the market is usually common Rosemary, a great flavor but not hardy below zone 7.
Hare some perennial herbs for zone 6 ( of course and warmer); Rosemary, Lovage, Fennel ( bulb type and taproot variety , French Tarragon, many types of Oregano, almost all Thymes, many Lavender varieties, Parsley ( a biennial lasts 2 years ), of course a huge selection of Mints, Bee balm, Comfrey, Feverfew, Garlic Chives, Garlic, regular Chives, Wormwood and too many Artemesias to mention, Tansy, Hops, Rue, Costmary, Soapwort, Goldenrod, winter Savory, Lemon balm, Sage ( again large number of varieties), Chamomile ( there is also an annual), Hyssop, Valerian, etc.
As you can see there is a large variety to choose from. It all depends what your purpose is, culinary, well being, medicinal or just fragrance.

Hope this gives you a start.
ellen

Wow, thanks Ellen. I had no idea there were so many different varieties.
jan

Cilantro is an annual, but if you start some outdoors in early fall in a fairly mild winter climate like mine they will grow over the winter and then as spring comes, bloom and go out after seeding.

is it too late for planting cilantro from seed now?

I love cilantro, I totally forgot about that one. I am going to have to start some and may have to move it to my sun room during the winter. I will plant it in a container so I can move it easier.

Tarragon, lemon verbena and lemon balm are perennial in my area zone 7. Mints, oregano, rosemary and thyme also come back each year. Lavender will come back here if you put it in a raised bed.

If you had a place to keep cilantro plants until fall where it isn't so hot or sunny, maybe you could keep them from blooming. But I've got some coming up (seeds from my old seeded-out plants) near where I have watered beans and tomatos and it's too hot and sunny. Those probably won't last long.

Lovage is a wonderful plant that tastes like celery. It's leaves are great in salads and its leaves and stems are great for making soup stalk. I am told the seeds of lovage are what is used for commercial celery seed.
But do watch out for lovage. If it gets too much water it grows like crazy. If you let it go to flower, bees and other critters love it, but be sure to cut it off before seeds form unless you bag the seeds and save them for seasoning. Also, it can spread by underground runner. It is as invasive as mint and as nice, but it is taller than mint. Here is one of mine that I will dig out today. I have about seven such plants that I will be digging out. It all began with one plant, but I put it to grow in a place that gets watered by the automatic lawn sprinkler and it is now trying to conquer the world.
Do grow lovage, but be careful to keep it under control.

Oops, that picture is on its side. Here it is right side up. it is at least as tall as I am - 5'3".

Oops, now the picture. And I had my coffee -- can't think of an excuse.

Thanks for the picture and the info....I think I am off to the garden center this afternoon!!