The Herb Cottage is your source for information about herb growing and gardening, with an emphasis on growing and gardening in the humid south where winters are mild and summers are very hot and humid with the occasional hurricane or drenching rain. As with many parts of the country, the weather seems to have become more extreme, and as gardeners, we have to learn to do our best to cope with the weather. We sure can't change it!!

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January 2005


Happy New Year to You.

The beginning of a new year is as good a time as any to make changes. People make resolutions, go on diets, resolve to be more tolerant or understanding of others, get more exercise, weed the garden beds more often, get organized, clean the garage, organize the potting shed or get the garden in earlier. All things seem possible at the beginning of a new year. It’s like looking at a clean sheet of paper or a blank document in the computer, waiting for it to fill up with your best efforts.

Well, I am no different than the rest of you. I’ve resolved to eat less (ha!), sweep up the dog hair in the house more often, maintain my bookkeeping up to date, and rework The Herb Cottage Website. So, far, on this 9th day of the new year, I’ve done exactly one of my resolutions. I’ve begun to rework the website. I think I’ve got it within a week of being uploaded for all to see. One thing that is accessible already is a new section I’m calling Plant Facts where you’ll be able to go to find out more information about the herbs I offer for sale. Right now there is only one listing and that is the 2005 Herb of the Year: Oregano.

Oregano is indispensable in the kitchen, of course, to flavor tomato dishes, omelets, poultry and herbed vinegar or butter. There are numerous varieties of oregano in the Origanum family. We know them commonly as either Greek Oregano, Italian Oregano, Marjoram, or Dittany of Crete. The distinctions can be confusing. Some are very ornamental like the Dittany of Crete and make wonderful hanging basket selections due to their low growth habit and interesting and fragrant flowers. Others are more suited to the garden beds, such as the Greek and Italian varieties due to their vigorous growth habits, where they attract tiny beneficial insects as well as honey bees and even hummingbirds. If you’d like to learn a little more about the varieties of Oregano and some of its history, follow the link: http://theherbcottage.com/oreg.html.

As long as we’re on the topic of new things, I’d like to draw your attention to the vegetable varieties I’m offering this year. There are new tomatoes that I hope you’ll find tasty and attractive. In the red tomatoes, I’ve added Abraham Lincoln, a fairly short season variety, 77 days, introduced by Buckbee’s Seed in 1923; Sioux, a 70 day variety, released by the University of Nebraska in 1944, that does well in hot weather, isn’t too large, about 6 oz, average, but has a fabulous, rich, complex tomato taste that has to be eaten to be believed; and Ugly, a 75-day red tomato that produces a heavy crop of ribbed beefsteak-type fruit with a flavor that is the reason you grow your own tomatoes.

There are also some new purple, orange and cherry and grape varieties, so please take some time to peruse the new listings at: http://theherbcottage.com/vegetables.html

For you Pepperheads, there is a limited selection of Capsicum varieties from Eco Seed that I’m growing out. I don’t have a lot of seed of any one variety, but I counted 85 different peppers in the collection of seed given to me by a fellow who lives near Corpus Christi, TX. The seeds are planted and being kept toasty warm on my heat mats. I’m expecting them to be ready for sale by the end of February or middle of March. To view the listings, go to: http://theherbcottage.com/peppsp.html

So, there are a few new things going on at The Herb Cottage for 2005. I’m looking forward to a busy season. But, with the unusual weather we’ve had the last year and the unpredictability of Mother Nature and our planet Earth, one never knows what the future will bring. All we can do is prepare and hope for the best.

I wish you all a prosperous and fortunate New Year.

------------------------------------------------
Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success.
-Albert Schweitzer, philosopher, physician, musician, Nobel laureate(1875-1965)

------------------------------------------------
Until next time,

Good Growing to You,
Cindy Meredith, proprietor
The Herb Cottage
442 CR 233
Hallettsville, TX 77964

January 2006

The New Year seems to bring life's transitions to mind. We look back at the last year to see what we've accomplished, what the milestones were for the year in our own lives and, if you're a news junkie like me, what happened in politics and news around the world. We look ahead at how to improve ourselves, our lives or the lives of those around us in some way. The New Year can be a time of reflection and thoughtfulness.

A sad transition took place in my own life just after the new year began. My mother passed away on January 3. Already I miss being able to pick up the telephone and call her with a new book title she might like to read or to find out how members of my family are doing. She was the person everyone kept in touch with, so if I wanted to know how my niece and her husband were doing, I would call Mom and she'd tell me all the news. She was very interested in how The Herb Cottage was doing and somewhat bemused by the fact that I was running a successful business. I would sometimes add a sprig of rosemary or thyme in a letter to her to brighten her day. She's beyond my calls and letters now, but she will be with me in every endeavor each day.

Gardens are wonderful places to watch transitions. Our annual plants do it all in one season. We plant basil, calendula or arugula and wait while the little seeds sprout and begin to grow into a plant we can use for seasoning, cosmetics and salads. As the days pass, the plants grow bigger and stronger. We become used to seeing the basil right there close to the front of the bed where we can easily reach it for harvesting. It's so fragrant and tasty. The calendula's bright orange or yellow flowers greet us daily and are so cheery. We can toss some arugula into a plain salad to add zest and flavor. Then, the basil and arugula start to flower. The calendula flowers fade. We try and keep the plants going as long as possible by snipping off the basil flowers and cutting down the arugula flower stalks to trick Mother Nature. But, in the end, Nature wins out. Our plants will quit flowering and set seed which we can collect and save for the next planting. Or, we might be surprised to see basil seedlings come up around where the plant grew and seeded itself. Calendula often self sows the following season.

Even plants that we know as perennials do not last forever. Thyme may start to become very woody and die out in the center. The same goes for oregano or even rosemary, which is a long lived plant here in South Central Texas and in other frost free zones. We dig and divide perennials to keep them healthy and producing fresh growth for flavorful leaves or for flowers.

Sometimes we just want a new look in the garden. Winter is a good time to think back or to look at pictures you may have taken of your spring or summer beds. How did the garden look last year? What can be changed? Maybe the oregano grew too large and overran the thyme. So, the thyme can be moved so the bed is more balanced and not so crowded looking. A little row of Spicy Globe Basil would look cute along the pathway. It's bright green leaves and round shape would be a compliment to annual flowers such as pansies or marigolds.

Of course, this is also a time for looking at seed and plant catalogs and dreaming about the upcoming season. The new vegetable varieties are just calling to be tried out. Pictures of newly introduced flower varieties are almost impossible to resist. Maybe there's spot in your herb, flower or vegetable garden for an herb variety you haven't tried before. Are you experimenting with new cuisine? There are herbs you can grow to add to Thai, Southwest or Mexican dishes, Italian, Greek, Chinese or Indian recipes. Let your imagination soar. Check out the cookbooks or magazines at the public library or go on the Internet and look for recipes. Be careful or you'll be overwhelmed. The Internet has hundreds, if not more, sites for recipes.

And, don't forget The Herb Cottage for your 2006 plantings. I am offering some new tomato, pepper and eggplant varieties as well as ornamentals to attract butterflies, hummingbirds and beneficial insects to your gardens. And, of course, herbs. Lots of herbs. Sweet herbs, spicy herbs, savory herbs to add to your garden and cooking experience. Visit http://theherbcottage.com and peruse the listings.

I hope 2006 will be kind to you all. If you were in the way of hurricanes, floods or other natural disasters last year, I hope your lives are coming together wherever you may be. If you've lost loved ones, may you heal and live your life with comforting memories of the one you lost. And, I hope that you have at least a little space to grow a garden, be it in containers on the windowsill or porch, or a generous sized garden in your yard. Growing helps us understand the ways of life and death. Transitions are a part of nature and all our lives.

When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us. -Alexander Graham Bell, inventor (1847-1922)

Until next time,
Good Growing to You,
Cindy Meredith, proprietor
The Herb Cottage
442 CR 233
Hallettsville, TX 77964
phone & fax: 979-562-2153

---

June 2006

The summer solstice has just passed, the days will begin to get shorter. But, we still have a long, lazy summer in front of us. Even if you live where it is really hot and, at times, uncomfortable, summer is still a time to savor. What other time of year yields such fragrant flowers, lush growth and so many herbs for your use? So long as you can keep your gardens, containers and plantings hydrated during the simmering summer heat, herbs, especially, will reward you with a wealth of flavors, even flowers, as well as lovely forms to admire as they grow.

Harvesting your herbs is important, not only so you can use them, but also to keep the plants in good shape. I know I have mentioned harvesting basil on a regular basis helps keep it from flowering and also keeps fresh new growth coming on. Our other favorite herbs appreciate being pruned through harvesting. Oregano has just passed flowering here, and I have cut it back and used its leaves, along with some rosemary and chives, in a flavored vinegar. I have dried some of the leaves to have it handy in the kitchen for those times when a pinch of dried oregano is just the thing.

Were it not for the hoards of grasshoppers that are eating almost everything in sight, I would be pruning and using leaves from my hyssop which I planted out this past spring. Hyssop is an underused herb, in my opinion. Hyssopus officinalis is a semi-evergreen perennial which eventually is fairly woody at the base, has small, narrow leaves and spikes of bluish purple flowers in mid summer.

Once considered holy and used for cleaning sacred places, hyssop was a popular strewing herb in the Middle Ages. It was also smoked, as tobacco.
Hyssop is a favorite of bees and butterflies, and it can take full sun, so is perfect for a butterfly garden. It only grows to about 2 feet at the most, so it can go toward the front of a border. Due to the small leaves, hyssop lends itself to severe pruning, and is sometimes used in a formal herbal knot garden, alternated with grey santolina for a color contrast. Left to grow naturally, however, hyssop forms a somewhat sprawling clump, but does not run or invade new areas.

Hyssop leaves are very aromatic and can be used in pot pourri and even added sparingly to salads, drinks and vegetable dishes. The flavor is somewhat bitter, minty with an overtone of sage.

Medicinally, there are a variety of conditions that hyssop has been used to treat such as coughs, upper respiratory infections and congestion. It has been used topically to help heal cuts and bruises. Oil distilled from the flowers is used in perfume.

**There is a warning in one source, The Herb Society of America Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Uses by Deni Bown, that excessive use of the essential oil of hyssop may cause epileptic fits and death. The oil is subject to legal restrictions in some countries.**

That said, hyssop is perfectly safe for most people to use in tea, salads and as a poultice for cuts and bruises. Please contact an informed herbalist or do more research on your own if you are interested in using any herb medicinally.

Harvest the leaves and flowering tops as the buds open and dry them to use in infusions, syrup, liquid extracts and tinctures.

Hyssop is easy to grow from seed sowed in the spring or fall for early spring planting. You can set cuttings from semi-hardwood cuttings in late summer or fall. To keep your plant neat, spring pruning is recommended. In early spring, even before leaves have come back, you can prune your hyssop plant to a nice, even shape and then leave it grow until you want to cut parts for flowers arrangements or other uses.

Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. -Joseph Addison, essayist and poet (1672-1719)

Until next time,
Good Growing to You,


Cindy Meredith, proprietor

The Herb Cottage
442 CR 233
Hallettsville, TX 77964
phone & fax: 979-562-2153

February 2007

We certainly have been experiencing some extreme weather this winter. From ice storms in Texas to tornadoes in Florida to massive snow falls in New York State, we've all experienced severe weather. Here in South Central Texas, I was concerned about the stock plants in pots outdoors. I covered my benches because, even though the actual temperatures wasn't terribly cold, we had very cold north winds for several days that I knew would burn the leaves of the hardy herbs, lettuce and greens. When the ice came, the plants were safe under their tents of frost blanket stiffened by the ice. Upon uncovering everything, I found bright green parsley, dill, cilantro and fennel. Colorful lettuce seedlings and mesclun mixes were perky and ready for planting. In the garden beds, blooming violets were seemingly unfazed by the weather and continued with their cheery blooms to brighten our still-cloudy days.

Then, just a few days after the cold and ice, we experienced spring-like days with sunny skies and temperatures in the mid to high sixties. I felt like taking everything out of the greenhouse, but knew it was much too early. The false spring was a nice break, though, because the greenhouses heated up and the little herb and tomato seedlings seemed to grow right before my eyes. The cloudy days had definitely slowed down seedling growth. Now, it's cloudy and cool again. But, with spring in sight for us, it's easier to deal with the end of winter.

I realize many of you reading this newsletter have months of winter ahead of you. A positive aspect is that will give you a chance to assess last year's gardening efforts and spend lots of time making plans for this year's garden. There is definitely something to be said for a garden down time. You can plan at leisure and not feel rushed. For you, it's the time to dream and plan with catalogs in hand and a hot beverage by your side. You can plan at leisure and not feel rushed.

Here, we can and do garden year round, and it's difficult to find time to step back and assess last year's or last season's efforts. Mid summer is one down time we have to plan and rejuvenate the gardens for fall. And, often we have a few weeks in January, but it seems Spring comes early and we have to get our plants and seeds out to get crops established before it gets too hot.

For those of you still mired in Winter, it's not too early to be looking at starting some herbs, flower and vegetable seedlings from seed for you own use. It's so inexpensive, and if you have more than you can use, you can share them with other gardeners. Maybe have a seedling exchange this spring. There is a good selection of popular herbs, flowers and vegetables at http://theherbcottage.com/seeds.html.

Since February is the month containing Valentine's Day, a commercial holiday if there ever was one, I thought I'd share some information about chocolate with you that came through an email list from a chef's service. Chocolate isn't really an herb, but it's been proven to have health benefits, when enjoyed in moderation. The following is some information and recipes to warm the heart of you and your loved ones this cold February.

Is chocolate really an aphrodisiac?

On romantic occasions, one of the most popular gift exchanged between lovers is a box of chocolates. Even the ancient Aztecs and Mayans (circa 600 AD) of South America loved it. There are some very good reasons why.

Chocoholics are beginning to understand the secret behind the amorous inclination we have for these brown and white treats. Two doctors, Donald Klein and Michael Leibowitz, theorized that chocolate contains a particular chemical called phenylethylamine (better known as the "love chemical"), which is also present in the brain.

Phenylethylamine, an amphetamine-like substance, is a chemical produced in the brain when people fall in love. Love struck persons produce more of this chemical than people who are not. Initially, Dr. Klein and Dr. Leibowitz joked about the idea of chocolate being an arbiter for people who are in love. They tried to prove their theory, but were unable to finish their experiments. Other scientists followed suit, but were also unable to conclude whether or not chocolate has love potion-like abilities. One study, however, revealed that eating chocolate did not actually increase the level of phenylethylamine in the body, thus ruling out chocolate as responsible for that certain wonderful high.

By nature, however, phenylethylamine is a naturally-occurring trace chemical known to release a certain kind of dopamine in the "pleasure-centers" of the brain. Unfortunately, one of the metabolites phenylethylamine produces also causes a person to become unusually restive. Overproduction of this chemical is found in people suffering from paranoid schizophrenia.

Chocolate also has a substantial amount of tryptophan, an important amino acid that controls the production of the mood-modulating serotonin.

Probably the most distinctive "side-effect" of eating chocolate is its release of endorphines, the body's own endogenous opiates. The production of endorphins consequently gives chocolate addicts that co-called "inner glow" about them (which explains why many chocolate lovers seem to be so gloriously alive).

In the end, science has yet to prove chocolate's efficacy as an aphrodisiac. While some doctors say that phenylethylamine in chocolate is just a mild love-chemical, the debate is still ongoing and it is too early to know if chocolate really is the lovers' delight. Then again, giving your special someone a box of chocolates couldn't hurt.

(Referenced from Chef2Chef email forum, Volume 12, Issue 30, 2/9/07)

For more information on chocolate, an informative web site is: http://www.chocolateexpert.com/index.html

And a recipe I couldn't resist:

Godiva Chocolate Rum Smoothie

This smoothie recipe features Godiva® chocolate liqueur, a rich chocolate liqueur based on Godiva chocolates. Available as white chocolate or dark chocolate liqueurs. We call them "Montezuma's Revenge."

Ingredients:

2 ounces Godiva liqueur

1/2 ounces Goslings Black Seal Rum, or your favorite brand

1/2 banana, peeled and sliced, other half for garnish

1/2 cup vanilla ice cream

Preparation:

Pour Godiva into blender. Add rum, banana and ice cream. Blend until smooth. Pour into chilled serving glass. Garnish with banana slice. Makes 2 drinks.

In the cookies of life, friends are the chocolate chips.

___________________________

Good Growing to You,

Cindy Meredith, proprietor

The Herb Cottage

442 CR 233

Hallettsville, TX 77964

phone & fax: 979-562-2153

---

March 2007

March is a blustery month. Here in South Central Texas, we've been having very windy weather, some very cool days and nights still, and some warm days. We had one morning a few weeks ago that was at 22 deg. F. here at The Herb Cottage. I was not prepared for such low temperatures and lost some potted succulents that were outdoors. The leaves on my big lemon eucalyptus tree froze, but that's happened before and I know the tree will rebound shortly. Already I'm seeing new growth peek out of the ground around the coral porterweed and Mexican Mint Marigold. The Greggi salvias, Salvia aurita, and most of the herbs in the beds look perfect. The parsley, cilantro, cutting celery, oregano and various varieties of thyme as well as the violets I planted in and around the thymes are looking perky and bright. I'm always amazed at how well most of the culinary herbs do in the cold. And how beautiful and rich the colors are this time of year.

One herb I'm very pleased with is the Florence Fennel I planted. The bulbous growth at the base of the stem is getting larger and is almost ready to harvest. I will be planting more so there is always greenery for the butterflies as well as more delicious fennel for salads and side dishes. The Bronze Fennel I planted near the green is doing equally well. It's not as tall as the green yet, but is bushy. I'm surprised this plant isn't a better seller because the color is so warm and coppery. It's as good a butterfly attractor as the green and adds a very different color to the garden. It looks good planted in beds with purple and gold color flowers such as marigolds, anise hyssop and sage. It lasts a long time and the little yellow flowers it produces only add to its allure.

Lavender growing is becoming very popular here in Texas and I get lots of people looking for information regarding varieties and conditions it likes. I'm by no means an expert on lavender growing on a large scale, but I've been growing different varieties in the herb garden for many years. The varieties that seem to do the best here in our humidity and long hot late summers are the lavindins and hybrids, the intermedia. Some popular cultivars are Grosso and Provence, although more similar ones are being developed. One I like is Gros Bleu, which is similar to Grosso, but with bigger flowers. Provence has more slender flowers and they are spaced farther apart on the stem than the Grosso or Gros Bleu, but it is the one that is used for culinary purposes. The balance of the oils is just right for using the flowers in baking, traditional French cuisine and even tea and drinks.

The angustifolia, or English Lavender varieties, don't seem to do as well here, probably due to the combination of heat and humidity we experience. To grow them is a challenge. Some folks simply grow them from fall through early summer and consider them as annuals. That's one way to go and not have the stress and worry about bringing them through the late summer and early fall conditions.

One easy way to use lavender in tea, drinks and baking is to make lavender sugar by placing a few lavender buds in a jar of sugar and closing it up for a few days. Remove the flowers and you now have lavender flavored sugar to be used in lemonade, tea, or any plain sugar cookie, shortbread, pound cake or cake recipe. Not everyone likes the flavor of lavender, though, so go easy with it until you learn how your family, or you, like the taste.

Those of you living where the snow is deep on the ground and winter shows little sign of abating, now is a good time to start seeds for planting out when spring does come. To me, there is nothing so satisfying in gardening as growing plants from seed. It's just miraculous to put a tiny seed in the soil and watch it germinate and grow. Most herb varieties will take 6 to 8 weeks from seeding to produce a viable transplant. Some perennials may take more time.

By far the easiest herb to grow from seed is basil. But, if you don't have a nice warm spot, and even have a way to keep the soil warm, it may be a little early to start basil. But, dill, cilantro, nasturtiums, lettuce and arugula are very easy from seed. If you've never grown Hibiscus sabdariffa, or Roselle, the red in "Red Zinger" Tea, it's very easy. It takes a fairly long growing season, however, so it's best to start it early. It's another one that really like the warmth, so don't be too impatient with it. Keep it indoors until the weather really warms up.

You'll be surprised at how big and lovely the plant gets with its reddish pods and small creamy yellow flowers. I've tried every year to over winter it, but have only been successful a handful of times. My greenhouses don't stay warm enough to keep it happy. It's so easy to grow from seed, though, that it's hardly worth the trouble of watering it and worrying about it all winter. This year, it was doing well until January when we got some cold temperatures. The plant lost most of its leaves and then fire ants got into the big pot. I treated the ants with diotomaceous earth and got rid of most of them. But, the recent very cold temperatures did the plant in, I think. If you have a sunny window in a warm room in the house, you could grow it indoors over the winter and enjoy it, too. I don't know if it would flower or not, however. The plant itself is very attractive and worth growing just for that reason. There is a good picture on the seed packet on The Herb Cottage website, seed page: http://theherbcottage.com/seeds.html

This is also the time to start the long season vegetable plants from seed such as tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. There is nothing like the taste of that first warm home grown tomato off the vine. Bell peppers, sweet and juicy, are so much tastier and more tender when they are homegrown. If you like eggplant, growing your own offers you the choice of many different varieties, not just the big purple ones in the store. Home grown eggplant is tender and very tasty. If you've never grown your own, you are in for a taste treat. And, the plant is so pretty with its purple and yellow flowers that turn into long narrow purple fruit or round green of the Apple Green or the striped Listada de Gandia. Some of these varieties are on the seed page or are being added to the seed page at http://theherbcottage.com/seeds.html and some are offered as plants.

This year why not try a couple of heirloom tomato varieties. The flavor is so much more "tomatoey" than most hybrids often offered as seedlings. The Herb Cottage has a good selection of heirlooms seedlings as well as seed for you to try.

As I mentioned in a previous newsletter, I am offering a selection of herbs and vegetable plants, especially heirloom and open pollinated tomato plants for sale by mail order this year. You can download a copy of the catalog from the home page: http://theherbcottage.com or send me a note or email and I'll send you a paper copy of the catalog. To purchase plants you will have to have an order form this year and either mail it or fax it to me. Only the selection of Botanical Interest Seed can be bought directly on-line through Pay Pal. Seed is also available in the printed catalog as well.

I hope you've gotten a little spirit of spring from this newsletter. The renewal of spring is an exciting time for gardeners and growers. All things seem possible from the best herb and flower gardens to the neatest and most weed-free vegetable beds, we all strive to reach our gardening goals.

You can bury a lot of troubles digging in the dirt. ~Author Unknown

Good Growing to You,

Cindy Meredith, proprietor

The Herb Cottage

442 CR 233

Hallettsville, TX 77964

phone & fax: 979-562-2153

March 2007

March is a blustery month. Here in South Central Texas, we've been having very windy weather, some very cool days and nights still, and some warm days. We had one morning a few weeks ago that was at 22 deg. F. here at The Herb Cottage. I was not prepared for such low temperatures and lost some potted succulents that were outdoors. The leaves on my big lemon eucalyptus tree froze, but that's happened before and I know the tree will rebound shortly. Already I'm seeing new growth peek out of the ground around the coral porterweed and Mexican Mint Marigold. The Greggi salvias, Salvia aurita, and most of the herbs in the beds look perfect. The parsley, cilantro, cutting celery, oregano and various varieties of thyme as well as the violets I planted in and around the thymes are looking perky and bright. I'm always amazed at how well most of the culinary herbs do in the cold. And how beautiful and rich the colors are this time of year.

One herb I'm very pleased with is the Florence Fennel I planted. The bulbous growth at the base of the stem is getting larger and is almost ready to harvest. I will be planting more so there is always greenery for the butterflies as well as more delicious fennel for salads and side dishes. The Bronze Fennel I planted near the green is doing equally well. It's not as tall as the green yet, but is bushy. I'm surprised this plant isn't a better seller because the color is so warm and coppery. It's as good a butterfly attractor as the green and adds a very different color to the garden. It looks good planted in beds with purple and gold color flowers such as marigolds, anise hyssop and sage. It lasts a long time and the little yellow flowers it produces only add to its allure.

Lavender growing is becoming very popular here in Texas and I get lots of people looking for information regarding varieties and conditions it likes. I'm by no means an expert on lavender growing on a large scale, but I've been growing different varieties in the herb garden for many years. The varieties that seem to do the best here in our humidity and long hot late summers are the lavindins and hybrids, the intermedia. Some popular cultivars are Grosso and Provence, although more similar ones are being developed. One I like is Gros Bleu, which is similar to Grosso, but with bigger flowers. Provence has more slender flowers and they are spaced farther apart on the stem than the Grosso or Gros Bleu, but it is the one that is used for culinary purposes. The balance of the oils is just right for using the flowers in baking, traditional French cuisine and even tea and drinks.

The angustifolia, or English Lavender varieties, don't seem to do as well here, probably due to the combination of heat and humidity we experience. To grow them is a challenge. Some folks simply grow them from fall through early summer and consider them as annuals. That's one way to go and not have the stress and worry about bringing them through the late summer and early fall conditions.

One easy way to use lavender in tea, drinks and baking is to make lavender sugar by placing a few lavender buds in a jar of sugar and closing it up for a few days. Remove the flowers and you now have lavender flavored sugar to be used in lemonade, tea, or any plain sugar cookie, shortbread, pound cake or cake recipe. Not everyone likes the flavor of lavender, though, so go easy with it until you learn how your family, or you, like the taste.

Those of you living where the snow is deep on the ground and winter shows little sign of abating, now is a good time to start seeds for planting out when spring does come. To me, there is nothing so satisfying in gardening as growing plants from seed. It's just miraculous to put a tiny seed in the soil and watch it germinate and grow. Most herb varieties will take 6 to 8 weeks from seeding to produce a viable transplant. Some perennials may take more time.

By far the easiest herb to grow from seed is basil. But, if you don't have a nice warm spot, and even have a way to keep the soil warm, it may be a little early to start basil. But, dill, cilantro, nasturtiums, lettuce and arugula are very easy from seed. If you've never grown Hibiscus sabdariffa, or Roselle, the red in "Red Zinger" Tea, it's very easy. It takes a fairly long growing season, however, so it's best to start it early. It's another one that really like the warmth, so don't be too impatient with it. Keep it indoors until the weather really warms up.

You'll be surprised at how big and lovely the plant gets with its reddish pods and small creamy yellow flowers. I've tried every year to over winter it, but have only been successful a handful of times. My greenhouses don't stay warm enough to keep it happy. It's so easy to grow from seed, though, that it's hardly worth the trouble of watering it and worrying about it all winter. This year, it was doing well until January when we got some cold temperatures. The plant lost most of its leaves and then fire ants got into the big pot. I treated the ants with diotomaceous earth and got rid of most of them. But, the recent very cold temperatures did the plant in, I think. If you have a sunny window in a warm room in the house, you could grow it indoors over the winter and enjoy it, too. I don't know if it would flower or not, however. The plant itself is very attractive and worth growing just for that reason. There is a good picture on the seed packet on The Herb Cottage website, seed page: http://theherbcottage.com/seeds.html

This is also the time to start the long season vegetable plants from seed such as tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. There is nothing like the taste of that first warm home grown tomato off the vine. Bell peppers, sweet and juicy, are so much tastier and more tender when they are homegrown. If you like eggplant, growing your own offers you the choice of many different varieties, not just the big purple ones in the store. Home grown eggplant is tender and very tasty. If you've never grown your own, you are in for a taste treat. And, the plant is so pretty with its purple and yellow flowers that turn into long narrow purple fruit or round green of the Apple Green or the striped Listada de Gandia. Some of these varieties are on the seed page or are being added to the seed page at http://theherbcottage.com/seeds.html and some are offered as plants.

This year why not try a couple of heirloom tomato varieties. The flavor is so much more "tomatoey" than most hybrids often offered as seedlings. The Herb Cottage has a good selection of heirlooms seedlings as well as seed for you to try.

As I mentioned in a previous newsletter, I am offering a selection of herbs and vegetable plants, especially heirloom and open pollinated tomato plants for sale by mail order this year. You can download a copy of the catalog from the home page: http://theherbcottage.com or send me a note or email and I'll send you a paper copy of the catalog. To purchase plants you will have to have an order form this year and either mail it or fax it to me. Only the selection of Botanical Interest Seed can be bought directly on-line through Pay Pal. Seed is also available in the printed catalog as well.

I hope you've gotten a little spirit of spring from this newsletter. The renewal of spring is an exciting time for gardeners and growers. All things seem possible from the best herb and flower gardens to the neatest and most weed-free vegetable beds, we all strive to reach our gardening goals.

You can bury a lot of troubles digging in the dirt. ~Author Unknown

Good Growing to You,

Cindy Meredith, proprietor

The Herb Cottage

442 CR 233

Hallettsville, TX 77964

phone & fax: 979-562-2153