Imagine yourself walking out to your garden or patio and being greeted by a spicy fragrance. All around you are pots and containers filled with culinary herbs such as fresh thyme, oregano, and basil. You reach down and take a snip or two of these fresh herbs and wander back into your kitchen to add them to the pot simmering on the stove. Sounds fabulous, doesn't it?
I can't think of anything more rewarding than growing your own culinary herbs. When I started gardening, these were the first plants that I placed in my yard, my first “babies” so to speak. Since then I have tried growing many different varieties of culinary herbs, in both containers and in the soil. Some with more success than others. But each one has been a joy to grow.
There are a wide variety of culinary herbs. Thyme, basil, oregano, rosemary, sage, and marjoram are used a great deal in cooking. Others, such as French tarragon, savory (summer and winter), and lavender have been relegated to the back of the herb and spice shelf. Nearly all are easy to grow, usually perennial in nature, and are readily found in most garden centers.
Once established, most herbs adapt easily to containers and small spaces, use low water, and are both heat and cold hardy. Some herbs, such as sage, don't mind poor soil and seem to thrive in it. Chives, on the other hand, like soil to be rich and soft with plenty of drainage. Always check the grower's information for plants that work well in your area. Choosing herbs that best suit your environment, climate, and space constraints will help guarantee their health and success.
When deciding whether to plant your herbs in containers or directly in your garden, you will need to be aware of their growing patterns and potential size. Herbs that are in the mint family, such as oregano and marjoram, can get quite large and spread quite rapidly in a garden environment. If you have lots of room, great. But they will begin to compete with less hardy varieties after the first season. I've found that growing culinary herbs in containers saves me a lot of time and frustration down the road.
In pots or containers, gardens and raised beds, culinary herbs are a definite must for both the beginner and expert gardener. Their beauty, fragrance, and flavors will grace your garden, as well as your kitchen, more many years to come.
Happy gardening!
Terry Pellegrini will graduate from the 2020 Master Gardener Program, congrats!
Please join Terry and Rho Yare for our next virtual gardening class in partnership with the Stanislaus County Library.
Tuesday, June 30, 2020 from 6:00-7:30 p.m. on Zoom. Sign up at http://ucanr.edu/virtualherbs/2020
You say "Herbs, I say "Erbs," but they all are fun and delicious!
Please join our Stanislaus County Master Gardeners Rho Yare and Terry Pellegrini online for a fun evening learning about the wonderful world of culinary herbs, including:
-Which herbs grow best in the Central Valley of California
-How to plant and care for herbs
-What herb plants need to thrive
-How to make tea
-Harvest and storage methods
-Rho and Terry's favorite tips for using herbs
-Library books you can download free from our local library!
There will be time for questions along the way, so be sure to type yours in the Q&A box. Also, get ready for some fun polls to ask about how you use herbs!
Our program is excited to present this interactive webinar. We hope to "see" you online and introduce you to the wonderful world of herbs!
When: Tuesday, June 30, 2020 from 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Where: on Zoom.
How: sign up to receive the link by email at: http://ucanr.edu/virtualherbs/2020
Please sign up to receive the link by June 30, 2020 at 4 p.m.
If you don't have Zoom or have to miss the class, watch it later on our Stanislaus County UCCE Master Gardener YouTube Channel!
From UC IPM Pests in the Urban Landscape blog.
According to Gary Goodman, District Manager of Sacramento Yolo Mosquito and Vector control, many residents are anxious and excited to get outside and enjoy the warm weather so it's important to protect yourself from mosquito bites by wearing a good mosquito repellent.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend using an insect repellent that contains the active ingredients DEET, Picaridin, IR3535 or the plant-based oil of lemon eucalyptus.
Aside from personal protection against mosquito bites, it's important to ensure mosquitoes are not breeding at home. Drain stagnant water from sprinklers, irrigation, and rainstorms. Be sure to check your backyard and dump any water in flower pots, kiddie pools, tires, pet dishes, bird baths and other common household containers that can hold water.
Another ongoing concern is the invasive mosquito Aedes aegypti which has been detected in several counties throughout Southern California and the Central Valley. For county level information, see this map. Invasive mosquitoes pose a significant health threat because they can transmit dangerous viruses including Zika, dengue fever and chikungunya. Surveillance efforts have continued since the initial detection last August. To date, no cases of Zika virus have been reported in California.
For more information on mosquito identification and management, see our recently revised Pest Notes: Mosquitoes. Additional information on vector-borne diseases is available on the California Department of Public Health website.
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- Author: Anne E Schellman
The UCCE Stanislaus County Master Gardener Demonstration Garden and Outdoor Classroom!
What would this look like? We envision an accessible garden everyone can visit and explore.
Garden Days
Each week, volunteers will be available for a few hours so you can stop and ask your gardening questions. Once a month, they will be around on the weekend.
Our demonstration garden will also be a place to hold fun events like tomato tastings, kids' gardening activities, health fairs, and Stanislaus County sponsored events.
Demonstration Gardens
Imagine meandering paths through colorful and inviting gardens that showcase plants and gardening methods, including a water-wise garden, California native pollinator garden, herb and vegetable garden, fruit orchard, and children's sensory garden.
Outdoor Classroom Amphitheater
Sign up for a class and sit outside and listen to a Master Gardener led class on how to install drip irrigation, prune fruit trees, or compost. Then, “get your hands dirty,” by practicing installing drip irrigation, pruning a fruit tree, or layering a compost pile.
How Can You Help?
Some generous local sponsors have offered to help with in-kind donations of irrigation materials. We need your help in raising funds to help with lawn removal, plants, path material, mulch, and other items. If you know an Eagle Scout or Girl Scout Troupe that needs a project, we are happy to speak to them about benches and gardening art as well!
Donate Now
Please make your gift for #BigDigDay, on June 5, 2020 now to help us get our garden started!
Using the drop-down menu, select “Stanislaus County.” Your donation will go directly to help us fund the garden. Stay tuned for future posts telling you when we break ground and start work!
If you know of an organization willing to donate materials, that's great too! Please contact us at ucmgstanislaus@ucanr.edu
Photos in this post to help us imagine our new garden are from our sister program, the UCCE San Joaquin Master Gardener Program, located in Stockton.
- Author: Anne E Schellman
Native Pollinator Gardening in Your Backyard was recorded on May 26, 2020. Our guest speaker, Chris Howington from Natural Resources Conservation Service, quizzed attendees on their knowledge of pollinators, described the three types of pollinator nesting, and gave examples of what types of plants pollinators prefer.
Chris also spoke about the insect apocalypse, and what is causing dwindling numbers of bees, butterflies, and many other species. He details how you can help by creating an area in your landscape for pollinators!
Here are some resources to go along with the presentation:
- Find plants that work best in your area to provide pollen and nectar for pollinators from the Xerces Society
- How to build a “bee house,” from Michigan State University
- Read the latest research on native bees from UC Berkeley Urban Bee Lab