Lemongrass

Great Story on NPR about Lemongrass

Market this Saturday

Hoping for good weather since we will be out-of-town the next few Saturdays. Yeah Portland, OR!! Meanwhile we will be at the All-Local Farmers Market from 8-12 this Saturday. We have Basil ready to grow, as well as many other good looking plants. Check the here for a complete list.

Plant List for Saturday Market

Herb Plants Available this Saturday--APR 09, 2011, 8am to 12pm --
All Local Farmer's Market

Lemon Balm, Quedlinburger Niederliegende
Anise Hyssop (OG)
Catnip (OG)
Parsley, Forest Green (curly)
Parsley, Giant of Italy (flat)
Lavender, Lady
Lavender, French Long
Spearmint
Peppermint
Oregano, Greek
Sage, Common (OG)
Thyme, German Winter

Wild Weather....Brrr!!

The weather has been pretty crazy so far this spring. The storm last night produced 70 mph winds and downed a few pine tree branches in our yard. The herb plants are all fine...but a few hostas were damaged.
Hopefully tonight will be the last real freeze warning for the season. We have used the red warmer lamp way more than we planned. It did come in very handy. Now that the tunnel is getting full of plants we may have find other methods to keep the babies warm.

Herb of the Week - 04/04/2011

It's been a while for Herb of the Week. We have been very busy this spring keeping the little plants happy and healthy. So, without further ado, this weeks herb is a favorite of our feline companions. You guessed it... Catnip! Kitties of the world unite! Have your people plant you some catnip ASAP. Catnip is an easy perennial to grow in sunny areas with moderate soils. The plant attracts benefical insects to your garden...and possibly even the neighbors cat:)

My babies are coming up!

I'm happy to share that many of my babies have already started to sprout. Some are much earlier than expected. Considering that I only planted them on Sunday the 6th, I have Thyme, White Sage and one Lavender variety already sprouting. Baby girl is very excited to see the sprouts emerge. I showed her a time lapse video of seeds sprouting and since then she has been very cognoscente to not disturb the little babies, so I'm very proud. I'm still a little worried about having enough sun to grow up the plants, but I have to try and always hope for the best and not worry about the rest.

Herb of the Week - 01/31/2011

Common Sage is the herb for this week. I discovered that Salvia and "Sage" are derived from the Latin salvere ("to save"), referring to the healing properties long attributed to the various species. So, not only is it delicious in stuffing and sauce, but has recently been found helpful in management of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. Very cool stuff!

Herb of the Week - 01/24/2011

This weeks herb is Rosemary! One of the most popular and easy to grow herbs around. Great for landscapes, cooking and as a wonderful bee attractor. This plant has something for everyone!

Herb of the Week - 01/17/2011

How sweet it is! Stevia is the Herb of the Week. Stevia is gaining in popularity for it's use as a sweetener. In our area it's primarily grown as an annual. Stevia likes sun and isn't too picky about soil conditions. Use the leaves to sweeten your ice tea!

Herb of the Week - 01/10/2011

This weeks herb in the spotlight is Coriander . Most commonly referred to as Cilantro in the US, which I learned is from the Spanish translation.

Seeds are purchased!

After months of pondering whether THIS was going to be the year to revive Erin's Urban Herbs, it came down to a gut feeling...Just do it! It is a labor intensive business, but in the end it makes me happy.
Today's activity of purchasing seed is like an all-in in poker. Once you press "Submit Order" there is NO turning back.
I spent hours researching prices and available herb seeds from two different companies. In total, we purchased 27 distinct herbs and 43 varieties. I'm happy with the selections and look forward to watching my babies grow. Come around February my house will be dirty with seed starter and glowing with artificial light.