Marjoram (Origanum majorana) is a milder and sweeter cousin of the popular pizza seasoning oregano, but not as well known. It’s usually referred to as ‘Sweet Marjoram, while, interestingly, oregano is called ‘Wild Marjoram’ (Origanum vulgare) in their native Mediterranean region. Both belong to the mint family.
You’ve finally developed the perfect outdoor living space. You have comfy chairs, cooling fans, and lighting strung in the trees to set the mood. What better way to welcome summer than by throwing a vibrant garden party with your closest friends on your newly revamped porch or patio? Of course, you need fabulous potted plants and vines to complete the look, but no party is complete without these healthy and refreshing summer teas. Check out our favorites below!
Lemon balm is often grown in gardens to fight the mosquito menace. The active mosquito-repellant component is citronellal, which gives the herb its pleasant lemony smell. Fortunately, that smell is repulsive to insects.
Though onions are usually easy to grow, gardeners who want to plant onions face a universal problem known as bolting that can plague even the most skilled gardener. So what is bolting and how do you keep it from happening to your onions? Read on to find out.
Inflammation is your body’s natural protective response to an injury or illness and can help speed up healing and encourage your body to repair itself. This is referred to as acute inflammation and is a healthy, helpful process. However, chronic inflammation, when your body is continually inflamed and at a heightened state of emergency for an extended period, can be incredibly detrimental. Rather than protecting your body, inflammation has suddenly become the enemy and can lead to pain and a host of health issues.
If you live in a part of the country that regularly experiences temperatures between 90 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the summer months, you have good cause to be concerned about your plants in the baking heat. Though plants do need the bright sun and usually thrive in the summer, the blistering intensity of a heat wave combined with less rainfall can often cause serious problems for your garden. Here are 5 ways to protect your garden this summer.
Once you have the materials and a plan, you can build an herb spiral in an afternoon. This sturdy bed will last for years to come and is an excellent way to maximize space, save water, and keep your herbs close by. Follow these simple steps to create your own herb spiral today!
This innovative garden method is the urban gardener’s dream. It takes a long, space-monopolizing row bed and turns it into a compact, efficient spiral that utilizes vertical real estate and creates an ideal environment for many types of herbs. So what exactly is an herb spiral and why should you build one in your garden? Read on to find out!
What is an herb spiral
An herb spiral is exactly what the name suggests. It is a coiled garden in a raised spiral shape. This design was created by author and gardener Bill Mollison and was inspired by many spiral shapes that are found in nature such as snail shells and seashells. The spiral ramp is wide enough for most common herbs and creates a highly productive, energy efficient garden ideal for a compact space.
The herb spiral allows you to plant many herbs together that wouldn’t normally do well in the same garden because it creates microclimates in the small area. When you water an herb spiral, you water from the top and allow the moisture to flow down along the natural curve of the bed. This makes care incredibly intuitive since you don’t have to worry about over or underwatering. In an herb spiral, plants that are on the bottom layer of the spiral should be ones that don’t mind the soil staying a little bit wet, such as mint and cress, while the top of the spiral stays reserved for herbs that prefer dry soil such as rosemary and oregano.
Benefits of an herb spiral
So why not just plant your kitchen garden in a typical raised bed? Aside from saving space, what are the benefits of an herb spiral?
Acts as an insulator
The stones, bricks, or blocks that you use to build the bed will act as an insulator and help the soil retain heat during the colder months. More heat means you get to enjoy fresh herbs later in the season.
You can easily access all sides
Since it is a round garden, it is easy to access all sides for planting, harvest, and care. You don’t have to worry about trampling other herbs next time you need to grab some cilantro for your homemade salsa.
It looks cool
Everyone will be asking about your herb spiral once it is bursting with fragrant plants. Creating one is deceptively simple, and it adds an interesting element of height and stone to your garden.
Varying levels of sun exposure
Not only does the herb spiral allow you to customize your herb garden according to water needs, but you can also plant based on varying sun requirements. It is best to place your herb spiral in a sunny area since most herbs prefer bright sunlight. However, some don’t want as much as others and can be planted accordingly on the shady side of your spiral.
You can plant it right on your patio
Herbs should always be planted as close to your kitchen as possible. This makes it more likely that you’ll run out to grab a few extra garnishes before your evening meal and you won’t have to worry about traipsing through your whole garden to find some mint leaves for tea. Herb spirals aren’t restricted to an open area of soil. Since it is technically a raised bed, it can be created right over concrete or any other unyielding ground.
Low maintenance
Once established, herb spirals practically take care of themselves. In many areas, most herbs are perennial and will come back every year. Plus, the longer they have been growing, the less water and care they will require.
Total control over the soil
Unlike planting straight into the ground, where you have to go through the arduous process of amending the soil and mixing in compost, an herb garden allows you to have complete say over what goes into the soil. This allows you to ensure only the best quality compost and planting soil are used and protects from excessive weed growth.
You can install a pond at the base
If you love water features in the garden (and let’s be honest, who doesn’t?) you can dig out an area for a small pond at the “end” of your spiral, or where the water runoff goes. Install a small pond with a bubbling fountain and your excess water won’t go to waste. This added feature will help make your herb spiral truly stand out in your garden.
Interested in making an herb spiral? Stay tuned for our next article to learn how to build one in just a few simple steps!
-Taylor Ramsey
Chia seeds are tiny black/white seeds of the plant Salvia hispanica belonging to the same family as mint and basil. They have a long history of cultivation in South America, where they were a staple food of ancient civilizations.
Some of my favorite childhood memories involve digging into the earthy ground with my mom and telling our plants to “grow well” as we gave them a drink of water and patted the soil down. My sisters and I would wait anxiously to see the product of our labor and harvest our fresh summer strawberries, eating them straight off the plant with the warm, sticky juice dripping down our chins.
All soils are not made equal. Seasoned gardeners know this only too well, but newbie gardeners often learn it the hard way, and the bad experience may even turn some off for life.
Susan has been nurturing her gardening tips and advice for over 00 years, it’s fair to say she knows her beans. She’ll be sharing her knowledge from tried and tested methods.
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