Common Herbs in your House and Yard: part 5 – Mullein – Poppies to Radish Greens

part 4: M,N,O,P

in this chapter: Mullein, Mint, Nasturtium, Oregano, Parsley, Plantain, Poppies, Radish leaves.
Some inside, some outside. Chapter continues to be a work in progress. I’d love to read your comments below.

MULLEIN

Mullein is a big, tall, unique looking plant with long fuzzy leaves, and in the flowering years it can reach six or seven feet tall. Introduced to North America with European settlers, it is considered a weed, that grows wild in fields and ditches in many parts of BC and Alberta. Some of the leaves can grow about two feet long.

Pronounced ‘mull-en’. People often want to give it more pizzaz when they say the word, but its just boring ol ‘mull en’.

in the garden

Mullein is a hardy biennial in the western states and provinces from zone 3 to 9. It loves sun and dry, so its the perfect plant for the backdrop of a country flower garden, or along sunny fence lines. It is drought resistant so once it gets established, it will pretty much take care of itself. It requires winter dormancy before it can flower. Yes its a weed, but its a great ‘weed’ so don’t be a bigot; bees love the yellow blossoms and birds eat the seeds. If you don’t want the seeds to disperse freely, then remove the flower stalk before it seeds. Personally, I don’t mind plants that self seed if they’re easy to pull up where I don’t want them. Mullein is easy to pull up, so I mostly let the wind or birds plant them where they want and I pull them up where its not gonna work for me. In fact, that’s how it came to me. As a gift from either the wind or some of my bird friends. I didn’t know what it was for a couple of years. Since its a biennial, it was different the second year, and confused me when it didn’t come back the third year, but a few babies took its place. My philosophy is to never kill something I don’t understand, and since it was new (and very interesting), I decided to let it prove itself to me. I figured it out finally and we understand each other now, and have a good relationship. It grows tall, so it needs room to be what it wants to be, but its so fun for the kids to touch the soft fuzzy leaves that I want it in a place where they can enjoy it.

Fun fact: because the leaves are so big (up to two feet) and soft and fuzzy, the aboriginal people and early colonists lined their shoes with the leaves to protect from the cold.

As a biennial, the first year is the leaf year, getting only about three feet tall; the stalks and blossoms grow in the second year. Its small, yellow flowers are densely grouped on a tall stem, which grows from a large rosette of leaves.  It won’t come back the year after it seeds, so if you can manage it, its good to have a few mullein plants in various stages of their development to ideally, you always have the tall yellow flowered stalks.

In the spring, when a cluster of a few plants appear here and there, I keep two or three at most in any given area and remove the others to replant elsewhere or two give away. With a little care, they’re easy to transplant.

Mullein is reputed to have expectorant and cough suppressant properties that make it useful for relief of the symptoms of sore throat and coughs. It has been used traditionally for respiratory conditions such as cough, asthma, pneumonia, and colds, but there is limited scientific research to support the claims. Currently the jury is still out on the medicinal uses of Mullein so for now, I use it only as an ornamental herb in my garden, and will continue to stay on top of continued research.

MINT

Mint is a fast-growing, aromatic herb that is more of a common part of our life than we might realize. Who is not familiar with the flavours of peppermint and spearmint, or the scent of mint in general? It is a hearty perennial with fragrant, toothed leaves and tiny purple, pink, or white flowers. One of the most popular aromatic oils and flavour extracts, there are over thirty different mint varieties. While I admit to being tempted sometimes into trying various ‘flavours’ over the years, in the end, I just want a normal mint for my purposes. I know, probably boring. What can I say?

fun fact: mint is native to Europe, Asia, North America, southern Africa and even Australia! It is widely distributed throughout the world and grows best in wet, moist soil.

in the garden

Mint is vigorous in the right conditions, and is known for its ‘aggressive’ nature and reputation for taking over the garden, so for years I tried to keep it separate and contained. But the gardens that are ‘separated’ in my yard usually don’t get as much sun, and my mint never really did that well – certainly nothing I would refer to as ‘aggressive’. A few years ago, I admitted defeat and transplanted my mint to a more luxuriously sunny spot in my herb garden that is not contained. There it is doing very well. I finally reasoned that if I wanted to benefit from it then it deserved some advantages too. Even mint needs attention. I am watchful of it, and will keep it under control. This year I went even one step further and planted some spearmint in another garden spot in my yard. My neighbour has mint growing on her east side just outside her gate. It get a lot of sun and does very well, but she doesn’t use it. So I do. Thank-you Jodi. So currently, I have peppermint in my herb garden, spearmint in my “protected zone” and who knows what kind of mint growing in my neighbour’s garden that is accessible to me. It is not uncommon for me to gather some of all three varieties and use them together in whatever dish I am preparing.

A very good way to grow mint IN the garden without the risk of it spreading beyond where you want it, is to use containers IN the soil. Dig a hole and plant the pot to ground level or an inch above if you prefer. This gives it the advantage of being in the ground, which protects it during the winter, but restricts its root growth. I have never done that, but I expect, ever few years, you’d want to dig it up and thin it out. Planting mint in regular pots on the patio or elsewhere above ground may contain it, but it is less likely to survive the winter that way. Although mint will do well in several different conditions, it likes a rich moist soil so give it your best.

in the kitchen

Mint leaves can be harvested once the plants are ready to flower, but for daily use, I snip pieces of them all summer long as needed. I use it as an ingredient in several summer-type dishes that I prefer fresh, and so only make in the summer, like watermelon salad and tabouli salad. I use fresh mint to flavour cold water all summer long, or dried – for mint ‘tea’ in the winter.

To pick, I clip a stem down a few inches to the top of a new set of leaves. Then after washing, gently dry with a tea towel, then tear away the leaves and use a very sharp knife to chop on a cutting board. I use my ulu knife and board. I only use them raw – mostly in salads or salsas, but if you’re going to add them to a hot dish, add at the end of the cooking process to help maintain their delicate flavor and texture.
– Chop fresh mint and throw into a fresh fruit salsa with chopped apples, pear, lime juice, jalapeno, and honey,
– or with chopped strawberries, cantaloupe, honey dew melon and a little lime juice,
– or a refreshingly flavourful watermelon salad – diced watermelon, chopped mint leaves, fresh lime juice (or lime powder), a little olive oil and crumbled feta. (*hint: I love lime, but go ahead and substitute lemon if you prefer)
– I love finely chopped cucumbers and lightly chopped mint leaves in water with ice. So refreshing.
– or mint tea – pour boiling water over a handful of fresh or dried leaves. Allow to steep for 5 of so minutes and drink hot. Sweeten as desired. I add a portion of a stevia leaf for sweetening.

other uses

– Mint is a calming herb that people have used for thousands of years to help soothe an upset stomach, indigestion and even headaches. Use it in a cool drink or in a tea.
– Mint oil is popular as a natural mosquito repellent as the strong scent is apparently unappealing to most insects, and is an effective way to treat many insect bites too.
– After a long hot day in the garden, sprinkle a few handfuls of fresh mint into your bath water. The cooling sensation of it will reduce your temperature very effectively.
– Mint leaves, especially freshly crushed ones, will help you deal with nausea and headache. During pregnancies a strong mint tea was the only relief I used to get from headaches.
– Chew mint as a natural breath freshener.
– Because of its amazing scent, use it in potpourri.
– Mint has earned its spot in my garden. I wouldn’t want to go through a summer without it.

NASTURTIUM

Nasturtiums are interesting looking plants, with their bright greenery and vibrant flowers, great for pots, hanging baskets or planted directly in the garden. The first time I ever saw them they were spilling over in three gorgeous hanging baskets at the entry way of my friend Dorothy Beck’s beautiful home just outside of Devon, Alberta. She filled her baskets with nasturtiums every spring, and I never see them without being reminded of her. In fact it was Dorothy who first told them they were edible, although I’m pretty sure she never ate them lol. Since then, I’ve come to know and appreciate them much better. They are so much more than a pretty flower.

They’re double agents actually, passing equally for flowers or herbs when it suits them, and they’re they perfect choice for cut flowers on your table, hanging in your yard, planted in your flower garden, or dispersed among your vegetables as companions. They’re super heroes in your vegetable garden – sacrificing themselves for the health of other plants.

in the garden

Nasturtiums are slow to germinate, so you might want to get a head start by seeding indoors 3 to 4 weeks before the last spring frost. If you haven’t done that, give them the advantage of soaking up to three days before planting directly into your soil mid May.  Remember, they take a long time to germinate (which is why planting them indoors is good) so be patient. Expect at least two weeks, and even then – they might take longer. I know. I told you – be patient. This year I didn’t decide to plant nasturtiums till it was too late to start indoors, so I soaked the seeds four days and planted directly into planters. I had a vision for what I wanted in an arrangement of five pots, them spilling from one to the other. Once they were planted, I tried to be really good about watering, but after over two weeks (it seemed like longer), I gave up and admitted defeat. I concluded that I must have either soaked them too long, or let them dry out once they were in the soil. Argh! They were new seeds so I was fairly confident they were good. It was undoubtedly my fault. So with empty pots, I went out and bought some lobelias to take their place. Another week at least went by before I started seeing a bunch of cute little round faces of nasturtium seedlings peaking up at me. Little stinkers! “Where were you when I was waiting for you?” I was happy to see them though, and now I’m gonna have some fuller pots than I expected. Interestingly, I even found some nasturtiums growing in my potting soil as well – evidently where I dumped some starter soil back into the box after giving up. I love love love happy surprises, so its all good. I transplanted some among my cucumbers, tomatoes and squash, for their companionable benefit. If I find any more strays, I’ll continue to plant them into my vegetable garden.

In addition to being a down-home-beautiful flower, nasturtiums are useful in your garden for a number of reasons. Their bright flowers attract pollinators – which is a good thing, but they also attract pest insects – which is also a good thing. I know that doesn’t sound right, but by planting one or two among your squash, tomatoes and cucumbers for instance, they will act as decoys for aphids, weevils and certain types of beetles – protecting the vegetables, becoming sacrificial plants for the betterment of your garden’s society. Thank-you nasturtiums. See, I told you they’re super heroes.

The leaves are very identifiable – a most interesting perfectly ROUND shape. And the flowers are unique too. Bright, vibrant colours, funnel shaped with cute little spur-things on the back. They prefer moist, well drained soil in full sun but will tolerate partial shade. They actually prefer poor soil, and will bloom better there, so if you have a less desirable spot, nasturtiums can be your perfect tenants. They need no fertilizer, in fact the more fertile the soil, the fewer blooms and more foliage you’ll get – which is fine because both leaves and flowers are edible and equally delicious. But just because they’re content in poor soil, doesn’t mean they don’t need to be cared for. You should water them regularly throughout the growing season – being careful to not let them sit in soggy soil. Good drainage is the key. If they get too dry you’ll notice them drooping, but don’t worry, they’re quick to forgive when you give them a nice drink of water. Like me, they prefer the non-really-hot days, and will do better in the early and later parts of the season. Perfect for our northern gardens.

Dead-heading throughout the summer will prolong blooming, and if you’re growing in containers, trim them back from time to time because they can get gangly. If you’re using them in the kitchen regularly this shouldn’t be too difficult to keep up with.

Planning ahead: save seeds to plant more next spring. In late summer / early fall, when the plant starts to wilt and shows you that its tired and really wants to die, let it. Allow the seeds to dry out on the vine. They’ll fall off, but collect them, brush off the soil and bring them inside. Once they’re completely dry, store them in a labelled and dated non-plastic envelope with your other seeds. I say ‘non-plastic’ in case they aren’t completely dry. You don’t want them to get moldy during the winter.

Fun fact: Nasturtiums are native to central America, from Mexico to Peru, where the native people used the entire plant as food. Europeans brought them to the Old World in the 1500’s where they were quickly adopted.

in the kitchen

Nasturtium leaves and/or flowers are an excellent addition to any garden leaf salad. They add colour and interest and a brilliant, bright, peppery flavour. As soon as they have 4 leaves, I consider it fair game to pick a leaf or two from each plant. In fact, like most of us, they’re more tender when they’re young, so don’t waste a minute. Once they start blooming, you’ll be able to add the flowers to your salads too. Even the stems and seeds are edible and delicious. Such a valuable plant! And beautiful too. It seems there must be a down side to them, but I haven’t found it yet.

Picking the flowers of course keeps more flowers coming. Its part of the game we play with annual flowering plants: they want to go to seed, its how they survive; we try not to let them go to seed. In their quest to produce seed, they continue to flower. In our quest to prevent seeding (and therefore postponing the ‘end‘), we continue picking the flowers. So in actual fact, the more you eat, the more will grow. * hint: pick in the morning while they’re still plump from the dew.

Eventually, the season will draw to a close, or your nasturtium plants will simply get away from you and go to seed regardless of your best efforts. That’s alright too, remember even their seeds are edible! You can add them in salads or even better . . . . you can pickle them in vinegar and use them just like capers. As soon as the flower dies off, pick the seed. The seeds are about the size of pea seeds, and they should be green. If they’ve already ripened and are brown, don’t use them for ‘capers’, but don’t waste them. Set them aside for planting next spring.

recipes

It hard not to like the flavour of nasturtiums in a salad, both leaves and flowers. They do more than look great. The leaves have that sweet peppery, a little spicey taste like a young radish, and the flowers – similar but a little milder and sweeter. But don’t stop at salads. You can eat the stems and seeds too. The seeds are made into ‘nasturtium capers’.

I admit not everyone in our house likes capers. Come to think of it, it might just be Dan who doesn’t like them. They’re strong flavoured, tangy, even pungent. Nasturtium capers aren’t gonna be a whole lot different, so if you like capers you’ll love them, if you don’t you won’t. Because they’re so strongly flavoured you won’t use a lot in any recipe so they go a long way. I love them, especially in a broccoli pasta dish my mother-in-law used to make, or in a Greek Salad. Any recipe you can find for using capers, can be substituted with nasturtium capers.

The only tricky part with nasturtium seeds might be to find lots of them at the same time. But don’t worry about it, pick what you’ve got and start as if you’ve got a cup. Then continually look for more, adding to your ‘pickling seeds in the jar’ with vinegar as you pick them. Soon enough they’ll catch up to the others and they’ll all taste the same in the end. Remember if the seeds have gone brown, leave them to finish ripening and then use them to replant next year, you want GREEN seeds for this recipe. You can also make nasturtium capers using a salt brine instead of vinegar. The process then is ‘fermenting’ instead of pickling. I’ve never done it, but maybe I might give it a try next summer.

Nasturtium Capers recipe
1 cup green nasturtium seeds
1 cup white or light coloured vinegar (your choice)
1 teaspoon sea salt
options: * a little bit of freshly ground pepper or some peppercorns slight crushed in your mortar and pestle, * a few sprigs of fresh dill if desired * use 1/2 vinegar and 1/2 water with 2 more teaspoons sea salt for more of a fermented result

Rinse the nasturtium seeds blotting them dry on a clean towel. Put into a 1 pint pickling jar.
Fill a small saucepan with vinegar, salt, and water if you’re using it. Bring to a boil, then let it sit to cool. If you’re using dill and/or pepper, add a few sprigs to the jar, then pour pickling solution overtop. Seal.
You can set aside out of direct light for three or four days to begin the fermentation process, or put directly into the fridge. Allow to sit for at least 3 weeks, but the longer they sit, the more flavourful they’ll be. You can probably keep them longer, but best to use within a year or so. Fill a small saucepan with water, vinegar, salt, and sugar, bring to a boil. Add a few sprigs of fresh dill in the jar, then pour pickling solution over the pods. Just in time for the garden to give you more. Enjoy.

Ways to use Nasturtium capers:
* in a tuna salad sandwich * in a simple creamy pasta sauce * in deviled eggs * in potato salad * My favourite way (and the dish where I learned to love capers) was one my mother in law used to make. Here’s to you Mom (Miriam Ruth Beck Thomas).

Not really a typical recipe – here goes:
Miriams’s Broccoli and Capers with Pasta
Bring water to boil and salt. While its heating, prepare a dressing using about 1/4 cup (or less if you’re not making much) capers and about the same amount of its brine (vinegar), crushed garlic, olive oil and a dash of red chili seeds. Set aside to wait for pasta.
Cut up broccoli stems and florets into bite sized pieces. If you’re using small pasta, use small pieces, if using bigger pasta like rotini, use bigger pieces. Set aside to wait for pasta.
Boil pasta in salted water just until el dente (not over cooked).
In the last minute or two, throw in broccoli. Don’t turn your back on the broccoli.
Cook only long enough for the broccoli to turn its brilliant green colour. Drain immediately and pour into serving dish. Pour dressing over top and toss to coat all.
Sprinkle with grated parmesan if desired, and freshly ground pepper.

Nasturtium leaves in pesto
I’m just using my traditional pesto recipe here, substituting the leaves

3 – 4 cups packed nasturtium leaves (or combine them with basil or other garden herbs)
2 cloves garlic
little bit of sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup almonds or walnuts
1/2 cup olive oil (or more)
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Combine washed greens, garlic, salt & pepper, nuts and olive oil in blender or food processor. Blend till almost smooth. You’ll have to push the leaves down from time to time. Stir in parmesan afterward.  Be flexible here, add a little more oil if needed, add a little more cheese if needed.
optional – add a small squeeze of lemon juice at the end for some nice zing

Nasturtiums have earned an honoured place in my garden.
I can’t imagine a year without them.

OREGANO

Oregano is a staple in every herb garden. Primarily because it is so doggone easy to grow, and easy to please. It is super friendly and loves everything and everyone; a real confidence booster for first time gardeners.
* Spring came early this year? Great! Oregano will be one of your first plants to green up.
* Late spring? Don’t worry about it. Oregano will be pushing through the cold nights like a trooper.
* Lots of rain and hardly any sun? No problem. Oregano can be its own mini rain forest.
* Lots of sun and a little on the dry side? Gotcha covered. Oregano is very forgiving on either end of the spectrum. For a plant that originates in the hot areas of the Mediterranean, it is surprising how hearty an established plant can be in a typical Canadian year.

in the garden

Oregano is a hearty perennial that makes a useful ground cover in any sunny part of your garden. It may start out low, but can grow up to two feet high when mature! It has a lovely pink to lavender coloured flower (some varieties might have white flowers) so I make sure to have it in a few different spots: my herb garden of course where I keep it trimmed by harvesting, and in a couple of my flower gardens where I allow it to flower to use in bouquets and flower arrangements. Strip off the lower leaves to use fresh or dry and then enjoy the flowers in a jar of water. Because its so independent (not one of those high maintenance fair weather friends), oregano is the perfect beginner for any herb or backyard garden. If you’re much north of Edmonton, or live out in the country where your garden is open, its possible your oregano might not make it through every winter. Just be prepared for this and don’t take it personally. That’s one reason I keep it in a few DIFFERENT spots throughout my garden. I don’t want to put all my eggs in one basket, and we do live in Canada after all. I even grow some in my vegetable garden as it is a friendly and helpful companion to many other plants.

Most useful and even culinary herbs are considered weeds (we are such name calling bigots), and as such they’re not particularly fussy about the soil in which they grow. Oregano is no exception. Not surprisingly then, rich loamy soil is not even desirable for oregano. It actually prefers sandier, lighter soil that drains well. So if you have a difficult spot in a sunny area (rock garden, along a sidewalk, or close to your kids’ sandbox) – let your oregano show you what its made of. If you’re in an apartment with a sunny side, or small condo with limited patio space, oregano will do well in a pot. If you live where I live though, be prepared, a pot makes it a one season plant as it won’t likely survive the winter outside of the ground. Best to plant it IN the ground if you have a spot available, so that it can come back, but if you don’t – no problem, just treat it like an annual and replant it again next year. It does best in sun of course, but doesn’t demand full sun. Other than that it is virtually trouble free and maintenance free. Having said all this, my garden has excellent rich soil and I really don’t have a poor-soil place to plant it, so it is where it is. Thankfully its pretty difficult to offend oregano.

Oregano plants are in the mint family (and a close cousin of marjoram) so they propagate themselves through root expansion. I wouldn’t call them ‘invasive‘, but they will spread if not contained, so you can call that whatever you want. I like this fact and it keeps my oregano plentiful so that I have lots to move around and to give away.

It can be started from seeds but they take a long time to germinate. Catalogs offer a wide variety of seeds, but unless you’ve got your heart set on a particular type that you can only get by seed, spend a few bucks and get a plant from your local nursery. Better yet, get a cutting or division from a friend, then you’ll know exactly what to expect and you’re more sure of its hardiness. After a few years, you can divide your own plants to spread oregano to different parts of your garden, and share with friends.

Few garden pests bother oregano, (another great attribute), in fact the strong scent of oregano repels pests, making it an excellent companion plant in your vegetable or flower garden or under fruit trees.

Many use oregano oil as a natural insect repellent, and even as bug spray for your household plants! Simply add a few drops to a spray bottle with water, and spray your plants with it. You will keep aphids away.

in the kitchen

Oregano is a MUST-HAVE in any kitchen garden, probably the herb I use the most during the cold months as it is so wonderful in soups, meat stews, pasta sauces, chicken dishes, dressings, and roasted vegetable dishes (especially any with a Mediterranean flavour. One of my favourite ways to use it in the summer months is with a few other herbs on vegetables roasted over the barbeque with a little bit of olive oil.

Fun fact: did you know that climate, soil, and moisture can cause variation in the flavour? That means that your oregano can be quite unique to YOU.

As with most herbs, oregano leaves taste best before the plant flowers. In my herb garden I pinch the flowers to keep the plants bushy and prevent it from bolting to seed. In my flower garden, I allow them to flower and then cut to use in the house in flower arrangements. Either way, cutting the flower off keeps the plant vibrant.

To harvest (anytime after the plants are close to 6 inches), simply clip with some kitchen scissors or clippers. I cut the stem right to the ground to encourage more stems from the base and keep the plant looking plump. I pick the bigger, older stems that are a little more ‘woody’. Swish lightly in clean water to wash and shake excess water off in the sink. Let sit on a clean tea towel to let the wetness dry off, and when no longer damp, strip the leaves from the top by holding the top and sliding your finger the thumb down the stem.

Conveniently, harvesting = pruning. Most woody, perennial herbs don’t require pruning to grow. They’re fine left to their own devices and given the right growing conditions, in fact many will become shrubs or carpets of ground cover. But in a well kept garden, pruning will improve the look and strength of the plants, and the whole idea in a home garden is to USE the herbs anyway right? Pruning also encourages new growth which will have the best flavour. Having said this, the flowers of the oregano plant attract bees and other friendly pollinators which is very desirable in any garden, so allowing some flowers to stay on the plant is a good thing. There simply is no bad way to grow oregano. It is going to like you and help you no matter what you do or don’t do regarding it. Wouldn’t we all like to have friends this loyal and forgiving?

I use it fresh all summer in salads, and many other dishes, and use it dry all winter in tons of hearty meat or vegetable dishes. One can even make into a tea or tea blend – which is quite tasty bytheway. I sometimes use it in my pesto to supplement basil if I’m a little low on basil. When you know something is super nutritious as well as delicious, your incentive to use it MORE is enhanced.

However you use it, just make sure you do!

oregano is good, and good for you

More than just a culinary herb to use in the kitchen, oregano is rich in antioxidants, boasting one of the biggest antioxidant ratings. Keep in mind of course that we don’t eat handfuls of oregano like we eat handfuls of berries, but just knowing that should make us want to include them as much as possible in our diet. Rich in Vitamin K, (a lesser known but important nutrient), it is helpful in preventing heart disease and building strong bones.

Oregano is well known to strengthen our immune system, so make sure you have plenty on hand for flu and cold season. Because it has powerful antibacterial and anti-fungal properties oregano oil is very popular. It has a remarkable ability to fight bacteria and studies indicate that it’s antimicrobial quality is not diminished by heating. For those who suffer from arthritis and other inflammatory conditions, it is helpful to know that oregano contains a substance known as beta-caryophyllin, which inhibits inflammation, so we can add anti-inflammatory to the list of favourite ‘antis“.

Oregano has earned its honoured place in my garden, and I love that the flowers attract bees which are welcome guests. I highly recommend it in your herb, flower, or vegetable garden.  A single plant can yield you enough to use fresh during the summer and enough to dry for the rest of the year.

I’d love to hear your Oregano story. 
How do you grow it and where? 
What are your favourite ways to use it? 
Any tips for the rest of us?

PARSLEY

Culinary. Breath freshener and helps with digestion, it is often used on plates as garnish, but we are missing out on the benefit if we think its only decorative. Parsley is native to the Mediterranean area.

in the garden

Parsley commonly comes in two varieties, – flat leaf or curly leaf. Both are biennial plants with bright green leaves, but don’t get your hopes up – in the Edmonton area, it comes back less than half the time, so be prepared to either plant by seed, or rebuy from the nursery every spring. It is in the same family as dill.

If you’re starting your own plants indoors, its best to start well in advance as parsley is a slow starter and can take up to three weeks for the seeds to sprout. Consider about twelve weeks before you want to plant them outside, that makes it mid February in my world. For better germination, soak the seeds for a day or two before planting. For this reason, and because I only want a two or three plants, I usually just buy them from the nurseries.

Easy to transplant into the garden, give them a sunny spot and drains well. Water well in the beginning to get established, and then from time to time as needed. One plant will give you as much fresh parsley as you’ll probably ever need in one season, but since I dry for the winter, I plant a few. I use both the curly and the flat leaf parsley for different things so I grow them both. They say the flat-leaf type has better flavour, but I can’t say as I ever noticed, certainly never put them to the test. To me, they’re interchangeable as desired. Whatever your personal preference is.

fun fact: Parsley is one of the world’s most popular herbs and is widely used in European, Middle Eastern, and North American cooking.

using parsley

I snip leaves from the outer portions of the plant throughout the season, letting the smaller branches mature. Swish in clear water and flick water off. Tear into desired pieces, or chop on cutting board. I have an ulu knife that I use for thousands of things – chopping herbs is just one of them.

To dry, I cut off the branches of clean parsley and either dry on clean kitchen towel or the dehydrator depending on how much I have to dry at any given time. I don’t pre-chop.

* method 1 – lay the parsley (minus the bigger stems) on a clean kitchen towel and leave to air dry on the table for several days. When completely dry and brittle, stuff into a glass jar, label, cover and store out of the light.
* method 2 – if its humid or you’ve got a lot to dry, or are pressed for time, lay the clean parsley on dehydrator shelves. Turn on the dryer and leave for several hours. If I have to leave the house for any length of time, or I’m going to bed, I turn the dehydrator off to prevent it from running longer than I want it to. When the parsley is completely dry, stuff into a glass jar as for method 1.

I’ve tried to keep a parsley plant in a sunny window in the winter time, but I’ve never had much success. No matter how sunny my window is, the sun just isn’t sufficient in the winter to keep it nice. I am kinda into eating parsley ‘fresh’ in the summer as that is when I’m more likely to make things that require a lot of fresh parsley like TABOULI because of the other ‘fresh’ produce I’m getting from the garden. I don’t mind using dry parsley in the winter as my winter cooking is different than my summer cooking and it works just fine for me.

Parsley is packed with important nutrients and offers many health benefits.
Particularly rich in Vitamins A, K, and C. Vitamin A is essential in a healthy immune system and eye health. Vitamin K supports bone health and blood clotting. Two tablespoons of parsley gives you more than the recommended daily amount for Vitamin K. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, great for heart health and vital to our immune systems. Parsley is also a good source of minerals such as magnesium, potassium, folate, iron and calcium.

PLANTAIN

Plantain is a low growing perennial weed common throughout most of the world, introduced to North America (like so many things) with settlement by Europeans. Whether you knew the name or not, the chances of you being familiar with plantain is very high, as it is found on disturbed ground almost everywhere – city, town, farm, meadow, woods, … you name it. In earlier days it became known as “white man’s foot” because it was common along roadsides and other disturbed areas. The seeds would stick to the boots of the travelers and to their animals. It grows and spreads in areas close to people and domestic animals. Interestingly, it is also wind pollinated so not dependent on bees, and the seeds along the spikes are popular with birds.

For all the above reasons, it has come to be a noxious weed in North America. Kind of ironic as the definition of noxious is “injurious to physical or mental health“, and plantain although perhaps irritating to farmers, can be very beneficial and in different parts of the world it is actually cultivated as a crop. See below for more. …..

I have transplanted plantain plants to a ‘protected area’ of my garden, where weeds are allowed to grow in peace and safety. It has taken me a few years to educate the people I live with about the value in some plants so that the ‘weeds’ can be left to thrive. They don’t pretend to understand me. They just roll their eyes and shrug their shoulders and promise to stay out of the protected zone. This year, I had to transplant in two more plantain plants because my well meaning mom dug them out in the spring. lol – But I think we’ve made progress. I have put up a sign in that section of my garden that say “Let it Grow“. It was my daughter’s slogan; I voted for “Weeds have rights too”, but she was the one who made the sign so she had veto power.

The seeds and tiny flowers extend just about the full length of the spikes. The leaves are broad and oval shaped. The stocks holding the tiny flowers grow up from the roots.

They say that plantain leaves are edible, though you’d want to eat them very young in the spring as they get bitter and a little tough as the season wears on. I have never eaten them so don’t have an opinion. The seeds are also edible and when cooked will swell. I’ve never eaten them either but see below for some amazing uses of the seed.

It is used as a fresh poultice (called spit poultice) for insect bites. To make a ‘spit poultice (I know, I don’t like the name either), pick several leaves, and mash them together. You can put them in your mouth and chew up to make a green mush – hence the name. This could take you awhile as the leaves can be fibrous and …. well, chewy. The enzymes in your saliva apparently help release the healing and antiseptic properties from the leaf, and give it the proper texture to apply to the bite area. Wrap with gauze or other clean fabric to keep it on for several hours, replacing when it dries out. Similarly it is valued for its soothing quality and is used in salves for open sores.

Fun fact: because of its excellent water solubility, plantain seeds – also known as “psyllium”, is commonly used in commercial bulk laxatives. The seeds absorb water and become a thick, viscous compound that resists digestion in the small intestine. This resistance to digestion allows it to help regulate high cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood sugar levels, as well as relieve mild diarrhea and constipation. Unlike some other sources of fiber, the body typically tolerates psyllium well, making it a helpful natural choice.

Most of the psyllium seed used in North America comes from India as the herb is not commercially grown in North America. People use psyllium as a dietary supplement, available in the form of husk, granules, capsules, or powder. Manufacturers also fortify breakfast cereals and baked goods with psyllium. Psyllium husk is the main active ingredient in Metamucil, a fiber supplement that reduces constipation.

POPPY SEED

One of my garden’s most pleasant surprises is a sudden midsummer splash of RED interspersed here and there throughout. I first discovered Poppies quite by accident, in the little Ukrainian neighbourhood of our tiny farm-town – Calmar, Alberta. We were a year or two into our very first real garden, in our very first real home – an old, rundown house that we loved and fixed up. I worked hard in my garden, trying to keep it as weed free as possible, but one evening when I was wrapping it up for the day, I surveyed my work and noted a single tall weed in the middle of my potato patch. It looked so strong and healthy I didn’t have the heart to pull it out, so I left it. The very next day it rewarded me with a big, gorgeous red flower the like of which I had only seen in pictures. My neighbour confirmed it was indeed, a poppy. A weed. That was my first experience with the idea that the word ‘weed’ is a relative term. We really shouldn’t get so tied up in the word, as if it defined value. And yet we know we do. I learned that my poppy produced seed, the same poppy seed so popular in Ukrainian baking. It was the beginning of a life long friendship. Me and poppies.

That single poppy was the beginning of a dynasty. It did what all poppies do after they bloom, it went to seed. Inside a poppy pod are thousands of tiny seeds. At first white, they ripen into an assortment of grey and black. I took those ripened seeds and broadcast them all over my garden. The next year I had lots, and so it began. I brought the seed with me to every house I’ve lived in since then, and shared them with everyone who asked for some. In the mid 80’s we lived in a townhouse for two years while Dan went back to school. We’d lost our house to the economic downturn in Alberta at the time, and had come back to Edmonton for what we thought was a couple of years. (So much for that theory, 35 years later we’re still here.) My poppies were growing in the only sunny spot my small yard offered, one we prepared under our front window, with the many other flowers and herbs we brought with us. Together these flowers softened the discouragement I felt at the time, and made our new dwelling more of a home. After my poppies bloomed, some stupid neanderthal came one night and cut off all the unripe pods, taking them. Of course there was a purpose – it’s an opium poppy after all, and I supposed the thief knew secrets I didn’t know. I never grew poppies in a front yard again.

Poppies are a bright, colourful, early summer addition to any flower, herb or even vegetable garden. All they need is sun. They can grow to three feet high, maybe higher. Straight and tall, with beautiful toothed, light green leaves and striking crepe-papery flowers that tower over their neighbours. They come in lots of different colours, but of this type I have only ever had red with slight variations on red.

I learned long ago that when they grow in clumps of several, or for crowding reasons they don’t gt enough sun, they will not grow very big, so its important to thin them out to no more that two or three relatively close together, and make sure they are not shaded by nearby plants. Single poppies (with less competition for sun) will grow the tallest, making the biggest heads, hence the biggest flowers, and ultimately the most seeds.

Because I have limited space, my gardens are rather . . . . . . FULL, and sunshine becomes a premium resource. I don’t want the poppies being shaded, but I also can’t have them shading lower plants either, and I want good airflow in my gardens, so there are concessions the poppies have to make too so that all my plants are happy. Because I am waiting for their seeds to ripen, they’re in that spot for the entire season, so after the plant has finished its flamboyant display, I pull off the lower leaves, allowing for better air flow and more light to come in. The plant can still ‘ripen’ as for all intents and purposes it is ready to die anyway.

Truth be told, I’d grow poppies just for their brilliant flowers, brief as they are in bloom, but every stage of the plant pleases me. Its a lovely plant as it gets ready to flower and the flower is spectacular. Then when they’re ready, the seeds are edible, often sprinkled on top of bagels and used in muffins, breads, cakes and salad dressings. And when all is said and done, the dried seed pod is its own kind of beautiful, making a classy statement in the maturing garden, and a striking addition to dried fall flower arrangements.

Poppies possess natural pain-relieving properties, making it an important medicinal plant in the pharmaceutical industry. Most medicinal opium comes from Turkey, India, and Australia. The sap from the unripe poppy seed pod contains compounds used to make morphine, which is what made it an important medicinal plant thousands of years ago in southwest Asia.

growing

Poppies are easy to grow. They want sun, and otherwise don’t ask for much. They don’t even need good soil, and will grow almost anywhere. There are many different varieties and colours, and from the same seed, I have occasionally had pink or even double flowering blossoms. Such is the miracle of genetics. The poppy is an annual flower, and I broadcast seed freely when I harvest it in September or October. It sits dormant all winter and when the conditions are right in summer, they start to grow. It is not uncommon for me to have sporadic blooms from the beginning of July through the end of August.

I have heard that mixing the seed with a little sand helps to evenly distribute it. Good idea, but I’ve never done it. The plants have a deep taproot and do not like to be transplanted. Don’t even bother trying to transplant, just gather the seed and start fresh in the spring. I always have so many plants volunteering from the seed I sprinkled liberally the previous fall, that I simply pull the ones that are too crowded or in spots I don’t want them to grow.

using poppy seeds

Truth is, poppies are the source of opium, morphine and many other drug compounds. For centuries they’ve been used as mild sedatives and pain relievers, all the way to life and soul destroying drugs. Personally, I decided decades ago I wasn’t interested in pursuing any use other than to the ripe seeds as a food. So while I acknowledge the darker side, I’m not going to waste anytime debating where the line is regarding it.

As a food, poppy seeds contain essential minerals like calcium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, zinc and iron, as well as some B vitamins and omega 6 fatty acids so necessary to a healthy heart. They have a distinctive nutty taste and are used whole or ground into meal as an ingredient in pastries and breads. I have always loved poppy seed muffins, cakes and breads, but the true Eastern European poppy seed roll was an acquired taste. Having said that however, I really like it now. Recipes abound for tons of dishes so be adventurous and try them. My faves include:
Poppy Seed cookies, muffins, scones, bundt cakes, loaf cakes and even angel food cakes.
Poppy seeds as a topping for breads, rolls, bagels etc.
Poppy seed dressing for salads.

Poppy Seed Dressing:
1/2 cup mayonnaise,
1 T lemon juice, 1 t lemon zest and 1 T sugar mixed together to dissolve sugar
1 T liquid honey
1 T poppy seed
Use whisk to gently combine all ingredients. Refrigerate till ready to use over top salad.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on any of these valuable garden herbs.

Radish Leaves

okay, I know – radishes are vegetables. But did you know that the leaves are not only edible, they’re great tasting and super nutritious too? I’ve never much liked radishes themselves. As a child I didn’t like their strong peppery flavour, although my mom enjoyed them and we always had some on hand to add to green salads. As an adult, I tried them from time to time to see if they got better, but nope. I even grew them a few years, hoping that their home-grown-ness would appeal to me more. Nope. If anything, they were even stronger. So its kind of a mystery to me why, a couple of years ago, I purchased some radish seeds. Two packages actually. I know, right!?! I am pretty sure I had no intention of eating them. I had heard that some gardeners use radishes as a row marker for carrots since they are so quick to germinate and carrots are infamously SLOW to germinate. That interested me and I decided to give it a try.

When the radishes germinated, they were a refreshing sight of early green in the garden. As they grew they were tender but strong and vigorous, and one day when I was out looking for new greens to add to a garden salad, they called to me. I reasoned that radish seeds were often in sprouting mixes I had used in the past, so I invited them to my salad party. They did not disappoint. Their flavour was mildly peppery – not the over powering pepper of a radish bulb. Their texture was tender and delicate, and most appealing. I became an instant convert, and I picked them regularly from then on – for salads.

But radishes grow up, and they developed the traditional radish bulb we are familiar with. I still don’t like those, and I noticed that the greens got a little tougher and even a little prickly, and stronger tasting. Their appeal in a garden salad lessened, but my loyalty to them remained. It was their nutrition that I couldn’t ignore. Like broccoli and kale, radish leaves are a nutritional powerhouse, but they’re a heckuva LOT easier to grow. They’re also rich in vitamins A, B6, and C as well as minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and iron, and folic acid! They have long been reputed to speed up digestion.

I decided to try doing something different with them. Something that didn’t care about their prickly texture. PESTO. Because as most people know, Pesto is the solution to most of life’s problems. Wash well in cool water as the coarseness of their texture holds grit. If I end up with a few radish bulbs in my collection of greens, I add them. They’re not good to me for anything else anyway. I cut the radish in half to make sure there are no wormie things inside – a nasty sometimes occurrence. I use a Vitamix blender, because this will get pretty thick. I recommend something similar.

Radish Pesto

5 (or so) cups radish leaves packed into blender
3 or 4 whole cloves of garlic. Don’t even bother taking the husks off when using a high powered blender. Instead of garlic cloves, I use entire stalk (including bud on bottom) of garlic chives. A good sized handful, coarsely chopped.
Juice of a whole lemon (sometimes I’ll throw in half of a lemon rind and all)
1/2 – 1 cup almonds
1/2 – 1 cup olive oil, slowly added (begin with 1/2 cup and add slowly if necessary)
salt and pepper to taste (begin with 1/2 t salt and 1/4 t pepper and then go from there, tasting all along)
1 cup parmesan cheese (I use freeze dried parmesan)

I realize the amounts might seem a little ‘unprecise’, sorry, I don’t know how to do it any other way. But it really is about availability, and personal preference. Whatever works for you. Begin somewhere and go from there.
Put the greens in the blender and turn on low, pushing down as needed with the plunger, and pausing frequently to scrape down sides. Once the leaves have reduced a little in volume, add the garlic and lemon juice, and slowly begin drizzling in the olive oil, continuing to run the blender and using the plunger to ensure everything gets pureed. You don’t have to use all the oil, just until the texture is right. Slowly add the almonds a few at a time; you don’t have to use the whole cup.
I like the texture of the parmesan so I only add HALF of it in the blender, and I stir in the rest by hand later.
Let pesto sit for about 15 minutes if possible before you use it. And use FRESH! That’s the whole point. Leftover pesto can be stored in the fridge for several days to have on hand for other uses. During the summer, I make several batches of pesto to freeze for use all year long. Its been recommended to hold the parmesan when freezing, then add later. Sometimes I leave it out, sometimes I don’t. Can’t say I’ve noticed any difference actually, but then I use freeze dried parmesan and maybe that makes a difference (?) You can decide yourself.

Enjoy. I would love to hear your comments about any of these herbs and recipes.

Warmly,

Cindy Suelzle