The oyster mushroom gets its name from its cap which, some say, resembles an oyster. The stem of the oyster mushrooms is perhaps more distinct; it unfurls something like one of those old-time paper lady's fans. The oyster mushroom has...

Never miss a recipe!

Enter your email address to subscribe to Harvest to Table free via email:

Topics Index

almanac apples artichoke arugula asparagus basil beans beets best bet varieties blueberries bok choy books broccoli brussels sprouts cabbage carrots cauliflower celery chard cherries chilies Chinese cabbage Chinese leaves compost cooking cool-season vegetables corn cucumbers dates delicious bite delicious bites dried beans eggplant farmers market fennel fresh this week garbanzo bean gardening tips garlic grapefruit grapes herbs horseradish hot peppers how to grow in the garden kale kitchen garden kitchen garden almanac kohlrabi leeks legumes lemon lettuce mandarin orange melons mint mushrooms mustard greens nectarines okra olives onions oranges parsnips peaches pears peas peppers pests and diseases pests diseases problems potatoes pumpkin radish recipes rutabaga salsify seed starting shallots soil Southern Hemisphere spinach spring onions squash strawberry summer squash sun-dried tomato sunchokes sweet corn sweet pepper sweet potato tangerine tomato turnip turnip greens vegetable garden watermelons winter squash zucchini

Tag Results

15 Tag Results from Harvest to Table

Pagination:

15 result(s) displayed (1 - 15):

How to Grow Lemon Balm

Lemon balm is a perennial herb that grows best in cool weather. Sow lemon balm in spring about the average date of the last frost. Seed can also be sown in late summer. Root divisions can be planted at any time during the growing season. Lemon balm will die back to the ground in freezing weather, but regrow in spring.

Visit the Herb Archives for all of the articles on herbs: click here.

Description. Lemon balm is a perennial herb, a member of the mint family. It grows 12 to 24 inches high and about as wide. Lemon balm is shallow-rooted and fast-spreading. It has lemon-scented, oval, toothed leaves, opposite arranged on four-sided stems. Lemon balm flowers in summer; the small white flowers are borne in tight clusters at the leaf axles. Lemon balm is deciduous; it will die back to the ground in freezing weather, but regrow from the roots in spring.

Yield. Grow one lemon balm plant per household.

Site. Plant lemon balm in full; it will tolerate shade. Grow lemon balm in well-drained, sandy loam; lemon balm will grow in almost any soil. It prefers a soil pH of 6.7 to 7.3.

Continue reading "How to Grow Lemon Balm" »

How to Grow Anise

Anise is warm-season annual herb. Sow anise in the garden as early as 2 weeks after the average last frost date in spring. Anise requires a long, frost-free growing season of about 120 days.

See all of the herb growing articles at the Herb Archive: click here.

Description. Anise is a low spreading bright green bushy plant that grows 12 to 24 inches tall and almost as wide. Lower leaves are broad and lobed; upper leaves are feathery. Anise flowers in midsummer, small yellowish-white flowers in umbrella shaped clusters.

Yield. Grow one anise plant per household.

Site. Plant anise in full sun. Anise grows best in well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Anise will grow in poor soil. It prefers a soil pH of 6.0 to 6.7.

Continue reading "How to Grow Anise" »

Bees and Herbs

Bees in the garden are a good thing. Bees pollinate about 75 percent of all of the food crops in the world.

Many culinary herbs will attract bees to your garden. Grow herbs and you will get double-duty attracting pollinators and bringing flavorings to the kitchen. Many herbs can be harvested cut-and-come-again, leaves, flowers, and seeds. That means you can enjoy many of these herbs all season without replanting.

Herbs can be planted in an herb bed or spread out to the corners of your vegetable beds to make sure bees stop along the way to visit your vegetable crops as they move from one herb to another.

Here are several herbs that attract bees to the garden and also can be used in the kitchen.

Herb	Part used	Use
Anise	Seeds, leaves	Licorice-like flavor for baked good, soups.
Bee Balm	Leaves, fresh and dried	Shred leaves and petals for green salads. Use flowers in sandwiches.
Borage	Leaves	Shred leaves for cucumber flavor in salads or sour cream.
Fenugreek	Leaves, fresh and dried; seeds	Use leaves as a vegetable, cooked with potatoes, spinach, or rice.
Lemon balm	Leaves, fresh and dried	Tea; lemon-mint flavor also used in cooking fish and poultry.
Mints	Leaves, fresh and dried; flowers for salads and garnishes	Favoring for carrots, eggplant, peas, potatoes, tomatoes, and zucchini. Use in marinade, jelly, and sauce.
Oregano and Marjoram	Leaves, flower knots	Use in Italian cooking, for pasta sauces, pizza, roasted vegetables. Greek dishes: souvlaki, baked fish, Greek salad. Mexican dishes: beans dishes, salsas.
Sage	Leaves, fresh or dried; flowers as garnish	Flavoring for meats and poultry. Good with apples, dried beans, cheese, onions, tomatoes.
Sweet Basil	Leaves fresh	Companion to tomatoes in salad, sauce, soup. Also with fish and seafood and roast veal and lamb.
Thymes	Leaves and sprigs; flowers for garnishes	Withstands long, slow cooking--stews, casseroles, soups; enhances other herbs.
Winter Savory	Leaves and sprigs; flowers for garnishes and salads.	Flavoring in long-cooked meat and vegetables dishes and stuffings, often with green and fava beans.

More herb growing tips at the Herb Archive, click here.

Easy grow herbs: THE KITCHEN GARDEN GROWERS' GUIDE.

Continue reading "Bees and Herbs" »

How to Grow Caraway

Caraway is a biennial herb that grows best in cool weather. Sow caraway in spring or autumn. Caraway can be sown in spring as early as the soil can be worked, about the date of the average last frost. Caraway can be sown indoors earlier for transplanting out or start new plants from cuttings taken from new growth in summer or fall.

More herb growing tips at the Herb Archive: click here.

Description. Caraway is a biennial herb that grows from 12 to 24 inches tall. It has bright green, finely cut leaves that grow in a short rosette from an edible taproot similar to parsnip. Caraway flowers on 2-foot stems in its second year producing umbrella-like clusters of white and pink flowers. Seeds ripen about a month after flowering just before the plant dies.

Yield. Grow one caraway plant per household.

Site. Plant caraway in full sun; it will tolerate partial shade. Caraway grows best in well-drained sandy soil. It prefers a soil pH of 6.0 to 7.0.

Continue reading "How to Grow Caraway" »

How to Grow Savory

There are two types of savory: summer savory and winter savory. Summer savory is an annual. Winter savory is a perennial. Both can be planted in spring about the time of the average last frost date or started indoors as early as 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost. Both will be ready for harvest about 70 days after planting.

Savory in the kitchen and served: use less salt. Click here.

Visit the Herb Archive for more herb growing tips: click here.

Description. Summer savory is a fast growing annual. It grows upright to about 18 inches tall as a loose bushy plant. Summer savory has needle-shaped leaves to about 1 inch long on four-sided, gray-green stems. Summer savory flowers are light purple to pink.

Winter savory is a semi-evergreen bushy perennial that grows to about 15 inches tall. It also has needle-shaped, dark green leaves to about 1 inch long on four-squared stems that become woody with age. Winter savory has small white or purple flowers.

Winter savory has a piney, sharp flavor. Summer savory is sweet flavored.

Yield. Grow one savory plant per household.

Site. Plant savory in full sun. Summer savory prefers a rich, well-drained organic soil; winter savory prefers a well-drained, sandy soil. Savory prefers a soil pH of 6.7 to 7.3.

Continue reading "How to Grow Savory" »

How to Grow Borage

Borage is a warm-season annual herb. Sow borage seed in the garden after the average last frost date in spring when the soil has warmed. Borage can be started from seed indoors, but it forms a taproot and does not transplant well. Borage will self-seed once established.

Visit the Herbs Archives for other herb growing tips: click here.

Description. Borage is a tender annual that grows 2 to 3 feet all. The stems and leaves are grey-green and covered with stiff velvety hairs; leaves grow 4 to 5 inches long. Borage has light blue, star-shaped flowers that grow in drooping clusters beginning in midsummer.

Yield. Grow one borage plant per household.

Site. Plant borage in full sun; borage will tolerate partial shade. Grow borage in well-drained but moisture-retentive soil rich in organic matter. Borage prefers a soil pH of 6.0 to 7.0. Borage will grow in alkaline soil that is well drained.

Continue reading "How to Grow Borage" »

How to Grow Common or Sweet Fennel

Common fennel, also called sweet fennel, is a cool-weather perennial herb grown as an annual. Sow common fennel seed in spring as early as 2 to 3 weeks before the average last frost date. Common fennel also can be sown in late summer or early fall for harvest before the first frost.

Looking for Florence fennel, the vegetable: click here.

Description. Common fennel is grown primarily for its seed and leaves. It grows to 4 feet tall or more and has thin, thread-like leaflets atop tall, round, hollow stems. Common fennel flowers in late summer, small golden-yellow blossoms in umbrella-like clusters. Fennel's small brown seeds follow flowering.

Yield. Grow one fennel plant per household.

Site. Plant fennel in full sun. Grow common fennel in well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Fennel prefers a soil pH of 6.0 to 6.7.

Continue reading "How to Grow Common or Sweet Fennel" »

How to Grow Sage

Sage is perennial herb that can be grown from seeds or cuttings. Sow sage seed in the garden in late spring or start seed indoors as early as 6 to 8 weeks before the average last frost date in spring for transplanting out after the last frost. Sage can be started from cuttings taken from new growth in late spring or summer or from divisions in spring or fall.

Serving sage and its flavor partners: click here.

Description. Sage is a hardy perennial shrub--often woody--that can grow to about 24 inches tall, some varieties taller. Sage has oval- to lance-shaped, wrinkled, grayish-green leaves from 1 to 5 inches long. Several sage varieties have variegated leaves: purple, yellow, green, or green and white. Sage flowers in summer; flowers are commonly bluish-lavender and form in clusters on spikes.

Yield. Grow one sage plant per household.

Site. Plant sage in full sun; sage will tolerate partial shade but the flavor of leaves will be diminished. Grow sage in well-drained soil. Sandy loam is best but sage will grow in nearly poor soil as well. Sage prefers a soil pH of 6.0 to 6.7.

Continue reading "How to Grow Sage" »

How to Grow Marjoram

Marjoram, also called sweet marjoram and knotted marjoram, is a tender perennial grown as an annual. Sow marjoram in the garden after the last frost in spring. To get a head start on the season, sow marjoram as early as 4 weeks before the average last frost date in spring for transplanting out after the last frost. Marjoram also can be grown from root divisions.

How to serve marjoram and it flavor partners: click here.

Description. Marjoram is an upright branching perennial that grows 10 to 20 inches tall. It has small, fuzzy, opposite, gray leaves on reddish stems. Unopened flower clusters in late summer resemble knots giving it the common name knotted marjoram. Flowers open lavender, pink, and white.

Yield. Grow one marjoram plant per household.

Site. Plant marjoram in full sun; it will tolerate light shade. Grow marjoram in loose, well-drained soil. Marjoram prefers a soil pH of 6.7 to 7.0. Marjoram can thrives in poor soil that is well drained.

Continue reading "How to Grow Marjoram" »

How to Grow Dill

Dill is a biennial herb often grown as an annual. Sow dill in the garden as early as 2 to 3 weeks before the average date of the last frost in spring. Dill will reseed itself readily so plant in a spot where you can allow dill to grow for several years. Dill can be started indoors 4 to 6 weeks before transplanting to the garden, but is most easily grown in place.

All about serving dill and dill's flaovr partners: click here.

Visit the Herb Archive: all of our herb articles in one place.

Description. Dill is a warm-season biennial herb that grows 2 to 4 feet tall. Dill has finely cut, feathery blue-green leaves atop hollow stems with green and white stripes. Small greenish-yellow flowers bloom on flat-topped clusters from summer to autumn. Flat, oval, light-brown seeds follow the blossoms.

Yield. Grow one or two dill plants per household. Dill easily reseeds itself.

Site. Plant dill in full sun; dill will tolerate light shade but will not grow as bushy. Dill grows best in well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Add aged compost to the planting bed in advance of planting. Dill prefers a soil pH of 5.5 to 6.7.

Continue reading "How to Grow Dill" »

How to Grow Thyme

Thyme is a hardy perennial shrub. Sow thyme from seed as early as 3 to 4 weeks before the last frost in spring. Thyme can also be grown from cuttings or divisions taken in spring or early summer.

How to serve thyme and thyme's flavor partners: click here.

Description. Thyme is a fragrant, evergreen perennial shrub that stands 6 to 15 inches tall. Thyme has small, oval, pointed, gray-green leaves on long, wiry, four-sided stems. Thyme flowers in early summer: tiny, tubular white, lilac and pink blossoms in clusters.

Yield. Grow one thyme plant per household.

Site. Plant thyme in full sun. Thyme grows best in well-drained slightly sandy soil. Soil too rich in organic matter will produce plants that are large but less fragrant. Thyme prefers a soil pH of 6.0 to 6.7.

Continue reading "How to Grow Thyme" »

How to Grow French Tarragon

French tarragon is a cold-sensitive perennial. Grow French tarragon from the division of established plants in spring or cuttings from new growth taken in summer or fall; over-winter French tarragon indoors until spring. Tarragon cannot be grown from seed.

How to serve French tarragon and its flavor partners: click here.

Description. French tarragon is a sprawling perennial plant that grows from 12 to 24 inches tall. It has long stems and slender, spiky, dark green, aromatic leaves to about one-inch long. French tarragon grows and spreads slowly from tangled, underground rhizomes. It produces sterile cloves and cannot be grown from seed. Tarragon rarely flowers.

Yield. Grow one French tarragon plant per household

Site. Plant French tarragon in full sun or partial shade. Grow tarragon in well-drained, sandy loam. It will tolerate poor and nearly dry soil. It does not grow well in cold, wet, or compacted soil. French tarragon prefers a soil pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Tarragon does not grow well in acidic soil.

Continue reading "How to Grow French Tarragon" »

How to Grow Basil

Basil is a tender warm-season annual. Sow basil in the garden after all danger of frost has passed in the spring or start basil indoors as early as 6 weeks before the last frost for planting out after the weather has warmed. Basil is easily damaged by cold weather and will be killed by frost.

Use basil in cooking and basil's flavor partners: click here.

Description. Basil is a tender annual that can grow to 30 inches tall. Basil has square stems and opposite arranged leaves. Leaves are lightly toothed, pointed, and oval. Leaves can be bright green or purple-red. Spikes of small whitish or lavender flowers appear in mid to late summer.

Yield. Grow one basil plant per household. Succession planting will ensure a steady supply of basil.

Site. Plant basil in full sun. Basil will tolerate light shade. Grow basil in well-drained but moisture-retentive sandy loam. Soil too rich in organic matter will result in lush foliage but low oil content which can affect the strength of fragrance. Basil will grow in poor soil but well-drained soil. Basil prefers a soil pH of 5.5 to 7.5. Basil will grow easily in a sunny window.

Continue reading "How to Grow Basil" »

How to Grow Mint

Mints are hardy perennials grown from divisions of established plants. Mints can be divided--established plants sliced in half by a spade roots and all--anytime during the growing season. They are best started in the cool weather of spring or fall.

Serving mint and mint flavor partners: click here.

Description. Mints are hardy, upright perennials that generally grow from 2 to 3 feet tall, though a few grow much shorter. Mints have smooth, four-sided stems with dark green, creased, round to oval leaves pointed at the tip. Mints flower in mid to late summer producing whorls of small white to lavender blossoms on terminal spikes. There are many varieties of mint. Peppermint (Mentha piperita) and spearmint (M. spicata) are the best known.

Yield. Plant one or two mints per household. A variety of mints can be grown in separate containers.

Site. Plant mints in full sun; they will tolerate partial shade. Mints grow best in moist but well-drained soil rich in organic matter. They prefer a soil pH of 6.0 to 7.0. Mints spread rapidly by shallow, underground runners; contain mints within metal strips or bottomless containers 10-inches deep sunk into the ground.

Continue reading "How to Grow Mint" »

Growing Herbs for Cooking

Herbs for cooking are plants whose leaves, seeds, fruits, flowers or other parts are used fresh or dried for flavoring food. (A spice--broadly speaking--denotes a flavoring derived from the seed, fruit, bark or other part of a plant grown in warm, tropical regions.) A "potherb" is a plant you cook in a pot.

Herbs generally grow well with little care. Plant herbs in good loose soil. A sunny spot close to your kitchen is important. Plant perennial herbs in a part of the garden set apart from annuals; they will grow there for three or more years.

Planning an herb garden. The best way to plan your herb garden is to make a list of the herbs you regularly use. You can do this by taking inventory of the herbs in your kitchen cabinet.

The best location for an herb garden is right outside the kitchen door--or in a bright kitchen window. Herbs do not require a lot of space; you can include them in a flower border if space is limited.

Annual herbs--which complete their life cycle in one season--are best set apart from biennial herbs which live for two seasons and perennial herbs which live for three or more years.

Plan to get your herb garden going early in the season so that you can make full use of the plants you grow. Many herbs are harvested before they flower; these herbs may be ready for the kitchen in just a month or so.

Growing herbs in the garden. Most herbs require 6 hours of sunlight per day and well-drained, moderately rich, well-cultivated soil. Be careful not to over-fertilize herbs or they will grow tall and leggy.

• Annual and biennial herbs are easily grown from seed but are often readily available as plant starts at garden centers. Perennial herbs are often started from divisions or cuttings.

• Plant annual and biennial herbs as you would vegetables, in spring or summer.

• Plant perennial herbs in spring or fall.

• Be sure to give herbs room to mature so that they do not crowd their neighbors.

• Plant herbs that easily spread--such as mint--in containers.

• Keep herbs evenly moist and planting beds well-weeded.

Growing herbs in containers. Annual herbs are easily grown indoors in a windowsill.

• Place potted herbs in a window that gets at least 5 hours of sun each day; the optimal indoor growing temperature is 65° to 70°F.

• Plant herbs in a container at least 6 to 12 inches deep.

• Use a soilless potting-mix that is light and well drained; this will help avoid soilborne diseases.

• Water evenly and lightly. Herbs do not grow well in wet soil.

• Use a fertilizer only labeled for edibles.

• Snip or pinch plants regularly to encourage full, bushy growth. Never harvest more than one-third of the plant.

• Avoid using pesticides on herbs; spray away pests with water whenever possible.

Harvest herbs when they are full flavored.

Here are 19 commonly used herbs for cooking; the annuals listed (see the note in Description) here can be grown in containers indoors.

Continue reading "Growing Herbs for Cooking" »

Pagination:

Never Miss a Garden Tip!

Just enter your email address and you will subscribe to "Harvest To Table" Web site updates via email for free. Make sure you confirm your subscription from the confirmation message you'll receive in your mailbox right away.

Tag Results

Search this site:

15 Tag Results from Harvest to Table