“Gardening is a kind of disease. It infects you, you cannot escape it. When you go visiting, your eyes rove about the garden; you interrupt the serious talk because of an irresistible urge to get up and pull a weed.” — Lewis Gannit T he sun has barely committed to its morning schedule and I’m outside, cutting herbs to dry or freeze. I’m thrilled with the performance of the golden oregano (O. vulgare Dr. letswaart).
I bought a 3-inch container in spring, the round, golden-yellow leaves and delicious mild fragrance attracting my attention. The plant has behaved very well and reached a diameter of 12 inches. Like most herbs in the mint family, oregano is drought-tolerant, deer-resistant and loved by an array of beneficial insects. Keep it in mind for future additions to your herb collection.
Sage, a classic culinary herb, is very easy to grow and produces heavily. A new cultivar, La Crema, is on the market with an outstanding, novel foliage, delicate sage green boldly edged in soft ivory. So chic! I planted it in a large container by itself and it is a stunner. As a culinary herb, it does double duty in the kitchen.
Now on to lemon grass, which is widely used in Pacific and Asiatic cuisine. A 3-inch pot, bought last year, has evolved into an impressive light-green plant with a massive show of 20-inch spikes. The plant should be brought inside over the winter and set outside again in April. Its pungent scent enhances seafood and curries, and it can also be cut into fine stalks and frozen for up to six months.
Herbs are undemanding and easy to grow, and their aromatic scent lingers in the air.
As Egyptian walking onions march on, the days grow shorter, with fall hovering on the horizon. Now is the time to evaluate the performance of various annuals you bought earlier this year in a fit of retail therapy. Are they still strong and healthy? Did they deliver what you envisioned? If so, keep them in mind for next year. If not, remember well.
Begonia Dragon Wing and Angel Wing have performed beautifully on my patio, putting on a great show all summer.
Here is a common garden myth to keep in mind as well:
Adding phosphorus to the soil boosts blooms: Most healthy, organically enriched soils contain adequate amounts of phosphorus, so it seems unnecessary to add more unless a soil test shows a deficiency. In addition, phosphorus-laden runoff can be harmful to the environment. (from “Decoding Gardening Advice,” Gillman/ Maynard).
What to do now:
Fertilize the lawn late this month. Now is the best time to reseed or renovate.
Divide crowded iris beds, replant, and apply bone meal or low-nitrogen fertilizer.
Create a map of your garden beds to help identify your plants.
Check for diseased foliage; remove it as soon as you spot it.
Later this month, take in house plants; check for insects.
Keep harvesting herbs for drying or freezing.
Plant hardy shrubs and trees; mulch and water well.
Order your spring-flowering bulbs now for October delivery and planting.
Happy gardening!
Gotti Kelley, a past president of the Navesink Garden Club, also serves on the board of The Garden Club of New Jersey and Central Atlantic Region of National Garden Clubs.