Tag: summer garden

  • Tending Herbs Through a Georgia July: Watering, Harvesting and Heat-Tolerant Choices

    By July, a Middle Georgia herb garden is in full swing. Basil is bushy, rosemary is fragrant and the mint is trying, as always, to escape its pot. It is also the month when herbs feel the most strain. Long, hot days, heavy humidity and sudden downpours followed by dry spells can leave even sturdy plants looking tired. A little attention now keeps your herbs productive and lovely through the rest of the summer.

    Water wisely

    Watering is the most important summer task, and timing matters.

    • Water early in the morning, when less water is lost to evaporation and leaves have time to dry before evening.
    • Aim at the soil, not the leaves. Wet foliage in humid weather can invite problems.
    • Check containers daily. Pots, especially small and terracotta ones, can dry out in a single hot afternoon.
    • Water deeply and less often for herbs in the ground, so roots grow down rather than staying near the surface.

    Not all herbs want the same amount. Mediterranean herbs such as rosemary, thyme, oregano and sage prefer to dry out between waterings. Basil, mint and parsley like more consistent moisture. Push a finger into the soil an inch or so deep; if it is dry, it is time to water.

    Shade and shelter

    Some herbs welcome a break from the afternoon sun in a Georgia July. Parsley, mint, chives and lemon balm often look better with morning sun and afternoon shade. Container herbs can be moved to a spot out of the hottest hours, and grouping pots together helps them hold moisture. A light layer of mulch around in-ground plants conserves water, but keep it pulled back from the stems of Mediterranean herbs, which like dry crowns.

    Harvest often

    Regular harvesting is good for most herbs, and July is a time of plenty.

    • Pick in the morning, after the dew dries but before the heat sets in, when leaves are most fragrant.
    • Pinch basil just above a pair of leaves, and remove flower buds to keep it producing leaves longer.
    • Take no more than about a third of a plant at one time, so it can recover.
    • Use, share or preserve the extra. Fresh herbs are wonderful in summer meals, infused water and simple bouquets.

    Let some herbs bolt

    Cool-season herbs such as cilantro, dill and parsley often bolt in the heat, sending up flower stalks and slowing their leaf production. Rather than fighting it, consider letting a few plants bloom. Their flowers feed bees and other pollinators, and cilantro gives you coriander seeds. Dill and parsley may also host swallowtail caterpillars. Plan to sow fresh cilantro and dill again when cooler weather returns in the fall.

    Herbs that handle the heat

    If your garden struggles every July, consider adding herbs that truly love hot weather: basil in its many forms, including Thai basil, along with lemongrass, rosemary, oregano, thyme and Mexican mint marigold, a sunny herb with a tarragon-like flavor that often handles Southern summers better than French tarragon. For local advice on varieties and timing, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension is an excellent resource.

    And remember to care for the gardener. Work in the cooler hours, wear a hat, keep water nearby and take breaks in the shade. Ten quiet minutes among the herbs in the early morning can be one of the most peaceful parts of a summer day.

  • Mint in Myth and in the Garden: The History of an Herb That Never Stays Put

    Brush past a patch of mint on a hot afternoon and the air fills with a cool, sweet scent that seems made for July. Mint is one of the oldest and most widely loved herbs in the world, and it has a personality to match: generous, adaptable and determined to spread. Its story stretches from ancient myth to the modern porch.

    A nymph named Minthe

    The plant’s name traces back to Greek mythology. In one well-known version of the story, a nymph named Minthe caught the eye of Hades, ruler of the underworld. His wife, Persephone, was not pleased and transformed Minthe into a low-growing plant. Some retellings add that Hades, unable to undo the spell, gave the plant its lovely fragrance so that she would be appreciated whenever someone stepped on her. Like many myths, the details vary, but the name stuck: Mentha is still the botanical name of the mint genus.

    An herb of hospitality

    Mint has long been associated with welcome. In one of the Roman poet Ovid’s tales, an elderly couple named Baucis and Philemon wipe their humble table with fresh mint before serving a meal to two strangers, who turn out to be gods in disguise. The scent was part of the welcome.

    That tradition of mint as hospitality continues today. Across North Africa and the Middle East, sweet mint tea, often made with green tea, fresh spearmint and sugar, is poured for guests as a sign of welcome, sometimes from a height to create a little foam in the glass. In the American South, mint has its own ceremonial drink in the mint julep, long associated with the Kentucky Derby, and a sprig of mint has garnished many a glass of sweet tea on a summer porch.

    Spearmint, peppermint and their many cousins

    There are many kinds of mint, and they cross easily with one another. Spearmint is the sweet, gentle mint of many teas and cocktails. Peppermint, a natural hybrid of spearmint and water mint, has a sharper, cooler bite. Gardeners can also find apple mint, chocolate mint, orange mint and others, each with its own nuance of scent.

    Concentrated peppermint essential oil is a very different thing from a sprig in a glass, and it calls for careful dilution and extra caution around young children. Fresh leaves are the simplest way to enjoy the plant.

    Growing mint without letting it take over

    Mint spreads by underground runners and can quickly take over a bed, a lawn edge or a neighbor’s flowers. Most gardeners grow it in containers for this reason. A large pot on the patio, or a bottomless pot sunk into the ground, keeps it in its place.

    • Give it partial shade in a Georgia summer, especially from the hot afternoon sun.
    • Keep the soil evenly moist; mint is thirstier than many herbs.
    • Pinch the tips often to encourage bushy growth, and harvest in the morning when the leaves are fresh.
    • Let a few stems flower. The small blooms are a favorite of bees and other pollinators.

    A single pot of mint can supply a summer’s worth of iced tea garnishes, fruit salads and fragrant handfuls to crush and breathe in on a hot afternoon. It is a small, lively companion for the hottest weeks of the year.