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Herbs and Late Spring Gardening Tips
There are some herbs, however, that you can never get tired of using such as Rosemary. (pictured above). Rosemary limbs make great skewers for the grill. Cajun spiced giant shrimp and veggies put on a Rosemary skewer and cooked on the grill are wonderful. A cool tea made from rosemary, lavender, and mint makes an awesome body rinse after a hot day in the garden. Crushed lavender blossoms in a glass of lemonade made with sparkling water is a refreshing alternative to sodas. Don't let your basil flower or it will become bitter. Simply clip off the flowering buds as soon as they form. Basil is always eaten fresh. Put it on potatoes and Italian dishes after they are cooked. Harvest Parsley from the inside of the plant first so it won't bolt too early. When pulling leaves from your Sweet Bay Laurel for stews or gumbo, pull the older leaves first, as they have more oil. Also, harvest the leaves in a way that you won't damage the new leaf that will come out to replace it. That means pulling upward or snipping with a pair of sharp clippers. Allow Dill to seed out. You may see butterfly larvae hanging on it so do not disturb, even if it looks a little ratty. Because Cilantro is a cool season plant best planted in the fall, it is disappointing when you want to cook a meal and use fresh cilantro in the hottest part of the summer. There is an herb called Papalo that some consider a substitute for Cilantro but has a much more pungent scent and flavor. Like Cilantro it is an acquired taste. It is also eaten fresh. It grows up to six feet tall in our hot weather and reseeds freely.
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Epazote (Chenopodium ambrosioides) is a plant that is native to Mexico and South America but has naturalized throughout the world and grows freely in the southern U.S. You have probably seen it on the roadsides and in your garden. It has a distinctive odor when the sharply toothed leaves are crushed, and a big taproot that keeps it coming back if you don't pull the entire plant from the ground. It generally spreads by seeds that it produces by the millions in the fall. It is also known as wormseed, for its ability to rid the body of parasites, and skunk-weed for its strong smell. It's hard to believe that the Kofan Indians in South America tie it to their arm as a "perfumed bracelet." In the Yucatan, not only are the seeds used to rid the body of worms, but for asthma and certain nervous afflictions. It's also used in other parts of the world to treat ulcers, increase breast milk production, and heal wounds. Interestingly enough, it's even being studied as a treatment for certain types of cancer. A few fresh epazote plants thrown on a fire will repel mosquitoes better than citronella. A tea made from green epazote plants soaked in water and sprayed around the garden will kill snails. The most popular use of the herb is to add a few leaves to a pot of beans to help reduce gas. I don't recommend eating or trying anything for any illness, including epazote. This column is for informational purposes only. The oil from the epazote plant can be extremely toxic. I just thought that while you are busy pulling the obnoxious epazote plants from your garden, you might like to know a little about this ancient herb. If you are the crafty type, the green stems make a great wreath base if you gather them before late summer.
