Winter Herbs and Gardening Tips

It’s supposed to be cold outside but it’s in the 70’s and actually a great time to get out into the garden and prune those green friends that can safely survive another freeze, that is if it ever does get cold again!  If the plant stems are completely brown and brittle, and you possibly see some new green growth on the ground, chances are good you can prune them.  If you have any doubts about pruning, just leave it alone, and get to it in early spring when the danger of frost is past.

I love the winter garden, even though it is not very colorful or lush; for it has a quiet, serene beauty that is somehow comforting. I love growing delicious healthy greens (including mustard greens, spinach, kale, bok choy, arugula, turnip greens and beet greens), and several tender young lettuces and we enjoy these throughout the winter. Herbs that grow well during our winter include cilantro, calendula, fennel, dill, parsley, garlic chives and numerous others.

December is definitely the time to scatter any poppy seeds you’ve acquired by collection or purchase.  I usually have a garden full of Oriental Poppies (that reseed themselves) and I am lucky enough to have a nice display of Dorothy Poppies (the big, triple petaled rosy blossoms).  I also have many California Poppies sprouting up after an earlier fall planting. California Poppy is a wonderful and gentle sedative herb that is safely used by children and adults to ease anxiety and promote restful sleep.  Get those poppy seeds on the ground within the next few days, and hopefully with some rain to come, you’ll have an early spring full of colorful, delicate and wondrous flowers.

Winter is also the time to dream about your spring garden and collect and study several seed catalogues for new ideas for your garden.  Some of my favorite catalogues include Horizon Herbs, Johnny’s Seeds, Richter’s and The Cook’s Garden.  I also collect my own seeds every year and trade with others for new plants I want to try.  I always say that gardening is a grand experiment and it is worth trying just about anything that stirs your heart.

So even though it is winter, herbs, herbal lore and wonderful herbal medicine is alive and well in all our gardens and in our hearts and minds.  Enjoy rich, healthful herbal teas these winter nights, fresh winter vegetables from the garden and healthy soups with lots of herbs for taste, health benefits and just for the sheer joy of it.