“Herb Gardening from the Ground Up” gives growers who want flowers and flavors plenty to chew on, but the handy paperback from Sal Gilbertie and Larry Sheehan is especially useful for those building a first, or a new, herb garden. A 60-page section on sowing and growing tells how to make divisions of spreading perennials and take cuttings of the single-stemmed ones. It ends by telling you how to harvest and store herbs and plan for your garden’s second season. And then there are the garden plans. One culinary garden plan has three iterations for years one, two and three. It also includes a “Taste of Asia” garden; a “French Chef” garden; a “Cake & Cookie” garden; and a “Christmas Wreath” garden. It closes with growing advice for herbs from alliums to yarrow.— Susan Clotfelter
Cilantro (called coriander here) is given plenty of room in this garden and should be sown at four- to six-week intervals. Lime basil and cayenne pepper accentuate flavors popular in Mexican cooking. Epazote is used in many bean dishes, while the strongly flavored black peppermint anchors recipes for soups and stews.
PLANTS: Plants:
• Lime basil
• Cayenne pepper
• Cilantro
• Epazote
• Mexican oregano Lippia graveolens is this variety’s botanical name
• Black peppermint also called Black English Peppermint and Brandy Mint
• Mexican tarragon Also called Mexican Mint Marigold; Tagetes lucida is the botanical name
Adapted from ” Herb Gardening from the Ground Up,” by Sal Gilbertie and Larry Sheehan (2012, Ten Speed Press)
