Herb Gardening in Eugene
Whether it’s in a window box, in a pot on the balcony of your condo, or in a plot in your garden, anyone can grow herbs here in the Willamette Valley. Many herbs can be grown year-round and with relatively low effort. Using a fluorescent light, you can even grow them on top of a refrigerator, as I do during the winter. Since there is plenty of time left in the growing season, I recommend you start an herb garden and grow a little extra, so you can dry out what you do not use and have some during the winter months, when the prices of herbs are high. Herb starts are relatively cheap and available at garden centers, such as Gray’s and Down to Earth. They can also be purchased at other retailers like Bi-Mart, Fred Meyer, Home Depot, Rite-Aid, Hirons, and sometimes at major supermarkets like Market of Choice and Trader Joe’s. All those locations carry seeds, too, and the majority of herbs are easy to grow from seed. (It is not too late to plant!)
It is fun to be creative with your herb garden. Herbs are great for container gardens if you do not have a lot of space. For a funky twist to my garden, I scavanged about a dozen cinder blocks, filled them with dirt, and planted my herbs in them. Since each cinder block is divided in two, it allowed me to plant over 20 varieties of edible kitchen hebs. I have also seen people use broken pots, old toilets (!), tires, retired wheelbarrows, and hanging baskets. You can even plant them in rock gardens (lavender, rosemary, and oregano are great for that) and as companion plants in pepper pots or tomato patches. Mixed herb bowls make great gifts, too. Since herbs are so easy to germinate and grow, you are only limited by your own imagination, in terms of placement. One suggestion: plant your herbs near the entrance closest to your kitchen. That makes it easier for you to rush out and grab a handful of thyme for pasta sauce or cilantro for tacos while you are cooking.
Some must-haves (not an exhaustive list):
Basil (Ocimum basilicum) – Essential for Mediterranean and Southeast Asian cuisine. Who does not love basil? This is an annual, so grow as much as you can during the summer, as it came be quite expensive. (Hint: make your own pesto and freeze it!) Easy to grow indoors and out. Popular varieties include sweet Italian, red rubin, and lemon, but there are over 60 species from which to choose.
Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) – A staple of Mexican/ Hispanic cuisine. Cilantro is an annual; its seeds are used as the spice corriander. Not recommended for drying. Select a slow-bolting variety; when it bolts, or produces flowers, the plant is spent. A common problem with many gardeners is that their cilantro is ready before the rest of their salsa garden – i.e. tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers. So, plant your cilantro from seed, the slow-bolting variety, and at several intervals during the season to ensure continual harvest. Cilantro, like basil, grows well with peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes.
Oregano (Origanum vulgare) – Common in Mediterranean cuisine. Oregano is very hardy and comes in about 30 different species. It will even survive the snow we inevitably get every winter. You can easily take cuttings and plant it that way, or plant starts or seeds. Oregano is a nice addition to any rock garden. Varieties in my garden include hot and spicy, Italian, Greek, and golden.
Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) – Another common Mediterranean herb. Usually a biennial, although mine has been growing for 3 years outside.
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) – Found in Mediterranean, European, and African cuisine. This herb grows particularly well in our region, is very hardy, and, depending on the variety, can bush, arch, creep, or grow quite tall. Buy starts rather than start from seed. Pay attention to the variety you select depending on the plant you desire, as some can spread as wide as 8 feet. The “blue boy” variety is one of the smaller ones and recommended for gardeners with limited space. One consideration for the larger varieties is to use it as a screen, or natural fence.
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) – Used in European, particularly Mediterranean, cuisine. This herb is a perennial although you will usually see it die back in the winter, so be sure to dry some for later use. You can seed thyme easily, take cuttings, or simply purchase starts. Interestingly, thyme is part of the mint family although not as invasive. What is called “culinary thyme” is what you often see in the stores or spice aisle; although I also grow lemon thyme and lime thyme, which are just as edible and taste excellent in a variety of dishes.
Other popular herbs you may want to consider growing include chives (invasive), fennel (biennial that grows quite tall), lavender (good in lemonade), lemon balm, marjoram, mint (invasive), sage (grows quite large; the annual varieties of pineapple and tangerine sage do not and are great in beverages and desserts), and winter savory (good for soups and meat dishes).
Fresh herbs improve the taste and quality of any homemade meal! They are easy and fun to grow, and a little effort goes a long way! Enjoy!
Written by Sabrina McNamara for DiscoverEugene.com
