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http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080526/BLOG15/587808324

Container herb gardening

As America downsizes, down-travels and down-spends this summer, simple domestic pursuits, such as container herb gardening, are beginning to look like a time-and-money-saving way to add interest to cooking. Plus, it’s a nice minor hobby if you’re (sadly) not packing for an extended European trip. The French call a kitchen garden in a pot a potager, and they grow collections of cooking herbs in large moveable containers, in which the produce is quite crowded. It doesn’t seem to matter to the yield. When you pack lots of plants close together, production goes into the leaves and flowers, not the root system. Invest in good potting soil and water often.

Container gardening is ideal if you don’t have space for a ground garden or if you don’t want heavy maintenance. With container gardening, you don’t have far to walk to tend the plant; there are virtually no weeds, and, in general, you don’t contend with pests or diseases. Additionally, you can move the pots to take advantage of sun, shade and rain. Use faux terra cotta or faux stone pots made of lightweight plastic or resin composites so the pots will be easy to move. Make sure the pot has drainage.

For mobility, you may put your garden pots on a little platform with casters. Garden centers sell them, although they are pricey for what they are. Many starter herbs are available in peat pots, a convenience and an eco-friendly alternative to plastic. Don’t remove the herb from the peat pot. Plant the whole thing in your potager and surround with soil. The peat pot will slowly disintegrate, nourishing the plant while it does. The key to planting several herbs in a large pot is to group herbs with the same water/sun requirements together. Proper grouping is central to success.

A recently published soft-cover book called “The Complete Herb Book” is an excellent companion for the novice or intermediate container herb gardener because it lists herbs alphabetically (using the proper botanical names first, then common name), from Achilles ageratum or English mace, to Zingiber officinale or ginger. Then the author, Jekka McVicar, describes the characteristics and how to grow the herb in a container. The author then supplies culinary encouragement with recipes for how to use each herb. It might be a method to make infused vinegar, soup, salad, marinade or side dish. Each herb has its own page or two with large color photos, and all the information and tips you’ll need to grow this herb in a container.

With few exceptions, herbs respond to containers, which can be hanging pots in many cases. Pick out your favorites, group them accordingly and then buy your pots and soil. Herbs can be cultivated from seed, but it’s easier to buy starter plants from local nurseries unless you’re set on growing something out of the ordinary, such as bergamot, which is an ingredient in Earl Grey tea.

Besides supplying the history of each herb, the author reveals how the herb has been used for medicinal purposes down through the ages, and how it might be used today for both humans and animals. “Valerian has been used for thousands of years as a sedative and relaxant,” says the author. “This is an extremely useful herb for treating anxious or restless pets. … Hampton the dog hated riding in the car. After treating him with a few drops of valerian tincture, diluted in water, he slept peacefully throughout the journey. … I have also used valerian with cats, especially if one had been injured in a fight before cleaning their wounds. Cats find valerian very soothing.”

McVicar then provides the tincture recipe. In addition, she supplies interesting information that makes for engrossing reading, even if you never get around to actually growing an herb.

Did you know, for example, that Lily of the Valley is an herb, and that every single part of the plant is poisonous? And yet it’s a traditional flower of a bridal bouquet. In the language of flowers, Lily of the Valley signifies “a return to happiness.” In the language of commerce, the flower produces an oil widely used in perfume production.

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“The Complete Herb Book, by Jekka McVicar. Firefly Books. $29.95.”