Food Gardening
Basil
Ocimum basilicum A very familiar and popular herb, Basil is the basis for pesto. Many cooks consider Basil the premier culinary herb. Every gardener needs at least 1 Basil plant to have the fresh leaves to toss into casseroles, sauces...
Caraway
Carum carvi Gardeners like caraway for the seeds, for the foliage and for the roots, which are used like parsnips. Caraway joins carrots, parsnips, angelica and anise as members of the Umbelliferae family. • More detailed information can be found...
Chamomile, German
Chamaemelum nobile, Matricaria recutita Chamomile, sometimes called Roman chamomile, is a low-growing 4 to 6-inch tall perennial. German chamomile is a tall, erect, 3-foot annual. Both chamomiles are members of the composite (daisy) family and the flowers of both are...
Chives
Allium schoenoprasum taken from The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Bookby Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing Chives are perennial plants belonging to the Onion family that produce foot-tall clumps of hollow, upright leaves. Allowed to go to flower, they make mounds...
Sage
Salvia officinalis taken from The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Book by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing Sage is a hardy, semi-woody perennial plant that makes a loose shrub about 2 feet tall. The leaves are harvested and used fresh or...
Parsley
Petroselinum crispum taken from The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Book by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing Virtually everyone recognizes Parsley, a frequently-appearing garnish on plates served in restaurants. Parsley leaves are also used in various dishes, soups and sauces. Cooks...
Chestnut
Castanea spp. American Chestnut once grew throughout the Northeast, Midwest and Southern mountains. Farmers depended on the nuts to feed their families and livestock and they were a major part of forest animals’ diet. The rot-resistant lumber was used for...
Tarragon – Different Kinds
One of the great things about gardening is that there is such a diversity of opinion about our plants. My friend Theresa Schrum likes Northern Sea Oats because the plants are native and have attractive seedheads. I, on the other...
Savory
Satureja hortensis, Satureja Montana taken from The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Book by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing Both summer savory and winter savory are available to gardeners. Summer savory (S. hortensis), an annual of the mint family, is the...
Salad Burnet
Sanguisorba minor taken from The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Book by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing Salad burnet is a graceful perennial plant that forms a 15inch mound of compound leaves. The leaves taste and smell like fresh cucumbers and...
Cilantro/Coriander
Coriandrum sativum taken from The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Book by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing Cilantro and Coriander are 2 stages of the same annual plant. The parsley-like foliage, which is picked before the seed stalk forms, is called...
Nut Trees – Procuring
Q: I would like to plant a couple of hazelnut trees. Do you know if I can get them locally? Q: Can I grow pistachio trees in this part of Georgia? A: With the many acres of pecans growing in...
Basil – Care
If you buy seedling basil plants from a nursery and plant in April, you’ll be picking fresh leaves by mid-May. Basil planted from seed (less expensive, of course) won’t be ready for picking until June. Try a purple-leaf or curly-leaf...
Thyme
Thymus vulgaris taken from The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Book by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing This traditional perennial herb grows as a ground cover up to 12 inches high and spreading many times as wide if it is not...
Tarragon
TARRAGON, FRENCHArtemisia dracunculusTARRAGON, MEXICANTagetes lucida taken from The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Book by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing True French Tarragon is a vegetatively propagated, 2-foot-tall perennial herb of outstanding character. • See also Home Garden Tarragon It is...
Lemon Balm
Melissa officinalis taken from The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Book by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing Perennial. Thomas Jefferson grew Lemon Balm in his garden at Monticello. This upright plant (24 inches) has hairy, square, branched stems. The dark green...
