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In your herb garden in August

Herbs are at their peak in August. On a sunny day the garden can be filled with the scent of rosemary, lavender, or thyme, as the plants release the scent of their oils in the summer heat. Many herbs will be in flower, providing valuable food for bees and other insects. 
August is also a good time to trim shrubby herbs to keep a tidy shape. You can strip the leaves off the shoots you have trimmed off and either dry or freeze them for winter use.  Allow a few flower heads to run to seed to provide you with seed for next season.

If you go on holiday, make sure you’ve enlisted help to water herbs in containers, particularly those in the greenhouse.

Things to do in the herb garden this month

• Water regularly any plants that may be showing stress
• Mulch moisture-loving herbs to prevent them drying out in hot weather
• Cut back box, cotton lavender and the curry plant to maintain shape
• Trim lavender once the flowers are over. Use shears to give plants a good ‘haircut’, but don’t cut back hard into old wood.
• Take softwood cuttings See below for instructions on taking softwood cuttings
• Keep sowing seed outside - to maintain supplies. See below for suggestions of which herbs to sow
• Thin seedlings that have been sown direct in the garden
• Dead-head where flowers have faded, unless seed is to be collected
• Why not try drying some herbs? Good ones to try include thyme, sage, clary, marjoram, and lavender
• Flowers of lavender, love-in-a-mist and cornflower can also be dried. See below for instructions on drying herbs
• Begin gathering seed, e.g. angelica, anise, caraway, coriander, cumin, chervil, dill, fennel
• Freeze mints and pennyroyal. Borage flowers look great in ice cubes
• Pot up a few herbs to make an indoor winter herb garden. See below for instructions on potting up herbs

Flavour from the garden this month

Nearly all herbs should be available from the garden this month.
Here are a few suggestions. Don’t forget that you can use the flowers and seeds of some herbs, not just their leaves.

Edible flowers from the herb garden

Using flowers in salads and cookery is an ancient method of adding flavour and colour to food. Pick early in the day, once any overnight moisture has gone, but before the sun becomes too hot. Take care not to bruise the delicate blooms.

Scented geraniums Pelargonium spp.
Pot marigold  Calendula officinalis
Nasturtium  Tropaeolum majus
Hollyhock  Alcea rosea
Heartsease  Viola tricolor
Violet  Viola odorata
Pinks  Dianthus sp.
Rocket  Eruca versicaria
Borage  Borago officinalis
Day lily  Hemerocallis sp.
Rose  Rosa sp.
Lavender (Lavandula spp.) Hardy perennial

Lavender (Lavandula spp.)
A common herb garden plant, at its best in the height of summer. As well as being useful for pot pourris and scenting underwear drawers, it is also has edible flowers. Make your favourite plain biscuit recipe and press some flowers into the top of the ready-to-bake shapes before baking as usual. You can also use the flowers to flavour home-made ice-cream, as an alternative to vanilla.

Edible leaves from the herb garden

• Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) Hardy perennial
  Add to summer salads, or use a garnish for soups and sauces. Chives do not dry well but can be frozen in ice cube trays with a little water. For a change, freeze with milk instead of water, then add to mashed potatoes. Chives with yellow and brown tips are a sign of poor growing conditions as they need a rich, moist soil.  If the plants start to show signs of rust (orange pustules down the stems), cut back hard and water well. New growth will soon appear.
  
  Organic chives seeds available from The Organic Gardening Catalogue

• Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) Hardy perennial
  French Tarragon is the one to grow. It is far superior to Russian Tarragon. As it doesn’t produce viable seed, it must be propagated by other methods. Flowers should be removed to encourage the plant to put its energy into leaf production. It goes well with cheeses and is an excellent addition to quiches and flans.
• 
  Red basil is just one of many varieties
• Basil (Ocimum basilicum) Annual
  A popular summer herb that is easy to grow from seed and comes in several varieties. If you grow more than one variety, don’t save your own seeds for next year as it won’t produce the same variety. If you don’t plan on saving seeds for next year, keep removing the flowers to ensure maximum leaf production. Add the leaves at the last minute to tomato and meat dishes or stir torn leaves with a dash of olive oil into hot pasta for an easy lunch.
  
  Basil does really well in pots on a sunny windowsill. Leaves of indoor plants tend to be big and soft compared with those grown outside. Plants will continue to produce plenty of leaves well into November if given plenty of light. They are also very thirsty plants, needing almost daily watering to keep those leaves lush and soft.
  
  Organic seeds of lots of basil varieties available from The Organic Gardening Catalogue
• 
  Rosemary ready to pick
• Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) Hardy perennial
  Rosemary should be putting out lots of fresh young shoots over the summer and these go extremely well with lemon in iced lollies. Add the zest of two lemons to a cup and a half of sugar, add a cup of water and the rosemary. Bring the mixture to the boil, stirring until the sugar melts. Simmer for around ten minutes, then strain and cool. Add another seven cups of water and one cup of fresh lemon juice. Use this mixture in ice-lolly moulds to make a lovely cooling snack for high summer.
  
  Organic rosemary seed available from The Organic Gardening Catalogue

Edible seed from the organic herb garden

• Caraway (Carum carvi) Biennial
  Caraway is a member of the carrot family, and like its cousins is a good attractant flower for beneficial insects. It also yields delicious, aromatic seeds, ready to harvest this month. Use in bread and biscuits, as well as any recipes with cabbage.

Herb combinations

It is not always easy to know which herbs go well together. Here are some examples to try.

Bouquet garni  for casseroles, stews and sauces : 2 sprigs parsley + 2 sprigs thyme + 1 bay leaf
Bouquet garni for fish : 2 sprigs parsley + 1 sprig tarragon + 1 dry fennel stalk + 1 leaf lemon balm. Add to cooking liquid or sauce
Fines herbes : 1 part parsley + 1 part chervil + half part chives + 1 or 2 leaves tarragon. Chop herbs finely before adding to omelets and other dishes.

Herbs to propagate this month

Seed sowing

For a continual crop, sow the following in a prepared seedbed, outdoors:

• Angelica (Angelica archangelica) Biennial
  Native to continental Europe, where it grows alongside streams and in other damp places. Sow seed in early autumn in its final location – angelica hates to have its roots disturbed. It needs no protection from frosts, but it does require deep, moist soil. Angelica prefers a site where its roots are in shade, but its flowers get some sun.
  
• Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) Annual
  This herb has been cultivated for more than 3000 years. It is mentioned in The Old Testament, and is traditionally eaten at Passover feasts. Sow the large seeds into drills in light, well-drained soil in a sunny spot; coriander dislikes damp, humid conditions. Direct sowing works best as coriander does not transplant well and tends to bolt. It also runs to seed very rapidly, so keep sowing every two weeks until the end of the month to ensure a fresh crop of leaves.
  Two types of organic coriander available in the Organic Gardening Catalogue. 'Cilantro' is a special selection for leaf production.
• Lovage (Levisticum officinale) Hardy perennial
  As suggested by its common name, lovage was used as an aphrodisiac during the 16th Century. Lovage is a large plant (up to 2m) and takes up to five years to reach maturity. When selecting a site ensure that the plant will have enough room to grow. Prefers a rich, fertile, well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. Direct sow in autumn, thinning to 60cm apart when large enough.
  Lovage prefers a rich, moist but well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade
• Dill (Anethum graveolens) Hardy annual
  Originating in the far East, this herb has been used for more than 5000 years. Direct sow into poor, well-drained soils in full sun. The tall (1.5m) plants are rather fragile and may require support. Collect as much seed as possible to prevent the plant spreading too rapidly.
  Do not plant dill near to fennel as the two will cross-pollinate and produce inferior plants.
• Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) Hardy biennial
  Parsley seed takes 3-6 weeks to germinate in open ground. Direct sow in early autumn into deep, fertile soil in sun or partial shade. Thin first to 8cm, then 15cm apart as the plants grow. Or sow seeds in a good size (12cm/5ins deep) pot. Keep on a sunny windowsill, or in a greenhouse.  Once seedlings are a decent size (7cm/3ins high) they can be planted out into open ground. To encourage germination, after seeds are sown, pour boiling water over them! It seems to help. If you wish to continue to harvest leaves, remove flowers as soon as they appear.
  Soaking parsley seed in hot water can help to speed up germination.

Potting up herbs for a winter supply

Chives, mint, marjoram, parsley and lemon balm plants can all be lifted from the garden and potted up to provide a source of fresh herbs over winter. Use a sharp spade to chop off a chunk from a large plant, or lift the entire plant, and slice off a suitable size piece. Replant the remainder for next year. The small plants should be potted up using a gritty compost mixture, about 1 part horticultural grit to 3 parts peat-free potting compost. They can go into a suitable size trough together, or potted up individually. Keep them outside for the time being, in a semi-shaded spot, in order settle into their new growing conditions. Keep the compost moist, but not saturated. Bring indoors at the end of the month, and place in a spot receiving plenty of light.

Cuttings to take

Take cuttings from bay, wormwoods, rosemary, thymes, lavenders, sages, scented geraniums (Pelargonium spp.), Balm of Gilead (Cedronella triphylla), pineapple and other tender sages, myrtles.

'Softwood' is the term given to the type of cutting taken from young growth in the spring and early summer.
Here are the main points to follow:

• Take cuttings early in the morning
• Take cuttings with a knife or secateurs rather than scissors (which squash the stem)
• Cuttings should be placed in a polythene bag immediately they are cut from the parent plant.
• Prepare pots or seed trays with good organic potting compost with extra grit or coarse sand added. 1 part grit to 4 parts potting compost is a good mix.
• Trim the cutting to just below a node (where leaf joins stem) and remove any leaves from bottom two thirds of the stem. This will reduce water loss as well as the possibility of fungus on leaves touching the soil
• Make a hole with a dibber and push cutting in. Make sure the bottom of cutting touches the bottom of hole. Rooting seems to be encouraged where cuttings are inserted just inside the pot, touching the pot side.
• Firm compost around cutting
• Water, but do not leave pot standing in water. Potting compost should only be just moist

Covering with plastic bag or cloche can aid in germination in some cases. Remove the covering daily, shake off condensation, and turn inside out before replacing. This will help airflow and reduce the likelihood of fungal diseases building up. Silver-leaved or furry-leaved plants, such as rosemary, lavender, or pelargonium, should not be covered.

Drying herbs for winter use

Drying herbs is not easy and if you plan to dry lots, it may be worth investing in a dehydrator – they will also dry fruit and vegetables.

If drying herbs without a dehydrator, they need to be placed in a dry, airy, dark place at 20-32°C. Try an airing cupboard or spare bedroom with the curtains closed and the door open. Place the herbs on absorbent kitchen paper and turn them frequently. They should be dry and ready to pack in 24-48 hours. If they develop any moulds or black spots, the drying process has not worked and the herbs should be composted. You can also use a microwave oven. Again place the clean herbs on absorbent kitchen towel and set the microwave for 30 seconds. Check after this time and repeat – most herbs should be dry in 3 minutes or less

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