Drought Tolerant Herbs: What are they?
July 28th, 2009 Posted in Green Living & News
In the middle of a dry summer and wondering what to fill in that empty patch in the backyard? Looking to create a masterpiece desert or high mountain garden? Well, expert gardeners like Susan Brower recommend some drought-tolerant herbs that will provide you with some tasty flavoring for all of your favorite foods:
Epazote: tolerant of the most adverse growing conditions, this woody-stemmed herb can reach 3-5 feet in height. It has serrated leaves with a camphor-like odor, retaining its flavor whether fresh or dried. It is typically used with Mexican cuisine.
Oregano: thrives in arid growing conditions, growing from 10-24 inches high. It has leaves that are oval-like in shape and have an aromatic scent. It is frequently used in Greek, Italian and Middle Eastern cuisine, chicken dishes, dressings, sauces and herbal seasoning blends.
Rosemary: prefers full sun and alkaline soils, growing either upright (3-4 feet in height) or prostrate (covering up to 2 feet in groundcover). Both varieties have leathery and highly aromatic needle-like leaves with delicate blue, white or pink flowers. It is good in marinade and seafood dishes.
Garden Sage: enjoys full sun and sandy alkaline soil in which roots do not stay wet. The plant can grow 2-3 feet tall and has grayish green or purplish pebbly elongated leaves that are highly aromatic. It is preferable to store dried sage in a freezer to preserve its flavor. It is best in Thanksgiving turkey and Mediterranean and Italian cooking.
Savory: the winter and summer variety of this plant prefer loose, well-drained soil and plenty of sunlight, with the summer savory benefiting from more compact soil. Winter savory grows 8- to 12-inches high with woody branches and small dark green aromatic leaves with tiny star shaped flowers. Summer savory can reach 2 feet in height. It has succulent leaves and delicate pinkish flowers. The taste of savory is best in fresh form, but it can be dried or frozen. Savory blends well with other herbs and brings out their flavors. Its flavor enhances bean dishes and is used frequently in Mediterranean and German cooking.
Thyme: is best in well-drained soil and plenty of sunshine. There are both upright and prostrate varieties growing from 2 inches to 1 foot in height, with highly aromatic small, slightly pointed leaves in deep greens, variegated tones and gold. Its tiny star-shaped flowers bloom throughout the summer in shades of crimson, white and pink. The upright thymes are used the most in cuisine. Thyme is a key ingredient in Creole and Cajun seasonings, and is often used in Mexican soups and sauces, and poultry dishes.
According to Pike Nurseries, other drought tolerant herbs include: Borage, Chives, Fennel, Feverfew, Germander, Lavender, Wormwood, and Yarrow.
As you can tell, most of these herbs grow best in loose soil, giving water easy access to the plant roots of the woody-stemmed plants. Alongside organic mulch and a little bit of water to ensure healthy herbs, use EcoSMART’s Garden Insect Killer to ward off bugs and keep your herbs growing strong.
Rob Peach
2 Comments | The First 1,000 to Comment (Starting 12/21/2009) Will Become EcoSMART Product Testers!
By HATTIE on Jul 30, 2009
IREALLY WOULD LIKE TO TRY THIS PRODUCT WE LIVE IN AN AREA BUG ON EVERYTHING SMILE THANKS
By HATTIE on Jul 30, 2009
IREALLY WOULD LIKE TO TRY THIS PRODUCT WE LIVE IN AN AREA BUG ON EVERYTHING SMILE THANKS SORRY