Purslane - Herb of the Month

Purslane was a popular herb in Tudor Britain, around the time of Elizabeth I.  However, it has actually been grown for thousands of years both as a vegetable and as a medicinal herb, known to the Ancient Egyptians and grown in both India and China.  France is now the main producer of purslane which is still a popular salad herb in Europe.  It is unfortunately far less well known in Britain.

Purslane is a half hardy annual herb plant which can reach a height of 30cm and a spread of 60cm.  It has thick, soft, trailing stems. The succulent oval green leaves of this herb plant have the taste of mange-tout and are followed by small yellow flowers in late summer which open in the sun and close in the shade. The variant ‘Aurea’ has golden leaves which make it an attractive and colourful contrast to other salad plants.

Both the leaves and the stems can be eaten. The French add it to sorrel soup to help reduce the acidity of the sorrel. Fresh leaves can be added to salads and soups.  Its crunchy stems are very nice and can be cut into chunks and added to salads.  This herb is one of the ingredients of a traditional Middle Eastern salad called fattoush.

Purslane is a good source of vitamin C and recent research has also shown that this herb plant is a rich source of Omega 3 fatty acids which help to strengthen the immune system and maintain a healthy heart.

The juice of the fleshy leaves is soothing when applied to bites, burns and eczema.

In order to stimulate new growth pick leaves regularly from spring onwards.  This herb prefers a sunny spot and light, well drained soil.  Plenty of water is required for good leaf development although avoid overwatering.  Slugs are also partial to purslane so you will need to protect young plants from slugs as far as possible.

Sow herb seeds in spring under protection at 20°C or alternatively outside in summer when night time temperatures remain above 10°C.  We sow this particular herb at the same time as basil (late March/early April) as we find that even under protection early sowings are less successful.  Avoid sowing seeds too thickly as seedlings are prone to damping off.

Buy purslane herb plants (between April and June) and golden purslane herb seeds (available now in sale!) online from Nicholson's Herb Farm.

Viper's Bugloss - Wow!!

Wow!!  We've never grown the herb Viper's Bugloss in our garden before and it has been a revelation - we can't overstate what a stunning herb plant this is.

You may wonder why we haven't appreciated this before and that is all due to the way we grow our herbs.  We sow herb seeds and pot up young plants constantly throughout the growing season so unless we put them in the garden (which is already jam packed with herbs) generally we never see them grow any bigger than our pot size.  It makes an uninspiring herb in its first year (on top of which its leaves can be a bit of an irritant).  Viper's Bugloss is a biennial herb plant which means that it doesn't flower until the second year and it is in the second year where it also puts on most of its growth, growing to a height of 45-60cm.

Historically an old medicinal herb (it was traditionally thought to expel poisons and venom, presumably hence its name) it is mainly grown now for its striking brilliant blue and red flowers which open over a long period and are hugely attractive to bees.  Ours has been buzzing with activity for last six weeks or so.  Importantly for us it is also a good drought tolerant herb, evidenced by the fact that it has managed to thrive in our garden which is woefully neglected during our frantic spring and early summer season!!

Plant in autumn, give it a good bit of space and reap the benefits next spring.  That's what we'll be doing this year!!! 

Buy Viper's Bugloss herb plants online from Nicholson's Herb Farm.

Lemon Balm - Herb of the Month

Lemon balm is a neat, undemanding herb plant. It is a hardy, herbaceous perennial which grows to a height of between 30-80cm. It has oval shaped leaves on a square stem which are slightly hairy and deliciously lemon scented. Flowers are small and cream and grow in clusters around the stem. They are not showy but all the same, we think they're really pretty.  Lemon balm is a native herb plant of southern Europe, western Asia and northern Africa.

 

There are also different cultivars of this herb plant - M. officinalis ‘Aurea’ which has lovely variegated leaves.  New leaf growth is green with a distinctive gold splash although leaves do revert to pure green in summer.  This can be disconcerting but fresh new growth in spring will have the same lovely variegations.  M. officinalis ‘All Gold’ has bright yellow foliage.

Lemon balm has been cultivated for over 2000 years. The Greeks grew this herb as a bee plant which may explain its Latin name, Melissa meaning “honey bee” in Greek. In ancient times it was a herb often grown by front doors to ward off evil spirits. In the Middle Ages it was used for a variety of things – to prevent baldness, as a lucky love charm and to help cure dog bites among others, whilst the Arabs thought the herb beneficial in treating anxiety and depression.

The leaves of this herb can be used to add flavour to chicken, game and fish, to make stuffing or add to soups, sauces, salads, desserts and drinks. They also make a calming tea.

Current research has also shown that this herb plant may be beneficial in the treatment of cold sores, helping to reduce the chance of further outbreaks and reducing healing time. For this reason it is often found in lip balms.  Fresh leaves can be rubbed on the skin to act as an insect repellent and to soothe bites.

Lemon balm is a herb plant which can be planted in any soil in sun or partial shade. It spreads and self seeds readily. A good herb for containers.  M.officinalis ‘All Gold’ will benefit from shading from the midday sun as its leaves are prone to scorch.

M. officinalis can be propagated by seed under protection at 20°C. Germination takes 1-2 weeks but can be erratic. Seedlings are also prone to damping off so do not overwater. Softwood cuttings root easily and can be taken in early summer. Established herb plants can be divided in autumn or spring.  M. officinalis ‘Aurea’ and ‘All Gold’ cannot be propagated from seed but as cuttings root easily don't let this deter you from trying.

In terms of maintenance, cut back herb plants after flowering to prevent them becoming woody or straggly. Cutting back M. officinalis ‘Aurea’ in this way will also promote new variegated growth.

Lemon balm herb plants and herb seeds are available to buy online from Nicholson's Herb Farm.

It's time for Elderflower Cordial

If you live in a rural area then you can't fail to miss the elderflowers in bloom this month.  Until we made our own elderflower cordial we have to say that we regarded elders as a bit of a nuisance - self seeding all over the place and growing at a rate of knots so that before you can turn around you have a tree in the most inopportune place.  Elderflower cordial mixed with ice cold sparkling water however is an absolute treat on a hot day so we are slightly more forgiving of the poor elder these days.  This is the recipe we use which is very easy. 

You will need:

1.5 litres of boiling water

1 kilo of ordinary white granulated sugar

20 or so large elderflower heads

4 lemons

55g of citric acid

You can get citric acid from your local chemist but you will need to ask for it as they don't keep it on the shelves.  They may also ask you why you want it.  It's inexpensive - our last box cost something like 80p.

Method:

Use a large bowl or saucepan.  Empty the sugar into it and pour over the boiling water, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.

Wash your lemons and take the zest off (but don't throw it away!).  Slice the lemons and when the sugar/water solution is cool add them to the solution along with the zest, citric acid and the elderflower heads.

That's it.  Cover your pan with a cloth and leave for 48 hours.  After 48 hours strain the liquid twice through a sterilised muslin cloth (or if you don't have muslin a tea towel or pillow case works just as well - as long as it's sterilised). 

Using a funnel or jug carefully pour the cordial into hot sterilised bottles.  Elderflower cordial will keep in the fridge for several weeks but if you want to save some it will freeze.  You can freeze it into ice cube trays or plastic containers (just don't fill the containers too full so as to allow for expansion - the cordial is very sticky so you definitely don't want it all over your freezer).  We put our containers inside a plastic freezer bag to be on the safe side.

Don't forget to dilute to drink as you would squash.

Hyssop - Herb of the Month

Hyssopus officinalis is an ancient herb plant which is mentioned in the Bible. It is a native herb of central and southern Europe and western Asia.  The Greek physician Hippocrates (460-337 BC) used the name Hyssopus which is derived from the Hebrew ezob meaning “holy herb”. He recommended it for chest complaints, as did Culpepper, although his Herbal contains a myriad of other uses for this herb which, if used with honey, is said to “kill worms in the belly”. Its strong aromatic foliage made it popular as a strewing herb.

Hyssop is a semi-evergreen perennial herb plant which forms a neat upright shrub. It is a hardy herb, growing to a height of between 60 and 90cm with small, narrow aromatic leaves and dense spikes of glorious deep blue flowers. There are also pink and white flowered variants.

The fresh leaves of this herb plant, which have a mint-sage flavour, can be added sparingly to stews or used with fatty fish and meat. Fresh flowers can be sprinkled in salads and dried flowers can also be used to make a herbal tea.  Commercially, hyssop oil is used in the perfume industry.

Hyssop looks good grown as a small hedge and is an excellent herb plant for attracting bees and butterflies. It is also a good companion herb being thought generally beneficial to grapevines as well as helping to repel cabbage white butterflies.

This herb plant prefers well drained soil in a sunny position. Prune hard in spring to keep plants bushy and to prevent them becoming straggly.

To propagate this herb sow seeds in spring under protection at 20°C. Germination takes between 5-10 days. Alternatively take softwood cuttings in summer. Established herb plants can be divided in autumn.

You can buy hyssop plants and hyssop seeds online from Nicholson's Herb Farm.

Cornflower - Herb of the Month

This pretty wildflower, along with the field poppy was commonly found in cornfields and on wasteland until the 1920s. 

It is therefore astonishing to think that cornflowers almost died out in the UK following the widespread introduction of chemical weedkillers in the 1970s. 

An old country name for the cornflower is Bluebottle. Its Latin name, on the other hand, Centaurea, comes from the centaur Chiron, known for his knowledge of herbs. 

Decoctions made from the flower heads of the cornflower were used to treat inflamed and tired eyes and were used by the French in their eyewash “Eau de Casselunettes”.  Cornflower florets are edible and can be used fresh in salads. Dried florets can also be used in pot pourri. The juice of the petals produces a blue ink and also a water colour pigment. Medicinally this plant has anti-inflammatory properties and today, commercially, extracts of cornflower are added to shampoos and rinses.

Cornflowers are tall, slender, hardy annuals which can reach a height of up to 1m. They have grey-green lance shaped leaves and striking flowers of the most beautiful blue. The base of the flower has distinctive overlapping bracts which give it a thistle-like appearance. The flower bud itself is covered in tiny hairs. Flowers are generally blue but occasionally white, pink or purple flowers may appear (and it is in fact now possible to buy mixed seeds).

Cornflowers are very attractives to bees and butterflies.  They prefer well drained soil in a sunny position and make an ideal filler in borders.  Alternatively create your own wild meadow and plant alongside field poppies, oxeye daisies, alliums and camassias (for best results here plant young plants rather than broadcasting the seeds as they will be unable to compete with the grass).

Sow cornflower seeds in autumn or spring. For best results sow direct outside when night time temperatures exceed 10°C. Germination takes 10-14 days.  Alternatively sow under cover in early spring.  Germination in a heated propagator takes only 2-3 days.   Cornflowers are often used as cut flowers or for flower arranging and if this is the case flowers may need supporting if straight stems are required.

You can buy cornflower seeds and field poppies online from Nicholson's Herb Farm

It's Time to Sow

It’s time to sow – one of our favourite times of the year. There is nothing more rewarding than sowing a tray of tiny herb seeds and then watching as they germinate in what can sometimes seem a hostile environment for something so small.  We know of course from our herb plant sales that many customers prefer to buy their herbs “garden ready”. There are, however, some herb plants which are so easy to grow from seed it seems a shame not to give them a try.

Don’t feel that you need a greenhouse or lots of expensive equipment to get started - although once you’ve got the bug you may well find yourself lusting after a Victorian glasshouse (well we do!).  Although we sow the majority of our herb seeds under cover using a heated mat this is really only for two reasons. The first is that we are sowing earlier than you probably would at home. Depending on the weather we sow the first of our herb seeds between the middle and the end of February. Secondly, our tunnels are unheated and so the heated mats help to keep the soil temperature evenly warm, assisting germination. We don’t want our herb seeds sitting in cold wet compost for too long, especially in February. Having said that with space at a premium a lot of the plants we grow for our own use on the allotment are generally grown in an old plastic tray on the kitchen windowsill covered in cling film.

There are just a couple of things to remember when starting off herb seeds inside – (1) once your herb seeds have germinated remember to turn the pots round every day to stop the seedlings leaning towards the light and (2) brush them gently with your hand every now and again. Seedlings grown under cover and away from the elements will be more tender. Giving them a brush over every now and again simulates the wind.  This helps toughen them up so that they are more robust when the time comes for them to be planted out.

If you’ve never grown herb plants from seed before we’d recommend wild rocket, sorrel and chamomile.  You really can't go wrong with these.  The seeds germinate quickly and the seedlings are robust survivors.  Also on the "easy to grow" list are cornflowers, coriander and pot marigolds and, being annuals, growing these herb plants from seed makes good financial sense.

At the other end of the scale, for those of you fancying a bit more of a challenge why not try basil or purslane. Purslane is not particularly tricky but both it and basil need to be sown a bit later when the weather is warmer otherwise damping off can be a serious problem.  Slugs are very partial to purslane so you do need to keep an eye out for those.  Basil is a slow starter. Basil seeds germinate quickly but plants seem to stay small for a very long time. It really is very weather dependent. As soon as we get the scorching hot days of summer though you can almost see it growing daily. And of course, you can’t beat the flavour so it is well worth the wait.

For more detailed information about growing herbs from seed there are two herb seed sowing guides on our website:

Herb Seed Guide No. 1 - Sowing Herb Seeds Under Cover (The Basics)

Herb Seed Guide No. 2 - Common Problems

Happy sowing!