CULTIVATING DELICIOUS
In addition to healthy food, our gardens provide relaxation and relief from busy schedules, economic anxieties, and the generally hectic nature of an early 21st century life. Colorful blooms, interesting textures, and a prime seat at Nature’s always changing daily performance offer a vital connection with the environment. Health, wellbeing, and connection are admirable, but it’s all for naught if it doesn’t taste good! This month we’ll look at adding layers of flavor to the garden—and your plate—with herbs, edible flowers, and unique secondary crops you won’t find at the corner grocer.
PLAN
Assess the growing season: jot down notes in your garden journal about weather conditions, plant performance, and favorite varieties
Shop nurseries for attractive edible flowers and herbs
PREPARE AND MAINTAIN
Mulch garden to conserve moisture during the coming dry season
Water container-grown edibles consistently for best flavor and production
Keep picking continuously producing crops like peas, herbs, and broccoli to get a bigger harvest
SOW AND PLANT
Sow a row of bush beans every 4 weeks through July for a continual harvest
DIRECT SOW
Arugula
Asian greens
Basil
Carrots
Chard
Corn TIP pre-sprout corn seed before sowing
Dill
Lettuce and salad greens
Parsnips
Spinach
Sunflowers
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Cucumber
Eggplants
Leeks
Onions
Peppers
Pumpkins
Summer squash
Tomatoes
Winter squash
HARVESTING NOW …
Arugula TIP the flowers are edible too!
Asian greens
Beets
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrots
Chard
Fava beans
Garlic TIP garlic that has not fully matured—green garlic—is often available this month
Herbs
Kale
Kohlrabi
Lettuce and salad greens
Onions
Peas TIP pea tendrils make for a tasty snack
Radishes
Rapini
Raspberries (early season)
Strawberries (June bearing)
Spinach
Inch for inch and row for row, herbs pack a tremendous amount of flavor into every square foot of the garden while edible flowers create a feast for both eyes and plate. Imagine a small balcony brimming with containers of basil, lavender, thyme, and mint. Or picture a garden where calendula, dianthus, and nasturtiums mingle with roses and berry brambles. The culinary delights and design possibilities are endless when you have herbs and edible flowers at your fingertips.
Summer is high season for Mediterranean natives like rosemary, thyme, sage, and savory. But here in the PNW, we can cultivate a variety of herbs throughout the entire year. From chives, chervil, parsley, and mint in spring, to the heady perfume of a late summer basil harvest, herbs add a rich sensual dimension to even the most basic diet. Many edible flowers also provide valuable pollinator and beneficial insect support.
Most herbs and flowers need at least 6 to 8 hours of sun per day, although parsley, mint, and begonias will tolerate less light. Herbs are generally not fussy about soil but, like most plants, they do require good drainage. Annual herbs and flowers are easily and economically grown from seed while perennial plants and woody herbs are best purchased as starts. When choosing herbs, don’t hesitate to pinch, sniff, and sample to select those with the strongest aroma and flavor. Also make sure that flower starts like daylilies, dianthus, and begonias are toxin-free if you plan to consume them.
Resist the urge to fertilize herbs: you may get larger plants but size is often at the expense of taste because growth dilutes the essential oils that impart zesty flavors. Harvest edible flowers as blooms open and pick herbs from young plants before they flower. Pick on a dry day, after the dew has dried in the morning, for the greatest concentration of flavorful oils. The more you pick the more the plants produce.
You can plant up just about any container as long as it has been drilled with drainage holes. Buckets, baskets, old kitchen tins, window boxes, terracotta pots, wooden crates, and agricultural troughs all make whimsical and practical homes for herb and flower gardens. No matter how you choose to grow them—integrated among the vegetables, cultivated in a separate plot, or in containers on a sunny porch or windowsill—herbs and flowers deliver big.
No kitchen garden is complete without the flavorful cheer of fresh herbs and flowers. Here are some of my favorites:
Basil. Annual; seed or transplant. Tender green (or purple) leaves have a spicy perfume and come in a variety of different flavor profiles from clove-like to lemon, cinnamon, and spicy Thai.
Bay. Woody; transplant. This evergreen shrub can get quite large but is easily kept to a manageable size with regular clipping. Pungent, glossy leaves add a zippy citrusy aroma to savory and sweet dishes alike.
Chamomile. Perennial (Roman), transplant or division; annual (German), seed. A versatile herb with excellent antifungal properties.
Chervil. Annual; seed or transplant. Delicate feathery foliage, a mild licorice flavor, and a vigorous disposition in cool growing conditions makes chervil a staple in my garden for many months of the year.
Chives. Perennial; seed or transplant. Chives are one of the first herbs to emerge each spring. The fine grass-like blades offer a bright, oniony snap when minced and sprinkled on foods right before serving; the pretty pink starburst blossoms are just as tasty.
Cilantro. Annual; seed. Fragile, flat-leafed cilantro has a singular flavor described by some as citrusy and by others as soapy. Even if the leaves are not to your liking, most people love the toasty flavor of the plant’s ripe seed known as coriander.
Dill. Annual; seed. Another two-for-one crop. The delicate thread-like leaves (also called “dill weed”) has a bright zesty flavor. Later in the season, harvest the aromatic umbel flowers and mature seeds for pickles, baking, and preserving.
Fennel. Perennial; transplant. Leaf fennel, as opposed to the closely related bulbing fennel, is a large herb growing 3 to 5 feet tall. It is prized for its finely cut, anise-flavored foliage as well as its bright yellow pollen and aromatic seed. The green form is lovely but I prefer the burnished bronze variety that looks like a fuzzy teddy bear as it emerges each spring.
Garden sage. Woody; transplant. Velvety leaves with a savory and slightly camphorous flavor grow on low sprawling shrubs. The colorful forms—purple, green and gold, or silver—add interest to the garden, although they all taste pretty similar.
Lemon balm. Perennial; seed or transplant. Slightly fuzzy leaves on sturdy plants have a lemony-mint flavor that brews into a delicious and soothing tea, iced or hot. Plant lemon balm in its own container to accommodate the vigorous root system.
Lemon verbena. Perennial; transplant. Long, pointed light green leaves smell and taste strongly of fresh lemons.
Marjoram and oregano. Perennial; transplant. A botanical conundrum, these two plants are closely related and commonly mislabeled. Pinch, sniff, and taste before purchasing to make sure you get the flavor you want.
Mint. Perennial; transplant. A hardy plant that deserves space in every garden. Just be sure to contain its aggressive growth or mint may end up being all you grow! Spearmint is the culinary standard but you can also find mint in interesting flavors like lemon, ginger, apple, and pineapple.
Parsley. Perennial; seed or transplant. This ubiquitous but underrated herb has a fresh grassy “green” flavor that is packed with nutrition. Plant out a whole row and generously add to salads, vegetable dishes, and juices.
Pineapple sage. Perennial; transplant. The soft mint-like foliage with a tropical pineapple fragrance and a sweet flavor is delicious brewed into teas or added to fruit salads. Brilliant red flowers at the end of the growing season attract hummingbirds.
Rosemary. Woody; transplant. Resinous, needle-like foliage has a strong coniferous flavor. Rosemary tolerates salt spray and windy seaside conditions. Upright plants are hardier than trailing forms.
Sorrel. Perennial; transplant. Tart and spritely sorrel is active in early spring. The smaller silvered leaves of French sorrel are more lemony than sour and have a refined garden appearance.
Summer savory. Annual; seed or transplant. This small bushy plant has tiny leaves which taste like a peppery blend of thyme and mint.
Tarragon. Perennial; transplant. Fine, narrow leaves which grow along tender stems have a refreshing licorice flavor and are a classic combo for fish, egg, and cheese dishes. Taste before purchasing to be sure you get a flavorful plant.
Thyme. Perennial; transplant. The low, sprawling plants with tiny leaves don’t look like much, but I wouldn’t go without this herb garden classic. The aromatic leaves have a peppery flavor with hints of citrus.
Anise hyssop. Perennial; transplant. Lavender-blue blossoms and leaves have a sweet licorice flavor with a minty undertone. Delicious with fruit, as a garnish for desserts, or brewed into tea.
Bee balm. Perennial; transplant. Brilliantly colored shaggy blossoms in red, pink, or purple have a citrusy-mint flavor that is a traditional ingredient in tea. The flowers are also a magnet for visiting hummingbirds.
Begonia. Annual; transplant. Did you know that the juicy stems and colorful blossoms of tuberous begonias have a lemon-like flavor? Begonias add a citrusy punch to fruit or green salads, fish dishes, or even cocktails.
Borage. Annual; seed or transplant. All parts of the plant have a refreshing cucumber flavor although most people avoid the bristly foliage in favor of the starry, sky-blue flowers produced abundantly all summer.
Calendula. Annual; seed or transplant. Appreciated more for its beautiful golden hued petals—sometimes called “poor man’s saffron”—than for its mild, peppery flavor. Calendula petals have soothing anti-inflammatory properties and make a nice healing salve when steeped in warm coconut or olive oil.
Chrysanthemum. Annual; seed. Yellow and white petals and young silvery green foliage have a pungent, slightly bitter flavor. They are a traditional ingredient in Asian cuisine.
Daylily. Perennial; transplant. Succulent and crunchy daylily blossoms are both sweet and peppery. Try them in fresh salads, dipped in batter and quick-fried, or stuffed with a savory cheese and served fresh.
Dianthus. Perennial; seed or transplant. Delicate petals in shades of pink, purple, white or magenta have a spicy sweet clove-like flavor that matches their heady fragrance. Try steeping the flowers in vodka or gin for an herbal aperitif.
Lavender. Perennial; transplant. Pale silvery blue to deep purple flower buds are a traditional component of the Herb d’Provence blend; delicious with grilled meats, fresh cheeses, and savory pastries. Alone, the flowers have soapy or perfumed flavor, although English lavender is sweeter than Spanish or French varieties.
Marigold. Annual; seed or transplant. Choose single-flowered signet varieties for their pungent lemon fragrance and flavor as well as their golden yellow or tangerine hues. Larger varieties tend to be more bitter.
Nasturtium. Annual; seed or transplant. Young foliage tastes like watercress while the colorful funnel-shaped flowers have a peppery bite tempered with a sweet drop of nectar.
Pansy. Annual; seed or transplant. Mild flavored but these cheerful blossoms are treasured as a colorful garnish on springtime meals and desserts.
Rose petals. Perennial; transplant. Fragrant roses, particularly old-fashioned varieties and rugosa roses, have a stronger traditional “rose” flavor that goes well with milky desserts, candies, and cocktails.
Violets. Perennial; transplant. The highly fragrant, deep purple blossoms are traditionally candied with sugar in early spring and used to decorate sweets even though their flavor, like lavender, is often likened to soap or perfume.
Nose-to-tail eating usually refers to the efficient and economical preparation of an entire animal, utilizing less common cuts and offal. Generally speaking, going whole hog in the edible garden is less about choking down the “nasty bits” and more about capitalizing on every edible aspect of homegrown food. Secondary crops—whether it be a stem, seed pod, blossom, or bud—are seasonal treats only available to the backyard grower, or for a very brief time (and often for a premium price) at your local farmers market.
Growing your own also means getting to decide when to harvest. Authentic baby carrots, tiny flavorful summer squash, tender beets no bigger than a golf ball, and immature artichokes are a completely different offering than larger and more mature crops. Fragile and fleeting, these choice backyard crops are yours for the picking.
Bean blossoms. Pole and runner bean blossoms have a delicate sweet bean flavor. You can add them raw to salads and slaws.
Beet greens. Harvest no more than a third of beet top growth to avoid diminishing root growth; overwintered beets will produce a generous crop of greens in spring. Steam or sauté as you would chard.
Brassica flowers and immature seed pods. The entire brassica family (to name a few: arugula, broccoli, cabbage, kale, mustard, and radish) produces delicate, spicy-sweet flowers that are delicious raw. The immature seed pods that follow are a crunchy, peppery treat all unto themselves and may be eaten raw or briefly sautéed with other vegetables.
Fava bean growing tips and flowers. Both tips and flowers have a mild bean flavor. Add young tender greens to salads, or sauté or steam and puree for an early season pesto.
Garlic scapes. The blossoming stem sent up in late spring on hardneck garlic should be removed to focus the plants energy on the developing bulb. Steam, grill, or sauté the tender scapes for a spring treat that tastes like a cross between garlic and asparagus. Green garlic, that is garlic which has not yet fully matured, is an early summer offering; a milder, gentler incarnation of this typically pungent plant.
Pea tendrils and growing tips. Lightly harvest 3 to 4 inches from the growing tips and tendrils for a tasty crop before the plants have begun setting their pods. The sweet, fresh pea flavor is very perishable and fades within hours of picking so add quickly to fresh salads or wilt into stir-fries and pasta.
Squash flowers. All squash produce both male and female flowers, but only the females (identified by a slight swelling at the base of the blossom) produce fruit. What to do with the excess male flowers? Eat them! Battered and fried, stuffed and baked, or shredded and added to other preparations, squash blossoms are a backyard bonus to enjoy while waiting for fruit to ripen. Also: don’t forget to toast the seeds once you’ve picked your winter squash and pumpkins.
Unripe tomatoes. It almost hurts to say it, but yes, green tomatoes are a common PNW crop. These crunchy, tart fruits are nothing like their juicy ripe relatives; all the same they are delicious pickled, fried, and added to baked goods for a zingy, almost citrusy effect.
SKILL SET 
TEN USES FOR SOAP IN THE GARDEN
Clean up your act! Soap is a remarkably versatile, almost-magic potion. This everyday household staple tackles a laundry list of garden chores indoors and out: grime, pests, sticky blades, poison ivy, and more. Simple soap (identified on most labels as potassium salts of fatty acid) is safe in one dose and deadly in another, so always follow package directions carefully.
1 Kill bugs. Insecticidal soap kills most soft-bodied insects like pesky aphids by dehydration but you have to actually spray the bug to kill it. Repeat applications may be necessary to get control of a burgeoning pest population. Carefully note label warnings for plants susceptible to damage by this product.
2 Repel deer. Highly fragrant bar soap hung in vulnerable shrubs and trees offends (and repels) a deer’s delicate sense of smell. The trick is to make bar soap ornaments look better than deer damage.
3 Stop slugs and snails. First thing in the morning or after a rain, handpick slugs and snails off your plants and drop the leaf-ravaging mollusks into a bucket of soapy water, otherwise known as a bubbly grave.
4 Kill weeds. Super strong soap solutions kill weeds on contact by drying up soft plant tissues. This solution is most effective on tender, annual weeds before they go to seed.
5 Clean up indoor plants. Remove dusty buildup and other indoor contaminants from houseplant foliage by spraying with a mild soap solution and wiping the leaves clean; especially important during winter months when plants may struggle to get enough light.
6 Act as a spreader/sticker. For improved performance of spray on disease controls, add a squirt of mild dish soap to help the formula adhere to the plant. Always be sure to read the label of fungicides and dormant spray solutions because many already contain a spreader/sticker.
7 Make water wetter. Apply a very mild soap and water solution to dried-out houseplants and seedling trays. As a natural surfactant, soap breaks surface tension and helps water penetrate even the most resistant soils.
8 Lubricate saws. Swipe a bar of soap over the blade of your hand saw to help it go through wood more easily for straight, accurate cuts and less work for you.
9 Soothe poison oak and poison ivy. Choose soaps specifically designed to treat the nasty rash caused by urushiol oil, a sticky toxic substance found in the sap of these noxious plants.
10 Clean up. Keep fingernails clean while working in the garden by scraping them over a bar of soap before heading outside; tiny slivers of soap prevent dirt from caking under your nails and wash out cleanly. At the end of the day, nothing beats a hot soapy bath and a sound scrubbing for cleansing and soothing weary gardeners after a productive day in the garden. Insecticidal soaps, disease controls, and other soap-based garden formulas may be found at your local nursery and hardware store. Treat yourself to the good stuff when it comes to bath time.