Mint

Mints are fascinating plants – there are so many varieties with very different scents, flavours, leaf shapes and shades. As with sages there are some wonderful fruity selections such as apple, pineapple and lemon mints as well as the more familiar spearmint and the deliciously scented chocolate and ginger mints.

Varieties

There are many varieties of mint. Common mint (Mentha vulgaris) is the most popular, but you could also try apple mint (M. suaveolans) or spearmint (M. spicata). Pennyroyal (M. pulegium) is very different in appearance. It is a pretty little ground-hugging type producing tiny mauve flowers in summer and is ideal for growing in rock gardens or between cracks and crevices in paths and patios. It has a strong scent of peppermint and should be used sparingly in cooking.

Growing tips

Most mints spread using runners, modified roots that run along just below the surface, rooting and shooting as they go. This means that they can be highly invasive, especially if grown among other perennial plants. It is often recommended that they be grown in a bucket or large pot buried in the ground, rim proud of the soil, to restrict the roots. Even so, care is needed not to allow the plants to escape.

Mints are herbaceous perennials, meaning that they die down once the frosts start in the winter and shoot again in the spring. The foliage tends to deteriorate after flowering so removing the blooms will prolong harvesting.

Container growing

Mints are well suited to growing in pots in a gritty compost such as John Innes No. 3. Add a controlled-release fertiliser when planting to help maintain growth. If the plant starts to ‘run out of steam’ then give a liquid feed during the growing season. Place containers in a semishaded spot or a sunny spot if the plant has coloured leaves.

The roots will quickly fill the container and so every couple of years lift and split the plants. Remove the plant from the pot and force a spade through the roots, chopping off sections that can be replanted in fresh compost.

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In the kitchen

Different mints complement different dishes: ginger mint is delicious in tomato recipes; lemon mint gives fruit dishes a lift, and a sprig of mint in the water is a must when cooking new potatoes. To make a small pot of mint sauce, chop several young tips of spearmint, mix with vinegar to cover, and just under ¼ tsp sugar. Mint leaves store well either by drying or freezing, providing a supply throughout the winter. Freeze the best shoots in small bunches in freezer bags, or freeze shoot tips in ice cubes to drop into the cooking pan as required.

Parsley

Of all our herbs, parsley is perhaps the one grown most profusely on the allotment, being useful as a garnish and an ingredient in so many traditional dishes. Rich in iron and vitamin C, parsley is also a valuable source of minerals and has been used in traditional medicine to aid digestion and cure urinary infections.

Varieties

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) falls into two main categories, the common, curled-leaf parsley, most popular in the UK, and the flat-leaved type, also known as French or broad-leaf parsley, commonly used in Europe and the Middle East. Both types are easy to grow from seed. Less well known, yet offered by many major seed companies, is Hamburg parsley, a deep-rooted plant that looks much like a parsnip, tastes like parsley and the root is always used cooked. Although perennial, this plant is generally grown as an annual, however, the other parsleys, which are grown for their leaves, are biennial.

Growing tips

As French and curled-leaf parsleys are biennial, it is necessary to grow a fresh supply every year. Germination can be slow and erratic, but in the case of the leafy types is improved if seeds are sown early in the year in cell trays of multi-purpose compost and placed in a propagator heated to 18°C/65°F. Thin out, then, plant out once well established without disturbing the roots.

If sowing directly into the soil – necessary with Hamburg parsley, which does not like to be transplanted – use a cloche or a black polythene mulch to warm the soil first and cover with the cloche again after sowing.

Sow a batch once a month from February to June to provide a succession of cropping.

Maintain watering during the growing season to prevent wilting during dry spells and look out for carrot fly if you have carrot plants, to which parsley is related, close by. Growing in semishade reduces the likelihood of bolting and is also said to help deter the carrot fly.

Harvest the leaves as required and, when they are at their best, freeze some in food bags or chop and freeze as ice cubes. Dig up the roots of Hamburg parsley in the autumn and store in boxes of slightly damp sand.

Container growing

Both French and curled-leaf parsleys are perfect for growing in clumps in pots on a windowsill or as part of a larger pot of herbs on the patio, as long as they are kept well watered.

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In the kitchen

Its fresh, grassy taste enhances most savoury dishes as an ingredient or garnish. Curled leaf is more common in British cooking but the flat leaved is now widely available. Like most soft herbs parsley discolours when used, so finely chop as needed and add just before serving. Chopped parsley, crushed garlic and melted butter are a match made in heaven. Combine over a gentle heat for a simple and versatile sauce.

Rosemary

Rosemary is a delight in the flower border and the herb garden for its wonderful blue or white flowers. The evergreen foliage is highly attractive, too. Like so many of our beautifully scented herbs, rosemary is Mediterranean and has a long history of medicinal and culinary use and many legends and stories about it.

Varieties

The most commonly grown rosemary is Rosmarinus officinalis, a blue-flowered shrub growing up to 1.2m/4ft tall with handsome narrow green glossy leaves, but there are many other varieties. For a more compact, lowgrowing type try the prostrate R. officinalis ‘Prostratus’; for white flowers, R. officinalis ‘Albiflorus’; and for a handsome, tall plant, ‘Miss Jessopp’s Upright’ (purple flowers).

Growing tips

A sunny spot in well-drained soil is preferable, although some shade for part of the day is acceptable. This tall plant is ideal as a backdrop in a herb border and thrives next to a warm wall or fence.

Frost and cold winds can cut back the growth during the winter, so choose a sheltered spot. Prune after the main flush of flowers is over to prevent plants from becoming straggly, to encourage branching and to remove any diseased or frost-damaged shoots.

A few pests, such as leaf hoppers and frog hoppers, can cause problems during the summer, but are rarely troublesome enough to warrant spraying. Frog hoppers, which cause the distinctive cuckoo spit on the shoot tips, can be washed off with a strong jet of water.

Take 10cm/4in cuttings of rosemary in July or August and root in pots of 50:50 peat, or peat substitute, and sand. Hardwood cuttings, 23cm/9in long, can also be taken in September and rooted in slit trenches. Line the base of the trench with gritty sand and place the cuttings in to half their depth, 15cm/6in apart, before closing up again with your foot.

Container growing

Rosemary grows well in a container of John Innes No. 3 compost on a warm patio. Maintain watering during the summer and feed once a week with a liquid fertiliser.

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In the kitchen

Hardy and prolific once mature, rosemary will fill your borders with a heady fragrance and provide a ready supply of aromatic needle-shaped leaves. Every cook knows the joys of rosemary with lamb, but it also enhances roasted vegetables, fish, potatoes and pulses. Whole sprigs can be added to slow-cooked dishes and left to infuse. Or pull the leaves away from the tough stalk and chop finely. Larger woody stalks can be used as attractive skewers. Simmer a few sprigs in a little water and sugar to create a fragrant syrup that can be served with poached fruit or drizzled over cakes.

Sage

Sage is used as a decorative plant for the border and for culinary use, and has been used medicinally for centuries. Our familiar garden sages are part of a large family that includes annuals, biennials and perennials. The sages that we usually enjoy in various recipes are mainly perennials that live for three years or longer and form attractive low shrubs.

Varieties

There are several popular sorts, all with strongly scented leaves and pretty heads of small flowers. The most commonly grown species is Salvia officinalis (common sage) and hybrids of it, such as ‘Purpurascens’ (the purple-leaved sage) and the variegated ‘Tricolor’ and ‘Icterina’ sages, are as popular for their decorative leaves as their use in the kitchen.

There are many ‘fruit’ scented sages with fragrances such as pineapple, blackcurrant, raspberry, peach and tangerine, which are generally less hardy so need a very sheltered spot in a border or on a patio.

Growing tips

Sages come from warmer southern Europe and need a sunny, sheltered, well-drained place in which to grow. If you have heavy soil, such as clay, dig in plenty of grit and well-rotted organic matter prior to planting.

Sage plants are short-lived and have a habit of becoming woody and straggly, so cutting shoots for the kitchen keeps them compact and younger for longer. It also delays flowering, which affects the quality of the leaves. Trim annually to maintain shape and vigour.

As plants tend to deteriorate over time, take a few cuttings each year to replace old stock. These root easily from tip cuttings – remove shoot tips about 5–7cm/2–3in long and push them into small pots or cell trays of multi-purpose compost mixed with a little grit or sand. Dipping the end of the cuttings in rooting hormone powder can help speed rooting, which can take as little as a month in the summer. It is also possible to grow plants from seed and these should be sown in the spring.

Container growing

The tender types of sage are best grown in pots to allow them to be moved to somewhere frost free in winter. As the prettiest are the most tender, they can make a lovely, fragrant display mixed with other sages or herbs.

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In the kitchen

These powerful, thick chalky leaves add depth and a distinct muskiness to dishes. A strong herb and acquired taste, sage should be used sparingly and never raw. Infusing whole leaves into oils or stocks is a more subtle way to introduce sage’s earthy flavour. Whole leaves are often fried in butter and used as an elegant, crispy garnish for meats. Traditionally, sage is used to complement fatty meats and as a stuffing for goose and pork. The essential oil of sage is known as sage clary and has been used to flavour wine and liqueurs.

Tarragon

Tarragon is a half hardy perennial that has a long history and is thought to have come to Britain in the Middle Ages. It became popular for its pungent leaves, perhaps as a way of covering up the taste of meats that were not fresh. Its name, Artemisia dracunculus, comes from the French for dragon as the roots coil like the mythical beast.

Varieties

There are two types, French tarragon and Russian tarragon, and the French one has the better flavour. However, you will have to buy a plant, as it does not produce viable seeds. Its Russian cousin produces a bigger crop of leaves, is hardier and so more likely to survive the winter – it can be grown from seed.

Growing tips

The seeds of Russian tarragon are sown in the spring but both types can be propagated, either by taking root cuttings or division. Plants may reach 1m/3ft 3in tall. Although perennial, it is best to treat Russian tarragon as an annual and to sow fresh seeds each year as plants soon become straggly. However, if you wish to keep your plant through the winter, spread a thick mulch around the roots in the autumn to help insulate them from the cold.

In the case of French tarragon, take some cuttings in late summer and root them in time for the winter. Grow them on in a frost-free place and use them to replace the parent. Cuttings root very easily in a 50:50 mix of peat or coir and sharp sand, or you can dib them into cuttings compost in cell trays, one cutting per cell. To ensure success, give them a little heat in a propagator set to 15°C/60°F.

Outside, plant tarragon in a sunny border in well-drained, but water-retentive soil, digging in a little well-rotted organic matter to improve water-holding capacity. Cut regularly to keep the plants bushy and to avoid straggly growth.

Container growing

A small plant in a pot can be kept on a sunny windowsill during the winter to provide some out-of-season pickings. Tarragon will grow larger in a bigger container on the patio, filled with moisture-retentive but well-draining compost such as John Innes No. 3.

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In the kitchen

Tarragon is a classic culinary herb with a sophisticated soft aniseed flavour. Because it is so pungent, it’s important not to overdo it, just add a few leaves to taste. The soft leaves should be picked just before use, as they quickly lose their bite. Shred and use raw, or add towards the end of cooking for maximum impact. Tarragon’s sweetness is great with tomatoes, chicken and eggs in particular. Traditionally, a French ingredient, it’s often used to enhance a light soufflé or omelette. Pick leaves in midsummer to freeze.

Thyme

Brushing past sweetly perfumed thyme on a hot day has to be one of the delights of summer gardening. The leaves contain volatile oils that are more active in warm weather and on a still evening the fragrance is wonderful. If the climate in the UK is becoming warmer, drought-tolerant thymes could come into their own.

Varieties

There are over 400 species and around 100 varieties of thyme known to cultivation, all with subtle differences in scent and many with variegated leaves or delicate flowers in shades of white, pink and purple. Thymus vulgaris is most often used in cooking.

The various species vary in habit from matforming to upright in growth and at up to 30cm/12in tall, T. vulgaris is one of the taller ones. Others of note are the various varieties of T. serphyllum including ‘Goldstream’, with gold and green variegated leaves. Lemon thyme (T. citriodorus), another taller type, is widely available, as is T. coccineus, which grows in a red-flowered mat and is good for covering banks or growing in cracks in paving.

Growing tips

Although some thymes are native to the UK, many come from warmer climates such as the Mediterranean and are not completely hardy. However, most will thrive if given a warm, sunny spot, ideally in well-drained soil that is not too rich in nutrients. Mulch with a layer of gravel each year to retain a little moisture and keep water away from the crown of the plant in winter.

Sow seeds in potting compost in March, covering lightly, and keep in a warm place to germinate. Harden off and plant out when the seedlings are about 10cm/4in high and there’s no danger of frost. You can also propagate by root division on three-year-old plants in April.

Pruning is important to keep the plants young and healthy. After flowering, trim back the old flower heads, shorten the stems and in spring lift up the edges of the clump and cut out any dead old shoots that tend to accumulate underneath.

Container growing

Thyme is ideal for growing in containers among other herbs, caring for them in exactly the same way. Keep them close to the back door for ease of picking and so that you can appreciate the scent they release.

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In the kitchen

A favourite aromatic hardy herb that complements Mediterranean flavours. Either allow a whole sprig to infuse in a simmering casserole, or pull the small leaves away from the stalks, which can be discarded if old and woody. Stalks from a young, more tender plant can be used whole. Thyme retains its flavour during cooking, benefiting from a long, slow cook to allow the flavours to seep out – delicious in stews and stuffings. The woody sweetness is irresistible when added to soft onions, mushrooms or when roasting a chicken – tuck a knob of butter mixed with a handful of thyme leaves under the skin.