May and June gardening tips

Growing aromatic herbs

May 31, 2010

Late spring top tasks are harvesting, watering and weeding.

Drying aromatic herbs

Some tips for drying aromatic herbs:
- wash the leaves
- dry them with a kitchen towel
- put them in a dark, not humid and ventilated place
- after a week store herbs in a jar or container, away from light and heat sources.

You can also freeze some aromatic herbs.

Harvest & Store

For more details about harvesting and storing aromatic herbs see also:
Storing basil
Storing chamomile
Storing dandelion buds
Storing mint: drying
Storing mint: freezing
Storing rosemary
Storing sage
Storing thyme
Storing herbes de Provence

You can also harvest lemon grass in May and June.

Many plants are blooming... find some tips on how use the flowers in the post aromatic herbs blooming.

Usually seeds harvesting begins in late summer, but some seeds may be ready in June: read the post saving seeds.

Rooftop gardening

The same recommendations apply for pot gardening: watering and weeding are easier but more important, because resources are limited.

In well exposed rooftops and balconies the harvest is already begun: read the post Rooftop gardening in June

Weeding

The best way to control weeds is ... harvest them.
Find tips and ideas in the post Weed's Crusade.

Seeds to sow in May

Vegetables.
Direct: artichoke, asparagus, aubergine, barilla plant, beans, beetroot, bell pepper, broad beans, Bruxelles sprouts, cabbage, cardoon, carrot, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, chard, chicory Chioggia, chili pepper, corn, courgette, cucumber, endive, escarole, fennel bulb, french beans, head lettuce, kale cavolo nero, kohlrabi, leek, lettuce, melon, okra, parsnip, peas, pumpkin, radish, rocket, romaine lettuce, scorzanera, spinach, tomatillo, tomato, turnip, watermelon.
Protected: broccoli.

Aromatic Herbs and Herbal Teas.
Direct: balm, basil, borage, chives, chives garlic, cress, hyssop, lemon grass, lovage, nasturtium, purslane, savory, sorrel, sweetclover.
Protected: sage, thyme.

Seeds to sow in June

Vegetables.
Direct: artichoke, barilla plant, beans, beetroot, Bruxelles sprouts, cabbage, cardoon, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, chard, chicory Chioggia, corn, courgette, endive, escarole, fennel bulb, french beans, kale cavolo nero, kohlrabi, leek, okra, radish, rocket, romaine lettuce, savoy cabbage, turnip.

Aromatic Herbs and Herbal Teas.
Direct: borage, chives, chives garlic, cress, lemon grass, nasturtium, purslane, savory, sorrel.
Protected: thyme.

Patate

Seasonal cooking for May and June

Seasonal herbs and spices: Balm, basil, bay, borage, burnet, calamint, chamomile, chervil, chives garlic, chives, cilantro, cinnamon basil, cornflower, cress, curry plant, dill, fenugreek, garlic, horehound, jasmine, lemon bergamot, lemon grass, lemon verbena, lovage, mallow, marjoram, mint, nigella, oregano, parsley, purslane, rosemary, sage, savory, sorrel, tarragon, thyme, wild thyme, yarrow.

Seasonal Vegetables: Artichokes, asparagus, baby onions, beans, beetroots, broad beans, broccolis, cabbage, caper, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chards, chick peas, chicory, cucumber, endive, eschalot, fennel, garlic, kale, leek, lentils, lettuce, onions, peas, peppers, potatoes, pumpkin flowers, purslane, radishes, rocket, savoy, spinach, string beans, Swiss chard, tomato, turnips, zucchini.

Seasonal Fruits: Apricots, bilberries, black cherries, cherries, currant, gooseberry, loquats, melons, mulberries, peaches, pears, plums, raspberries, strawberries.