To Cover, or Not To Cover...???

The front beds (mostly) covered with simple Agribon. The young tree in the middle is a 4-year-old Neem tree, which has changed its native habits (it's from India) to become deciduous; I'll just leave it uncovered until the coldest part of winter (since this is the first year it's in the ground) to let it fulfill its wintertime dormancy.

Yes, that is the question!

Every year at this time in North Carolina, it's hard to decide when/if to cover our highly regarded plants out in the garden. Since as a business we provide fresh-cut herbs to restaurants all year, it's in my best interest to keep everything going outside for as long as possible, so I'm not limited to the beds inside the greenhouses (though 5,000 square feet of bed space is nothing to sneeze at). However, with more than 2,000 square feet of outside beds, covering them has grown to be quite the chore!

Starting in October, around the time of the State Fair, I'm always anxiously scanning the weather reports every day, to decide when it's time to cover everything up. 39ish? 35ish? The problem is, we'll get a few nights of cold weather - we even might get to about 33 degrees - and then we'll pop right back up to the 60s and 70s, with nighttime lows in the 40s and 50s (well above the Danger Zone). For example, right now the weather forecast has lows in the 40s and 50s for the next week...

Since I have some tender tropicals like basil, lemon verbena, pineapple sage, and lemongrass outside, and I try to extend their life for as long as possible in the autumn simply by putting a layer of Agribon on them, which is basically row cover material similar to a thin cheesecloth (see the photo, above). This will often help to keep them going through the end of November. Plus, the beauty of the Agribon is that it's breathable enough to allow the rain and air in, without having to continually pull it off and put it back over the plants - saving a lot of labor!

Once it seems that we're continuously getting down into the 30s at night, which is usually some time in December (though sometimes it's later than that), I'll let those plants go to sleep and remove most of the Agribon; however, for the most tender perennials, I may leave it on top of them, in case of a really frosty winter.

An alternative to Agribon is simply using bedsheets! If you have some plants that you worry may be affected by the cold weather, and/or if you'd like to extend their life, take some cheap, low-thread count sheets (because there's a little more air allowed between the threads) and use them to cover the plants. This is useful for tender perennials in our area like bay laurel, lemongrass, lemon verbena, and scented geraniums.

Now, there are some herbs that I try to keep growing outside throughout
the winter, and there are quite a few that have an affinity for the moderately cold winters in central North Carolina! For some herbs, like chervil, parsley, mints, rosemary, cilantro, dill, and sorrel (pictured at right), I create a makeshift cold frame: We buy flexible PVC from Lowe's or Home Depot, cut it into equal lengths and insert it side to side in the beds to create hoops, place some simple greenhouse plastic over the hoops, and then clip the plastic to the hoops with row cover clips (or better yet, laundry clips) to create a small coldframe in each bed. Though the plants will grow a little slower during the coldest part of the winter, I've found this method keeps most of the cooler weather plants going... and it keeps the warmer weather plants (like rosemary) ready to go very early in the spring!

The only setback with the plastic covering is that even though it protects the plants from serious weather, it also prevents any rain/water from getting in. So, once a week or so, as miserable as it may be during the coldest part of the winter, the plastic needs to get pulled back to water the plants and then re-cover them. Also, you need to open up the ends of the beds a few times a week to make sure the plants get ventilation (otherwise, you'll end up with a moldy mess and may hurt your plants). However, if you want year-round harvesting, this is the key -- and it's a very low cost alternative to a greenhouse.

Right now, I've limited coverage to just using the Agribon, though I know that within the next few weeks, I'll be trudging out there to do the chore of putting up the hoops and plastic. For most, the Agribon/sheet method works well... and allows you to keep plants in the ground that might otherwise die or need to be brought indoors for the winter. It's always a pleasure to see the sprouts of scented geranium in the spring (note that it usually takes a little while for these plants to awaken, so if you don't see signs of them early in the season, don't lose heart) without having to replant an entire area!

So, before the cold really sets in, plan out what you might want to cover -- if you haven't already. A little bit of work now can save you a lot of work (via replanting) in the spring!

Forced Limitation of Natural Supplements in the U.S.?

As I'm a part of several herb networks, I get an abundance of e-mails on a regular basis, outlining everything from drying and packaging to governmental issues. This morning, someone posted a link to a scary article that stems from NaturalNews.com:

FDA Running Extortion Racket: Natural Supplement Companies Threatened with Arrest if They Don't Pay Up

Now, I always take these kinds of articles with a grain of salt; there are extremists in every industry -- though I will say when it comes to drugs and natural remedies, there are plenty at both ends of the spectrum -- and today especially, claims of governmental conspiracy no matter where you turn. But what I have continuously found interesting since my heightened awareness in this area (which basically began around the time I had the brainstorm to start this business) is that there are little reports here and there that are starting to show a much bigger, much scarier picture as to the state of things today.

Even though there is years and years of research on natural supplements in Europe, it is all but disregarded because those trials weren't run through our FDA's guidelines. And since natural supplements are typically not patentable, there is little interest in the U.S. to run large-scale trials on these supplements because of the development costs to gain FDA approval. So instead, there has been a persistent campaign against them, and the mainstream media has been brainwashed to in turn brainwash us into believing what's chosen to be told, skewing the facts as are convenient to "convince" us that they are simply midwivery, superstitions, and useless.

I can quote you tons of different examples of this, and spend an inordinate amount of time telling you about the misinformation that's been put out there to "disprove" effectiveness of everything from stevia as a sweetener to St. John's wort as a mild to moderate anti-depressant and kava as a calmative, but all I'm going to tell you right now is what I've told my children from the time they could speak: Keep your eyes open. Keep your brain open, and question, question, question everything! If you see an excerpt from a clinical trial, the Internet is a great tool to allow you to research to find the full report, which many times looks very different from the way it's been summarized. Also, the media always seems happy to report negative side effects from herbs and other naturals, but articles on the negative effects of lab-manufactured pharmaceuticals are few and far between -- even though there are many, many more than the other (look at how much it took for the problems from PhenPhen to reach the public eye)!

These are bizarre and subversive times. We have a lot of panic going on at many levels, which has borne a lot of conspiracy theories. However, resistance to holistic, preventative, dietary, and natural methods of health care is a reality, and it is up to us to be properly educated... without simply believing what's fed to us.

So is this real? I don't know, but I find it interesting that it's already been spread all over the place. I will definitely keep my eyes open to see how/if this progresses, or simply gets snuffed out!

Is it Really Fall Already?

First of all, I want to apologize for not writing here for, oh, 10 months now. Moving forward, I will try to be more regular, as I am determined to get back on track this week... including writing a much-delayed newsletter, as well!

Anyway, spring and summer have (as usual) come and gone in the blink of an eye, and instead of lamenting about what I DIDN'T get to do this year, I'm trying to focus on what's going on next year. But before I can even do that, I'm really, really stressing about this winter. If this month is any indication, I'd prepare myself for a cold one, folks. Though a friend of mine noted several weeks ago that EVERY year we seem to get a cold snap right around the State Fair (which is this week here in NC), and then it deviates greatly from week to week until sometimes January, I don't buy it. A "cold snap" in October here means 1-2 nights of 40ish weather; however, it seems that Mother Nature is going to tease us with these for at least another week or so; or so the forecast predicts (with some areas actually dipping down into the 30's on a few nights - YIKES!).

This year, I think I'm stressing about it a bit more, too, because of the increase in the cost of propane. Two years ago, when we put in that 1000-gallon tank for the greenhouses, propane was running about $1.38/gal. Now it's easily twice that, so now we're talking about somewhere in the vicinity of $3,000 per fillup (and last winter, I had to do that 3 times). $9,000 for fuel over the winter just isn't feasible; so I'm trying to work with cool-weather plants over the winter, and MAYBE I'll even try to stay as cold frame as possible. We'll see; I have to balance loss of revenue w/the "warmer" weather plants vs. cooler weather ones, because even though the potted plant (and Farmers' Market) season is over, I do have restaurant/retail delivery all year! So I'm reading up; apparently, there are growers as far north as Maine who grow throughout the winter in cold frames (!!!), so if they can do it, I sure should be able to do it here in North Carolina!

Another option we've been exploring to help maintain/grow revenue over the winter is the retail marketing of our pestos. We've developed quite a few fans at the Holly Springs Farmers Market, and when I had some at Whole Foods with recipes next to the bunched herbs they'd purchased, most people didn't want to buy the herbs and make the pestos themselves; they just wanted to buy them in tubs! So, we're actually hoping to start shortly with A Southern Season in Chapel Hill, and then Cary Whole Foods is next. We'll keep you posted!

Anyway, with this week+ of unintended cool weather, I think it's time to break down and cover up the fussier plants -- especially basil, lemongrass, sage, lemon verbena, and pineapple sage -- because once the nighttime dips below 40 degress F, the leaves will brown from the edges inward. I always get so sad when it's time to do that; that means that Winter is on its way soon... my least favorite time of the year. If it turns out like last year, it won't be so bad, but we haven't had a REAL winter here for at least 3 or 4 years, so I'm getting rather leery. We'll see!

In the meantime, before it gets too cold, make sure you harvest your herbs to dry them, and/or use them in any Fall/Winter arts and crafts. At least that's a way to bring in the fresh smells of outside with the windows closed up tight!

New Findings: Organic vs. Non-Organic

I know, it's been awhile since I've written here, but we've been extremely busy actually starting everything off towards spring production! I keep on talking about February, March, and April, and my friends and relatives keep on telling me, "Whoa! What about the holidays, November and December?" Well, November's now but a sweet memory, and we're in the crux of holiday shopping, gatherings, and joy!

Anyway, in scanning my typical news sites, I was excited to see a relevant new article this morning on something broadstream (MSN.com), talking about the nutritional value of organic vs. non-organic foods. It seems for the past year or so, all I've seen in the news are articles debunking organics, and basically telling the public that there's no solid evidence to support the idea that organic foods are in fact healthier to ingest than conventional foods. It has seemed SO political to me, and I know how the lobbying thing works, and how money and power generally control the media today, so I've just quietly watched this, rolling my eyes and waiting breathlessly until something to the contrary became publicized -- it wasn't a matter of IF in my eyes; just a matter of when! OK, everyone, have we really forgotten LOGIC?

When discussing my organic status and in teaching herb gardening classes, I always tell people that of course we'd be organic; think about it! Herb leaves/flowers are used as is, no skin to peel or anything else for protection (which is still no excuse!). And if we put nasty pesticides and chemicals on the herbs, and then we ingested them, what would that do to us? Might as well spray a can of bug spray right into our mouths -- BLEGH!

Anyhow, this was an encouraging article on a large study being held in England comparing the nutrition of organic and non-organic food nutrition. Preliminary results definitely show quite the difference; read the article to get the info! http://green.msn.com/articles/article.aspx?aid=295&GT1=10725

Winter Creeping in... and Plant Worry!

Well, I guess it was coming. Farmers Market was over as of the last weekend of October, and Thanksgiving's just 2 weeks away (:::gasp:::).

I'm very bummed though, because tonight's the first real "frost" coming. That means that a majority of my day will be covering the outside beds, because I use them throughout the year for the restaurants. So, I create mini-greenhouses over each bed, which allows me to use them for most of the cold season -- and even when it's too cold for them to grow in those, it keeps them warm enough that at the first sign of spring -- usually March -- the plants grow right in, without hesitation.

In the scope of things, we do (usually) have pretty moderate winters -- take this from someone who grew up in the Northeast! So the weather isn't too much of a concern in overwintering plants -- except for those tropicals we plant, since we ARE on the border of some more tropical zones. But there are a number of things you can do, depending on the plant, that can enhance your plants' growth pattern, and keep them snug and cozy for the short cold season that we have.

Tropicals that need some winter cover overwinter in Raleigh, NC:

• Pineapple sage - I'll be covering the plants with Agribon for another three weeks or so (you could just as effectively use any thin material, such as a sheet), hoping to eek out at least enough life for use around Thanksgiving -- what a GREAT sage for stuffings! Plus, because of our very strange, dry summer, the flowers bloomed late, and I'm trying to keep them going for a little while longer, too.
• Lemon verbena - Though you don't need to completely cover these plants, it's preferable to have them planted someplace that's somewhat protected from brutal winter winds. I've had some lemon verbena plants going for more than 5 years now, and they come back every year, without any particular mulching (beyond the leaves that fall on the bed in the autumn).
• Neem tree - This tree is native to India - Zone 10 - where it grows year round. In my (now) 4-year experiment, I have found with a neem tree I planted outside that it becomes deciduous (it goes to sleep in the wintertime), but comes back every spring. As a precaution, though, it should be planted in a semi-protected area.
• Eucalyptus - Another tree native to a tropical zone (Australia). Silver dollar eucalyptus tends to be a hit or miss situation in this zone -- I've seen some beautiful silver dollar eucalyptus trees in this area that have lasted 10, 15, even 20 years, and gotten to be more than 25 feet tall! Then, one winter with an extended cold, icy period would just wipe them out. I've had one going for about 7 years now; it's about 6 feet tall, and I do absolutely nothing to protect it in the wintertime. There were a few years when I thought I'd lost it for sure, but in the spring, it just resumed growing again! As for the blue gum eucalyptus (the tree of the koala bear), I had one live for 3 years and get about 10 feet tall, but a cold spell just wiped it out. I might try it again, though -- I'm stubborn! ;)
• Bay laurel - This tree actually grows more like a large bush in our area. Again, I recommend a wind-protected placement, and then I would definitely cover it with a sheet, Agribon, or something similar in the wintertime. You can always keep it in a large pot on your deck, and move it inside for the winter!
• Lemongrass - Lemongrass is hit or miss on whether it will come back when it's permanently planted outside. Except for in the greenhouse, I always keep it in a pot outside (though I might try otherwise next year), and let the autumn leaves mulch over the plant in a protected area.
• Scented geraniums (if you dare!) - These are hard to keep going in the ground here, but I have done it, and kept the plants going for 4 years before I lost them! Again, protected from wind in the winter with a good mulch and/or material cover seems to work.

As for my outside mini-greenhouses, we do what some people would call a souped-up row cover on each of the beds! We use 3/4" flexi-PVC (bought by the roll at Lowe's or Home Depot), cut it to size, hoop them over the beds, then spread cheap greenhouse plastic over the hoops, then clip them with either row cover clamps or (more often) with good ol' laundry clips (bought in bulk from the neighborhood WalMart). Sometimes, I then cover the whole bed area with Agribon on top of it.

Regardless, I still worry about many things throughout the winter, not the least of which is fungus, rot, and bugs (who love to live in protected areas), but come March, I'm a much happier person, because everything is lush, lush, lush when many are just seeing buds breaking through the ground!

Planting in the Fall in NC

Since shortly after Labor Day, I've gotten this question weekly at the Farmer's Market: Is it worth my time to plant herbs now, or should I wait until the Spring?

And my answer is typically: It depends.

There are many, many herbs that benefit from planting in September/October in NC. In fact, I'm working on a new bed this week that will probably take most of the week to get filled and ready, and I probably won't be planting it until next weekend -- the end of October! However, this bed will be mostly rosemary and thyme, and I won't add the sages ( a GREAT companion plant to rosemary) until Spring, even though they'd probably do just fine if I planted them now, also. Both the rosemary and thyme are sort of evergreens here in our moderate region, and they don't need tons of water, so I'm not overly concerned. I'll probably plant them and will then need to cover them with Agribon in a couple of weeks, but no matter; by early Spring, they will look lovely, I'm sure of it!

In terms of watering, if you have a big garden area you'd like to turn up, just be cautionary about need for water use, since we're currently in such a dire state here in NC. BUT you can still plant! However, smaller areas, fill-ins, and potted plants are OK, provided you are cognizant of conserving water as best as you can.

Herbs that LOVE the Fall and early Spring weather:

• Chervil
• Cilantro
• Dill
• Fennel
• Mints
• Parsley

There are also some other herbs that -- if you plan on growing them from seed -- you must throw out the seed NOW for the seeds to germinate and sprout in the spring, since they need a cycle of cold weather. Most of them are non-culinary, but there are some commonly used:

• Blue vervain
• Hops
• Jewelweed
• Soapwort
• Valerian

Also, it's a good time to plant trees and bulbs!

Even now, you can plant most other perennial/biennial herbs, and you will probably get something out of them, since our weather (usually with some light covering at night once the evenings go below 40 degrees F) allows for many to grow through to December. Then, they will usually go to sleep and slow down/stop growing in January/February, but in March -- your garden will be green before you know it, and a lot earlier than if you start plants in the Spring!

On another note, another question I often get is if herbs can be grown year-round in pots. Yes, they can! Though there are a few more particular than others, most are easy to keep going throughout the year inside, with the following items to note:

• Mediterranean plants - such as rosemary, sage, and oregano - really don't like to have soggy roots, and people tend to overwater in pots, so I'd caution to LET IT DRY OUT before watering -- usually 3 or 4 days. Otherwise, rot will abound, and you will have trouble trying to keep the plants going.
• Basils also don't like to be soggy, or they will succumb to disease, such as fusarium (wilt). Again, this is a good plant to allow to dry out before watering.
• LIGHTING is very important -- sunny windows are nice, but keep in mind that a plant grows to the natural cycles of the year. Therefore, growth naturally slows down and/or stops when the days get shorter, even in the sunniest and warmest window! Supplemental lighting is a must, and the plant should get at least 10-12 hours of light a day. You can buy the expensive grow light bulbs, but actually, a plain flourescent light does the trick -- and you can get small ones to hang over it -- or even just put in a lamp over it with a flourescent bulb -- for a lot less money!
• In pots, don't forget to fertilize about once or twice a month with a good, organic fertilizer that has an NPK of 5-5-5 or less. More than that, and you'll be likely to burn the plant(s). A good fertilizer we've used that does well with potted plants is Metanaturals 3-3-3 (liquid), - it's OMRI listed for organic use, and you can get it or other similar organic-friendly fertilizers at GardenWorks on Hillsborough Street in Raleigh (http://www.gardenworks.com)
• A regular shot of 3.5% food grade hydrogen peroxide is a must for growing throughout the winter in pots. That way, the roots don't get stale and suffocated. You can spray the plant with it, and/or use it with your water at 8 oz/gallon of water.

The best advantage to growing herbs in pots is that this makes the plants easily mobile! You can move the plants inside for the winter, and then move them back outside once the nights stay above freezing. Or, you can just let the perennials/biennials go to sleep outside in the pots, and they will resprout in the Spring, as well!

Mushrooms in the Greenhouses!

A few weeks ago, during the CFSA Farm Tour, many visitors who toured our greenhouses took special interest in the bright yellow mushrooms that appeared in a handful of our beds throughout. I had seen these in plentitude before, but only a few throughout this summer. It seemed that the rain we'd gotten on the Friday right before the tour spurred on their growth, and it seemed they'd popped up everywhere! And ever since, they've been regular visitors in my raised beds.

Most people were entranced by these, and asked me repeatedly what they were, and if they were edible. Since they'd not ever seemed to do any damage to the plants, and their life span was fairly quick, I'd pretty much ignored them until my visitors took so much interest -- I HATED not having the answers for them!

So, here we go: I've identified the specimen as lepiota lutea, or leucocoprinus birnbaumii (see photos and more detailed descriptions at these two sites: http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/feb2002.html, http://www.mykoweb.com/CAF/species/Leucocoprinus_birnbaumii.html). They are very common in greenhouses, and show up frequently in potted plants. As for edibility -- I wouldn't eat them! Though not outright poisonous, they are known to cause intestinal upset.

And, as I had originally suspected, these mushrooms are not dangerous to the plants in their living space... so, since they are actually sort of cool looking, and add color to the landscape, I think I'll just leave them be, for now... I typically only see a few clumps here and there, and since they're most common in late summer and early fall, I'll let them live out their life cycle in peace!