Buying Herbs?

[drew51]

Originally Posted by clkeiper

Drew, I had cuban oregano last year and it is very citrusy. I am not sure if that is the flavor you want for tex-mex or not. Just remembering how clean and fresh it smelled, I don't think I would try it in tex-mex unless someone told me to. I didn't get mine to winter over, so I am hoping my friend did and will share some with me again.

I mostly want it for chili powder, Cuban and Mexican oregano are different, but it's close. 13 different types of Mexican oregano. So i have a lot to try, see what i like.
I plan to add two Mexican oregano's too to try. I also like them to flavor meats, in marinades and such. The plant is easy to overwinter, so see if I can use it or not.
You could be right, I may not like it.
It is also known to neutralize capsaicin, the compound in peppers that makes them hot. It is recommended to chew on a Cuban oregano leaf to cool the burning caused by food that is too spicy. I want to try and bring out the taste of hot peppers but usually they are just too hot! See if this works to mellow the heat.

http://www.texascooking.com/features...hilepowder.htm

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by drew51

I mostly want it for chili powder, Cuban and Mexican oregano are different, but it's close. 13 different types of Mexican oregano. So i have a lot to try, see what i like.
I plan to add two Mexican oregano's too to try. I also like them to flavor meats, in marinades and such. The plant is easy to overwinter, so see if I can use it or not.
You could be right, I may not like it.
It is also known to neutralize capsaicin, the compound in peppers that makes them hot. It is recommended to chew on a Cuban oregano leaf to cool the burning caused by food that is too spicy. I want to try and bring out the taste of hot peppers but usually they are just too hot! See if this works to mellow the heat.

http://www.texascooking.com/features...hilepowder.htm

Out of curiosity I clicked on the authors link that said Eleanor Bradshaw this lead to a Patricia Mitchell.

Patricia Mitchell Native Texan, born in Fort Worth. Graduated Poly High in 1963; attended Stephen F. Austin State University; works for TexasCooking.com.

I have seen this person before from some place but dont know where.
The reason I was looking was to find out if they lived in Texas and for how long.

Worth

[drew51]

Originally Posted by clkeiper

It doesn't really remind me of lemon or lime specifically. just fresh clean and citrusy. Silly sounding description, I know, but it just doesn't strike me as tex-mex and I love our mexican restaurant here in town, it just doesn't "go" with the cuisine I get there. Maybe I should ask for something different the next time i go. Like maybe # 39 or # 56... etc. Just pick a number and try it whatever "it" is.

You may be right about it not working in Mexican dishes. I'll have to try dishes that call for it. If you need a rooted cutting I could try once it grows out a bit.

[kurt]

Originally Posted by drew51

I bought four different lavender plants last year. I think I already mixed them up, as to what is what? One was for culinary uses. One has pink flowers! They were small but all grew really fast! I need to prune them! I buy a lot of plants online all the time!
I have three fruit trees coming, 1 currant, 4 blackberries, 2 basil hybrids, Cuban Oregano and some potato tubers.
The fruit trees are a Weeping Santa Rosa plum. a Satsuma plum, and Nadia a natural hybrid of a Japanese plum and a sweet cherry.
I don't think you can buy seed of Cuban Oregano? It's not really an oregano, but a plant that can be used like oregano. I want it for my Tex-Mex dishes. Coleus amboinicus var.
I bought the variegated type. taste is same as non-variegated. I will start new plants in the fall and overwinter indoors. The Basil hybrids are
GREEK COLUMNAR BASIL and AFRICAN BLUE BASIL

I have Green Basil,G Columnar ,African Blue,Holy Basils that do not die.Plus they are easy to clone/propagate.The Green Basil I have in the yard as a hedge at 4-5 foot and is a great bee/butterfly attractant.Camphor Basil is also a great nibbbling/aromatic type.Of course we have no real winter per say here.

[drew51]

Kurt,

Sounds awesome. The Mexican oregano, well the two i saw were both big plants. I have to bring them in here, so I went for the Cuban which is smaller. I bet any could make a hedge too!
http://companionplants.com/catalog/p...roducts_id=208

[EBCIII]

My Basil, Oregano, and Verbena have all come up and look great! I will get my soil next week! Beale!

[EBCIII]

My Cilantro and Verbena have gotten very Leggy or tall. Ther have begun to fall over in my 72 count tray. Do I need to transplant these to something else? I bought some cups with this in mind. If I do need to transplant them? How deep, do I bury the whole leggy part or what? Thanks in advance, Beale.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by EBCIII

My Cilantro and Verbena have gotten very Leggy or tall. Ther have begun to fall over in my 72 count tray. Do I need to transplant these to something else? I bought some cups with this in mind. If I do need to transplant them? How deep, do I bury the whole leggy part or what? Thanks in advance, Beale.

Just the root ball I think.
I just wanted to let you know that all parts of it are edible seeds and even the roots.
Seriously, they are milder than the tops and leaves.

[barefootgardener]

Originally Posted by EBCIII

My Cilantro and Verbena have gotten very Leggy or tall. Ther have begun to fall over in my 72 count tray. Do I need to transplant these to something else? I bought some cups with this in mind. If I do need to transplant them? How deep, do I bury the whole leggy part or what? Thanks in advance, Beale.

You can transplant your cilantro a bit deeper, it wont hurt or effect the plant. I have not grown verbena from seed, but if the seedlings are getting tall and leggy you might want to plant them deeper also. Make sure your plants are getting plenty of light. They might be stretching to reach more light. Also make sure they are in a location with temps at least avg. of 70ish degrees.

[clkeiper]

I would encourage you to direct seed the cilantro where ever you want it to grow. It will do better if you don't mess with its roots. You will want to start more every week or two anyway, just so you know. It will bolt and you will be left with flowers and stem pretty soon.

The verbenas will flop over and grow new roots where ever the stem touches the soil. No need to really plant it deeper, but, pinch out the tip of each stem and let the side branches emerge and it will get a lot denser, too. It may be too warm and too dim for the plants where ever you have them, too. Maybe move them to get a little more light. I have mine in full sun in the greenhouse.

[EBCIII]

Originally Posted by barefootgardener

You can transplant your cilantro a bit deeper, it wont hurt or effect the plant. I have not grown verbena from seed, but if the seedlings are getting tall and leggy you might want to plant them deeper also. Make sure your plants are getting plenty of light. They might be stretching to reach more light. Also make sure they are in a location with temps at least avg. of 70ish degrees.

They get direct light from sunup until about about 1 PM. They are Inside my home. I have them right behind my tray with the carrots in it. The carrots are hitting the of dome of the tray also, Beale.

[EBCIII]

Originally Posted by clkeiper

I would encourage you to direct seed the cilantro where ever you want it to grow. It will do better if you don't mess with its roots. You will want to start more every week or two anyway, just so you know. It will bolt and you will be left with flowers and stem pretty soon.

The verbenas will flop over and grow new roots where ever the stem touches the soil. No need to really plant it deeper, but, pinch out the tip of each stem and let the side branches emerge and it will get a lot denser, too. It may be too warm and too dim for the plants where ever you have them, too. Maybe move them to get a little more light. I have mine in full sun in the greenhouse.

I have them behind a 72 cell tray which has Carrots in it. The Carrots are hitting the top of the dome. Would you switch places? Put the tray with the Verbenas in front? Thanks Beale.

[Tracydr]

Originally Posted by Starlight

Beale... Your lavender seeds should be arriving tomorrow or Sat, hopefully.

What's the best way to start lavender seeds? If I have some that are 3 years old do you think that would be too old?
Beale-lavender and Rosemary are really easy if you give them good drainage. If you're keeping them in pots, use cactus/Palm soil. I think they like their pH on the upper side of 7, since they are extremely easy to grow in AZ.
Oregano and thyme also need good drainage. I've not been successful over summer in AZ with them, even though they are Meditterean plants,too. I hope to be more successful here in NC, where summers get hot but not 115.
Basil is a heat and sun lover. I always grew it through the summer in AZ and it did great. It does like some water and the seeds need conditions similar to starting tomatoes.
Cilantro,dill,fennel,and parsley are easy,cool season. Parsley can take awhile to germinate but is otherwise easy. think winter sowing it is good as I've had a lot of self-sowing patches long term. I suspect the seed does better after its gotten cold a time or two. Cilantro, dill and fennel, just throw some seed where you want it and sow extra for the butterflies.

[clkeiper]

Beale, Are the night time temps above freezing? is there any possibility of moving the verbena out doors to a sheltered spot such as a porch or dappled shade from some trees? I would say they need a bit more sun than they are getting and swapping spots with something else that needs as much sunlight will cause those plants to suffer. Can you get those carrots planted out in the ground. that would be best for them anyways. They might struggle just because they don't transplant well. they would do best directly seeded in the garden or raised bed.

[EBCIII]

Originally Posted by clkeiper

Beale, Are the night time temps above freezing? is there any possibility of moving the verbena out doors to a sheltered spot such as a porch or dappled shade from some trees? I would say they need a bit more sun than they are getting and swapping spots with something else that needs as much sunlight will cause those plants to suffer. Can you get those carrots planted out in the ground. that would be best for them anyways. They might struggle just because they don't transplant well. they would do best directly seeded in the garden or raised bed.

I put the Verbena in Bigger pots and a more direct light spot. My raised beds do not have the dirt in them yet. I am in a tight spot. I have a Bulging Disc with spurring. I am going to see a Surgeon on 3/30/ 15 to find out what is to be done. I have friends that will help me get the dirt in the beds. Until then I do not know what to do about the Carrots? Beale.