"A man taking basil from a woman will love her always."
~Sir Thomas Moore
It's that time again. Preparing garden beds and up-potting plants that were started from seeds. My favorite garden is the herb garden, mainly because it grows so well with very little help from me. Already my basil is looking pretty good. So good actually I should be putting it into the garden. Unfortuneately, the herb garden is still in its weed infested winter condition. I've a little more work on the vegetable garden beds and then I can turn to the herb garden. I don't even want to think about the flower beds. I was very lazy last fall and did little in the garden. The warm winter was perfect for weeds and ugly grasses to thrive, and thrive they did and quickly took over every square inch of space.
Today, its windy and rainy and as I look out over my yard I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed at all the work ahead. But then I remember how lovely the flowers where, how tasty the vegetables and how aromatic the herbs. And I want to go out and get my hands dirty and put my beds in planting order. Maybe tomorrow, once the rain has passed, the thunder has stopped booming and the wind has calmed down, I can continue to chip away at my list of chores.
Genovese basil with thyme.
None of my windowsill herbs made it through the big February frost :-( with the exception of chives! I love this time of year! So what are you going to make with the basil? Pesto Genovese? :-)
ReplyDeleteI need someone to give me a list! Actually no, I know what to do, but I too am overwhelmed. That basil looks awfully good, though.
ReplyDeleteI know! I grew basil last year and it was ridiculous how well it grew.
ReplyDeleteI spent this winter making lasagna beds (a la Hiker but I used horse manure instead of goat - I wouldn't even know where to get that!) and now all I have to do is insert the seedlings. First you wet the ground thoroughly, then lay plain cardboard or newspapers, then the manure of choice and then cover with straw hay. The idea is that the cardboard attracts worms, etc who break up the soil and leave their castings, the manure breaks down along with the cardboard and the straw gives it cover and stability. Maybe not the prettiest at the end and a bit of work up front but weeds don't seem to be part of the equation. My ginger lilies seem to appreciate it, they're coming in strong for a change. Now you know why I'm so excited to inherit DH's pickup truck.
Ok, now we all have basil-envy. I can practically smell it. Did you really plant this from seed. Really, truly?
ReplyDelete(I'm busy convincing myself that that quack grass looks downright pastoral in the flower beds.)