I am sure all of you reading this are aware that herbs love sunshine, they do not grow in the shade. It only seems that we are growing our greenhouse herbs in shade due to the absence of sunlight these last few weeks. Beginning with a strong Nor’easter, we have been rained on, washed by flowing torrents, and flooded by tides that get higher as long as the wind blows. The rain gauge has overflowed so many times we lost an accurate count of total inches fallen; but I will hazard 6” the last few weeks. One night last week we did measure 3.5”; water, water everywhere. We keep our Twitter account active with frequent Tweets; one of our contacts in California has been Tweeting about their lack of rain. Too bad we cannot virtually send them some of our excess. Growing herbs during one of these long wet cycles can be very challenging, especially in winter. Most herbs prefer dry, well-drained soil, none like their roots wet for an extended time. Even in the greenhouse, it is hard to keep the herb plants dry enough after days of cloudy weather. It is best to only water herbs in danger is wilting, until the sun returns. Culinary herbs grow well inside if provided adequate sunlight, six hours minimum. During the winter months, herbs such as marjoram, oregano, thyme, and rosemary can be kept as potted plants in a kitchen window, ready for trimming as the cook demands seasoning. To keep your herbs healthy through this long rainy period, keep the soil on the dry side. Winter savory, parsley, and bay are all favorites in the cook’s winter garden, they make very nice potted plants and are ready to join dinner when the cook calls. As soon as the sunshines again, I will give my herbs a big drink of water, with a shot of fish fertilizer to celebrate the return of sunny days.
