greenliving
A vigorous, clump-forming grass, lemongrass can be grown in containers
anywhere or served as an edible ornamental in landscapes where summers are hot.
“Purple basil is shockingly fragrant and beautiful on the
Herbs that Beat the Heat
Favorite Varieties that Flourish in Summer by Barbara Pleasant
S
ome of the best plants to keep as summer companions are herbs that enrich life with their flavors, fragrances and beauty. It’s not too late to pot up a few herbs or plant them in the garden if we choose varieties that thrive in hot, summer weather.
Reliable Basils
“I place basil as the number one herb in popularity, as well as heat toler- ance,” says Cristina Spindler, owner of
the Peconic River Herb Farm, in Calver- ton, New York. “Basil actually prefers heat.” There are many types, and green-
leafed culinary varieties are easy to grow through the summer, provided they’re not al-
lowed to dry out. Two particularly heat-hardy types are purple- leafed varieties such as red rubin and African blue, which debuted in 1983.
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plate. Plus, it’s easy to grow in a small space and produces quickly,” says Lisa Kessler, who for several years has co-owned with her husband, Ben, the White Hills Lavender and Herb Farm, in Dearing, Georgia. “The flowering tops are usable as herbs and as beautiful cut flowers, so don’t toss them away.” “African blue basil flourishes in summer heat and is an especially beneficial nectar plant for bees and other pollina- tors,” says Traci Anderson, who has been running Seminole Springs Herb Farm, in Eustis, Florida, in their family for more than 20 years. Vigorous and heavy- flowering, it can grow to over three feet tall, and usually persists as a perennial in Florida, Texas and other mild winter climates.
Mediterranean Flavors
Rosemary is the most adaptable and heat tolerant of Mediterranean herbs; it can be grown as a perennial where soil doesn’t freeze hard in winter. “My top herb garden choice for the hot, humid conditions in the South is Tuscan blue rosemary, because it is beautiful, easy to grow and is wonderful in all kinds of foods and products,” Kessler says. “It blooms in several seasons and provides bees with off-season food.” Thyme is a top cooking herb, although too much sum-
mer rain can lead to mildew and leaf blight. This rarely happens with Summer savory, which has a punchy flavor that Spindler describes as “a peppery cross between oregano and thyme that’s perfect on all of the classic summer veggies— squash, green beans, tomatoes and corn.” Kessler recommends oregano as part of our summer planting list. “Let your kids or grandkids have the experience of putting it in the pasta sauce. It’s easy to grow in a small herb garden and will last through the winter in most parts of the South.”
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