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The Wonderful World of Beans

26 Friday Sep 2025

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By:  Victoria Brady

Gardeners often have favorite varieties of vegetables and tend to plant them year after year, however, I like to mix things up.  In most cases the old, or heirloom, varieties are the best tasting and are money savers if one saves seed for the following year.  Like most Appalachian families we enjoy a well-seasoned pot of beans.  In today’s article I will discuss beans that aren’t as well-known today but are still as delicious as they ever were.  Let’s break down the types of beans so that we can choose the seed to produce exactly what we prefer.

Cornfield beans are actually true (climbing) beans once planted in cornfields.  Cut-short beans are those with beans so closely formed that they are squared off on the ends, and Greasy beans are slick and not fuzzy as most others are.  They are so named because of their slick or “greasy” appearance.  These characteristics are sometimes all found in one variety. 

Bunch beans grow low to the ground and do not “run”.  They were bred in order to mechanically harvest them in quantities large enough for market. 

Finally, the half-runner, of which there are many types, exhibits the best characteristics of the cornfield bean and the bunch bean.  They produce heavy yields and are ideal for eating fresh or canning and freezing.  Some decades ago, the half-runners were intentionally bred for tougher pods to stand up to shipping well, but the tough hybrid varieties quickly fell out of favor.  Heirlooms have very nearly the characteristics of the beans prior to the change and a true heirloom supplier will have numerous varieties to choose from. 

The earliest description this writer found for a white-seeded bean that matches the description of what was later called the case-knife bean was written by Nicholas Culpepper in 1666.  “…but white is most usual; after which come long and slender flat cods, some crooked, some straight, with a string as it were running down the back thereof, wherein are contained flattish round fruit made to the fashion of a kidney…”.

Amelia Simmons was perhaps the earliest American cookery book writer to document white beans for drying (1796) and Simmons listed a “clapboard” bean which some think was the case-knife.  She advised they must be poled and were, “the easiest cultivated and collected, are good for string beans, [and they] will shell”.

Philip Miller said in 1775 the Dutch White Beans were much the sweetest for the table.  He thought them “extream [sic] windy Meat” and recommended preparing them in the Dutch fashion of half boiling them then “you husk them and stew them… they are wholesome food”.

John Reid wrote of beans in 1683, “Beans and peas boyled with savory and thym[e]…served up with sweet butter beat amongst them and set a little on a coal or chaffing boyl [sic]”.  For what it’s worth it will soon be time to plant summer savory and thyme.  I make liberal use of both.

A farmer wrote in 1840 that the “prettiest” way to grow dry beans was to raise white pole beans and, “The common case-knife beans are excellent for this purpose”.  Twenty-three years later Fearing Burr told his readers the case-knife was “common to almost every garden” and it remained so into the early 20th century.  Today the white-seeded variety of case-knife bean isn’t as common, at least by that name, but close versions can be found.

“Some Dutch case-knife beans did come up and grew finely…In good time they were heavily loaded, and they were of rich and splendid flavor, so much so I forbade wife cooking any more, having visions of acres of beans and a big bank account”.  One will pity this poor farmer when he explained that a mere few days before he went to pick his dried beans they had been beset upon by weevils.

“The manner of saving the seeds of these plants, is to let a few rows of them remain ungathered in the height of the season; for if you gather from the plants for some time, and afterwards leave the remaining for seed, their pods will not be near so long and handsome, nor will the seed be so good.  In autumn, when you find they are ripe, you should in a dry season pull up the plants and spread them abroad to dry; after which you may thresh out the seed and preserve it in a dry place for use”.  – Miller, Philip.  “The Gardener’s Dictionary”.  1768.

Buist [1805-1880] proclaimed the Dutch Case-knife to be an excellent pole bean producing a good crop of fine flavor and much earlier for the table than either the Lima or Carolina.  “It can be used either in or without the pod; it is also adapted for winter use”.

Mr. W. F.  Massey submitted information on white beans and their culture in the hot humid South for the Southern Planter and Farmer in 1900 saying they produced more damaged beans than when planted in the North.  He stated the best white beans he’d ever tried growing in the South were the Dutch Case-Knife beans.  “This is a pole bean, but not a rampant climber, and in my boyhood was commonly planted in the corn field and allowed to climb on the stalks in a portion of the field so as to give a supply for shelling in winter.  It is a flat bean, similar in shape to a small lima, but smaller still.  There is no shelled bean of better quality.” 

As for the method of growing these beans they could be trellised or staked.  The following would make a nicer presentation than row staking.  “Strike out a dozen (or more) circles on the ground, as large as a cart wheel.  Put a wheel barrow load of manure into it and spade it up with the earth.  Drop the seeds in the circle, on the outer edge of the hill, say six inches apart.  Then insert eight or ten poles just within the circle, at equal distances from each other, and tie the tops of the whole together-forming a cone.  Cover up the seed and wait the result.

Each of these hills will yield you a peck or a half bushel of dry beans next fall—which if you have but a dozen such hills, will give you, perhaps half a dozen bushels.  This will be enough for your purpose.  By this course, but a little land is occupied.  Pole beans will yield very much more abundantly than bush beans, and occupy air, whilst the latter must have the surface of the earth”.  – “The Southern Farmer and Market Gardener”.  1842.

This bean was often referred to as Old Dutch White or White Dutch and differs from the brown-seeded variety sometimes sold as Caseknife today.  Old cookery books and garden manuals refer to white beans, small white beans, large white beans and great white beans.  All agree the white was preferred.

Dr. William Woys Weaver says the Caseknife Bean is perhaps the oldest documented bean in American gardens.  Like the farmers quoted above he believes the oldest were white seeded like those grown in the gardens of Thomas Jefferson and the closest variety to the original bean is the Pelzer Schwertebuhne (Palatine Caseknife Pole Bean).  He found the beans being grown by the Wendel family of Weilerbach in the Rheinland-Pfalz.  He offers the Palatine June Pole Bean in his Roughwood Seed Collection.  https://www.seedways.org/

As to cooking dried white beans, let’s look at Louis Eustache Ude’s 1814 receipt.  White Beans a la Maitre d’Hotel.  “…if they are dry, they must be soaked for an hour in cold water, before you boil them.  Then boil them in cold water and replenish with cold water also which makes the rind or coat tender.  White beans must be well done before you dress them, which is done as follows:  trim a stew-pan with a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, a little parsley chopped very fine, and some pepper and salt, over which lay the beans, well drained.  Keep moving the stew-pan without using a spoon, for fear of crumbling the beans.  Then squeeze the juice of half a lemon and send up quite hot”.

Sources:

Johnson’s Home and Garden offers “Old Dutch White Half Runner Bean” seed he says were brought from Germany by original settlers of the Dutch Fork Section of South Carolina.  “It boasts terrific yields of old-fashioned, rich ‘beany’ beans that taste and smell terrific”.  A half pound of untreated seed is $8.95, Item #VS9.  Johnson’s Home & Garden, 130 Power Drive, Pikeville, KY 41501, phone 606-432-8460.

Both white and brown flat case-knife bean seed are available from Sustainable Mountain Agriculture Center Inc., 131 Main Street, Gatesville, NC  27938​

Appalachian Heirloom Seeds, dba Wright’s Daylily Garden carries an astonishing 90 varieties of heirloom beans including a rare Case-knife heirloom bean.  Theirs is a brown bean and not the original white.  They note their stock came from West Virginia and is, “another excellent brown cornfield bean”.  Supplies are limited and are $7.00 for 50 or more seeds.  Order by mail, info by email.  Wright’s Daylily Garden, 1001 Terrapin Ridge Rd, Hilham, TN  38568.

thistledewbooks @ yahoo.com

THE BEAUTY OF BEE BALM:  Feed Yourself and Pollinators

26 Friday Sep 2025

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By:  Victoria Brady

If you are looking for the ultimate easy-to-grow native flower that will feed countless pollinators and can be brewed into a delicious tea for yourself, look no further than Monarda, aka, bergamot and bee balm.  A native plant is any plant that was growing in North America before the arrival of Columbus.  They are perfectly adapted to conditions and climate, rarely need fertilizer, and thrive without help from gardeners.

The flowers come in light lavender, dark purple, red, white, pink, and more.  They are lovely massed together or mixed.  Bee balm is a member of the mint family and once planted will increase every year but won’t swallow everything in sight like kudzu on steroids.  Control the size by division and transplant or share with a friend.  I don’t think it’s possible to have too much bee balm.

Dwarf plants reach 10-15 inches tall, standard is supposed to be 2 to 4 feet tall, however mine is more like 5 feet tall.  Give it full sun to partial shade in loamy soil.  It should be moist but well-drained.  It blooms from summer into fall.  It is hardy in zones 3 to 9.  Our daughter was so impressed with mine I ordered seeds and had them shipped to her in California. 

Bee balm is easily propagated from seed, cuttings, or division.  It grows well from seed and divisions while cuttings are slower to produce viable plants. 

To divide bee balm, dig a clump with a shovel bringing up the crown, roots, and rhizomes.  Use a sharp knife or trowel to cut the clump into two or more smaller clumps.  Immediately either put it into containers filled with soil, or plant back in the ground. 

For cuttings, take softwood stem cuttings using sharp clean pruning shears or scissors.  The cuttings should be 3 to 4 inches tall.  Remove the bottom leaves.  Place into prepared seed trays or small containers of potting mix and place these into the soil.  Water the cuttings regularly.  It can take a couple of years to get blooms this way.

Bee balm can be cut in the fall; however, I strongly recommend leaving the flower stalks and seed heads for birds to feed on.  Goldfinches, sparrows and other small birds enjoy the seeds and liven up your yard.

My bee balm is in front of the porch where I sit for hours reading or just enjoying the pollinators that are drawn to it.  There are multiple hummingbirds feasting on bee balm in two raised beds, darting from one flower to another and from one bed to the other.  They find the colors appealing and the shape of the flowers is just the sort of tubular petals they enjoy. 

We’ve also had hummingbird moths feeding from it all summer.  For those not familiar with them, the hummingbird moth, aka clearwing moth, resembles a hummingbird and can hover like a hummingbird but they are much smaller.  In fact, they are closer to the size of a large bumble bee than a hummingbird.  Watching them flutter from flower to flower is incredibly relaxing. 

Of course, bees find them interesting as well, but have not been any threat at all of stinging.  The pollinators are an indispensable part of the ecosystem happening on our property.  With the bee balm combined with multiple kinds of milkweed and other native plants our yard is teeming with life.  The purple bee balm blends beautifully with light blue mistflower and dark purple ironweed. 

Bee balm is naturally antimicrobial so it makes a good salve.  Infuse the petals in oil and thicken it with beeswax.  The petals can also be used to make mouthwash for sores in the mouth or sore throats, poultices, etc.  For a poultice boil bee balm leaves and wrap in a cloth.  Use for sore eyes, muscle spasms, fungal infections and headaches. 

Bee balm, like any flower, should be completely free of pesticides or other chemicals when eaten.  Bee balm petal tea is often used for settling the stomach and relieving gas.  Per cup use 1 tablespoon of dried flower petals or 2 tablespoons of fresh petals per cup of hot water. 

Both colonists and Native Americans made multiple medicinal salves and drinks out of the flowers.  Oswego tea was named by Native Americans for a river in New York. 

The foliage and flowers can be used in herbal teas, salads, and as garnishes.  Every above-ground part of the bee balm plant is edible.  Flowers should be harvested when they first open, but while leaves are edible at any stage the younger leaves have a nicer milder flavor. Despite what many think, bee balm is not used in bergamot tea, brand name Earl Grey.  Earl Grey is made with oils extracted from a citrus fruit called the bergamot orange.

Bee balm petals tend to lose flavor with drying, but are delicious salad toppers when fresh.  Even fruit salad benefits from the addition of fresh bee balm petals. 

Bee balm vinegar is an infusion of bee balm petals in apple cider vinegar, preferably raw vinegar like home-made or Bragg’s.  In cooking, bee balm can be substituted for oregano or thyme.  The leaves pair well with tomatoes and tomato sauce, pizza sauce, soups, marinades and vinaigrettes.  Dried leaves can be added to bread dough, cookies, and other baked goods and chopped and added to grilled vegetables, meats, etc. 

For a flavorful marinade combine dried bergamot, lemon zest, crushed garlic, and olive oil.  The flavor enhances pork, chicken, or fish. 

Bee balm petals are often used in both sweet and savory jellies.  The latter served with crackers and cream cheese is a simple tasty snack.

SAVORY BEE BALM JELLY

2 CUPS FRESH BEE BALM PETALS

1 box (1.75 oz.) low-sugar pectin (Sure Jell)

1 to 2 cups sugar

1 cup vinegar (wine, white, cider, or rice)

¼ cup lemon juice

4 cups water OR 2 cups water and 2 cups white wine

Remove any green from the petals, then wash the petals and put into a large glass measuring cup.  In a separate pot, bring the water, or water and wine, to a boil.  Pour over the petals.  Cover and allow to sit 15 minutes.  Strain.  Pour into a large saucepan add in the lemon juice, vinegar, and pectin.  Stir.  Bring to a boil.  Boil for one full minute.  Add the sugar.  Stir and boil another full minute.  Remove from heat and ladle into clean warm jars.  Apply canning lids and refrigerate or process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes. 

PUTTING IN MY PERENNIAL FOOD GARDEN

26 Friday Sep 2025

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By:  Victoria Brady

While enjoying the beautiful snow, my thoughts are on creating a new perennial food garden after losing ours when we moved to West Virginia.  There are many kinds of gardeners and compared to some, like my neighbor, I might be considered a lazy gardener because I love planting once and harvesting for years with little intervention on my part.  We’ve discussed some of the more common permaculture foods (asparagus, rhubarb, blueberries, etc.) so I won’t repeat myself.  There are a lot of other lesser-known perennial plants that are worthy of attention.  This is a look at some of what I’ll be ordering for spring delivery.

Apios Americana, aka Ground-Nut.  This plant is a delight for the eye as well as the tastebuds.  It is a vine that grows from tubers.  It dies to the ground with frost so each spring it starts anew, and doesn’t take over like kudzu on steroids.  Every part of the plant is edible:  tubers, beans, and flowers.  It produces beautiful flower clusters that produce beans.  Native Americans called it hopniss and it was a valuable part of their diet.  Interwoven Farm offers 10 large tubers for $35, or 20 smaller ones for the same price.  For enthusiastic gardeners 100 tubers will run $270.  This version has been tweaked to grow larger tubers than wild varieties.

Egyptian Onions, aka Walking Onions.  These heirlooms produce bulb clusters which fall over and upon reaching the soil and moisture grow into mature specimens.  They’re perfect for me because my husband doesn’t like onions and a few of these produce all I need for myself.  Prices vary greatly so do your homework.  They can be planted in any season.  In the spring clusters encased in a papery-like covering will emerge and then fall and take root completely on their own.  If you don’t see topsets the first year fear not, they’re storing energy to amaze the following year. Mr. Isaac Gray documented the culture of these onions in a letter to the editor written between 1780 and 1794 and published in Philadelphia 1805.  Zone 3-10.

Sea-kale.  This herbaceous plant has thick curly leaves that die back in the fall.  Young spring shoots are prized and they’re often “forced” with a pot turned down over them similar to rhubarb.  Leaves and roots are edible.  Plants like cooler climates.   They should be two feet apart although if left without being harvested or divided the plants can grow up to five feet.  They  are not picky about soil but a little compost wouldn’t go unappreciated.  It likes full sun but doesn’t object too much to partial shade.  It tolerates drought and, while it isn’t productive until its second season, it can produce for up to 10 years.  It is easily propagated by root cuttings or division.  Thomas Jefferson was growing sea kale at Monticello as early as 1809.  Zone 4-8.

Horseradish.  If you like Arby’s sauce you should be growing horseradish.  It pairs beautifully with steak, roast beef, etc.  The roots can be dug and processed with some vinegar and will keep in refrigeration for a while and mixing with sour cream in quantity to taste means having sauce whenever its wanted.  To harvest, dig the root, cut off a piece, and replant the remaining root to continue growing. 

Garden Sorrel (French Sorrel, and red-veined sorrel.  Sorrel adds a fantastic lemony flavor to salads, soups, etc. and will return annually.  Sorrel soup is delicious.  “Profusion” never produces seeds and continues to produce tender leaves  through the summer, however, I like to also have at least one plant of garden sorrel to ensure controlled spread.  Red-veined sorrel is beautiful to add to salads.  Do not be afraid of planting too much sorrel.  It cooks down like poke and takes a fair amount to make soup. 

Sorrel soup:  Slowly cook ½ cup chopped onions in 4 to 5 tablespoons butter or olive oil.  Lower the heat, cover, and cook gently about 10 minutes.  In a second pot bring 1 quart of chicken stock to a simmer.  Add the sorrel leaves, salt, the onions, and stir well.  When the sorrel has mostly wilted, reduce the heat and cook about 10 minutes.  Mix the flour with about 1/8 cup of water or stock and whisk it into the soup.  Simmer to thicken (about 2 minutes).  Combine 2 egg yolks with ½ cup half and half.  Carefully and slowly stir well into the soup.  Cook over medium heat about 2 or 3 minutes.  Serve while hot.

Lovage:  Lovage adds a very pleasing flavor to dishes, especially soup, summer salads or potato salad.  It has been cultivated in Europe since ancient times.  Leaves and roots are eaten as a vegetable, and the seeds as a spice.  Its flavor is like a cross between parsley and celery.  It grows 6 to 8 feet tall and should be planted where it can remain undisturbed.  It can be a little finicky when starting seeds and purchasing a plant rather than seeds might be the best option.  Soak seeds prior to planting and start indoors 10-12 weeks before the last spring frost date.  Keep soil evenly moist and seeds should germinate in about two weeks.  Harden off the plants when about two inches then plant in their permanent home in your garden.  Beneficial insects are drawn to its tiny yellow flowers and may help pollinate other vegetables.  It likes a rich loamy soil that retains moisture.  Add compost to the bed prior to planting and organic fertilizer a couple of times during the summer.  Zone 4-8. 

Rosemary.  I’d be lost without this herb at my beck and call.  I prefer “barbecue” rosemary, so named because its stems are longer, in fact, long enough to use as skewers on the grill.  It can grow to a small bush size so plant it where it won’t get trampled once it is established.  It is evergreen and remains viable through winter.  I went out this week and knocked off some ice and snow to pick a few sprigs to chop and scatter on top of a pan of focaccia bread.

Camassia, or Camus.   I’ve planted these but do intend to put in more.  Besides producing sweet edible bulbs, it produces gorgeous blue flowers.  It pairs beautifully with yellows such as marigold or rudbeckia. American Indians made liberal use of this, calling it quamash, and settlers followed suit.  When roasted the flavor is similar to roasted sweet potatoes.  Cook until well done.  It will grow in moist areas and is beautiful when naturalized.  Zone 3-8.

Tree collards.  In good conditions this plant can grow to 6 to 10 feet and up to 3 feet wide but they can be easily kept at about four feet.   In the sandy soil and intense heat of South Alabama, even when watering profusely, it barely survived but did not thrive.  I finally gave up, but now that I’m in beautiful West Virginia I will be giving this another try.  They probably won’t survive temperatures lower than 20 degrees so putting them into large pots that can be moved to a basement or greenhouse in harsh winters should be considered.  It is good to take cuttings before the first frost so that should it fail, it can be restarted in the spring.  It is best to stake them to prevent them falling over or pinch out the tops when young to encourage branching.  They lack oxalic acid that sometimes makes brassicas bitter, so tree collards are slightly sweeter and nuttier in flavor. 

Cardoon.  It is advisable to purchase a spineless cultivar as the near invisible spines can be painful if lodged in the skin.  The blanched (kept from direct sunlight) stems are the edible part.  Cut them before the flowers emerge and steam them or put into stir-fry, or pickle them.  They are started from seeds or off-shoots and can produce for up to five years. Give them a sunny and protected corner in the garden and they will be quite happy.  Cardoon is rarely found in American markets so growing one’s own is essential.  Zone 7b-10.  This is borderline for our area. 

Good King Henry.  This semi-wild plant is a low-maintenance substitute for spinach.  It pushes through the earth early and grows up to two feet tall and about 15 inches wide.  It draws nutrition from deep within the soil and can be beneficial for other plants growing nearby.  Seeds can go into the garden in early spring or late summer/early fall.  Soaking seeds for 24 hours helps with germination.  The seeds are small so cover no more than a quarter of an inch deep.  It can take 2 to 3 weeks,  or more, for the seeds to germinate.   Be patient and keep the soil moist but not wet.  Some prefer starting the seeds in pots and transplanting them to the garden after they’ve developed a few true leaves.  Place the transplants about 12 inches apart.  It is resistant to pests and diseases. Harvest when shoots are around 8 to 10 inches tall.  Cutting actually encourages continuous growth and keeps the plant from bolting.    Avoid eating raw leaves.  Soak them in saltwater an hour before steaming, sauteing or boiling.  Start it from seed.  Zone 3-9. 

Perennial kale.  This kale does not produce flowers so it is kept growing by propagating new plants from cuttings.  Older outer leaves can form roots after settling on the ground.  It prefers full sun but can tolerate a little shade.  Cultivars Daubenton, Dorbenton’s, Taunton, and Ewiger Kohl are most popular. Taking cuttings is as easy as pinching off one of the sideshoots about 4 to 5 inches long.  Trim off any stems leaving just the top two leaves.  Place the cutting into a pot of compost and keep it moistened.  The best time to take cuttings is May through October.  Zone 6-9.

Potato onion, aka multiplier onion.  These are similar to shallots as each onion planted will form a cluster of onions up to 2 to 4” in diameter.  The flavor is stronger than shallots.  Give them rich soil and full sun, even tuck them into a flower bed.  Remember to save some onions to replant at harvest or the next spring. 

Ramps.  Most West Virginians may not think of planting ramps, but with wild colonies often being decimated through over-harvesting we should.  This was one of the first things I planted when we purchased our property.  These are perfect for any shady area you wish to make productive.  Because ramps grow slowly, most sources advise harvesting a few leaves from each plant and leaving the bulbs in the ground to grow and multiply.  Zone 3-7. 

Bunias orientalis, Turkish Rocket.  It is related to arugula, but the flavor is similar to cabbage.  Its growth habit is similar to broccoli raab.  All parts are edible raw or cooked.  It can substitute for broccoli or kale in any recipe.  It is easily grown but does spread so keep it manageable.  It will tolerate some shade.  Zones 4-8.

Crosnes, aka Chinese artichoke.  The tubers are spiral and tapered forming a point like a seashell.  They grow to one to two inches long and are worth every effort to grow them.  Get them in the ground early while they are dormant.  They are slow-growers, taking all summer to produce tubers ready to harvest but they are so unique they’re a joy to have.   Keep some of the tubers in a cool area to replant the following spring.  They do not like frost. To cook, drop them in boiling water for two minutes then immediately dunk them in an ice bath.  With just that they’re ready to pickle or pop into stir-fry, or salads.  Quickly sauteed with peas, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper and parsley they are a delicious oddity that will go with just about anything.  Zone 5-9. 

Skirret.  This one has stood the test of time though it isn’t as well known today as it should be.  The roots are similar to carrots.  It can reach four feet tall and is clump-forming.  Grow it from seed or crowns in the spring and don’t harvest until the second season.  Crowns are dug up and replanted to grow the following year.  It likes full sun and moist fertile soil.  Does well in zones 5-9.

Pollination of Corn©

26 Friday Sep 2025

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By:  Victoria Brady

My grandfather was a typical Appalachian farmer in that he understood the mechanics of planting, planting by the signs, how to thin and weed, and how to harvest and preserve.   His corn was for our dinner tables and also added to the pig trough.  The corn-fed pork was as important in feeding us as the fresh corn.  While he was experienced at planting as he learned it from his father and grandfather, he knew little about how the plants were pollinated/fertilized and why it was essential for a good crop.  In a lot of ways, he trusted God and Mother Nature to provide.  While I share his faith, I believe its important to understand the process of how a plant produces and to take steps to increase the quality and quantity of our harvest. 

Let’s look at a few basic facts.

  • Corn has separate male (tassel) and female (ear) flowers on the same plant.  Such a plant has a fancy name, monoecious. 
  • Male flowers produce the pollen, and female flowers contain ovaries.
  • To produce corn the pollen falls from the tassel, lands on the corn silk, and corn kernels are the result.  Each kernel on the cob has a silk attached to it and only kernels with successful pollination develop.  With good pollination we have a full ear, and with less than adequate pollination or detrimental weather at this time we have ears that contain some undeveloped kernels.  This pollen shed is called anthesis. 
  • The pollen is shed over the course of about two weeks with the best time being about day three.  This pollination happens with wind, rain, or by pollinators moving the pollen from tassel to silk.
  • We can cut the tassels and brush the pollen on the silks, but really, who wants to do that when insects or bees can do it for us?

On average a corn cob can develop up to 1000 ovules, with between 400 to 700 of those being fertilized.  When silk production does not develop in sync with pollen distribution the result is undeveloped kernels, especially on the small end of the cob.  Most ears are fertilized with pollen from other plants in the garden or field (cross pollination), with only about 5% or less of kernels fertilized with pollen from the same plant.  This haphazard distribution of pollen can be greatly improved by bees, insects, etc. flying from one plant to the other.

Bees enhance fertilization for corn and other food crops as do other insects.  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife reminds us some 4,000 species of wild bees in the U.S. contribute to agricultural pollination and, the economic value of which is over $34 billion.  They note 35 percent of the world’s food crops depend on pollinators to reproduce. 

Besides bees these agricultural pollinators include moths, butterflies, beetles, bats, flies, wasps, birds, etc. 

Usually, pollination is continuous occurring gradually along the ear as the silks emerge.  Once the corn is pollinated the tassels turn brown and are no longer useful.  Green tassels are those awaiting the introduction of pollen. 

For weeks following fertilization reduced photosynthesis caused by cloudy skies, heat stress or other factors can mean the failure of fertilized ovules.  The tip of the ear is where this is usually seen. 

Along with encouraging pollinators good practice includes the following.

  • Irrigation.  Increased water during the pollination period. 
  • Fertility.  Increased nitrogen and phosphorus are needed during pollination.
  • Selecting the proper seed.  Varieties known to do well in our location.

Planting some bee friendly flowers alongside our spring garden may be just what we need to increase productivity and quality. 

Rhubarb:  Plant Your Own Pie©

26 Friday Sep 2025

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By:  Victoria Brady

Sometimes we don’t know how lucky we are to be able to grow something until we move to where we can’t grow it, and vice versa.  I had never had rhubarb pie until we moved to West Virginia.  I tried to grow it in central Alabama but the summers were far too hot for it, even when I watered it daily to compensate.  I don’t recall seeing it in the grocery stores, most likely because it didn’t hold up for transporting long distances. 

Rhubarb is not native to North America but its one of those plants that has been around since the 1600s as colonists brought garden seeds and tubers or bulbs for their favorite plants.  It likes cooler weather and a dormant period in order to thrive.  Rhubarb likes an average temperature that falls below 40ºF in the winter and below 75ºF on the summer nights making West Virginia is a perfect location. 

It resembles celery except the stalks are bigger and the color is different.  The flavors are nothing alike.  The only edible part of the rhubarb plant is the stalks and they are perfectly safe to eat.  Do not eat the leaves as they contain oxalic acid which is toxic.   

One of the first things I did when we moved to West Virginia was purchase a bundle of rhubarb spears at the grocery store and make a pie.  We were hooked from the very first bite as were Pennsylvania relatives I shared one with.  They knew about it but aren’t gardeners and don’t cook much so it was a bit of a treat for them as well.

The biggest step for any gardener is to grow the thing you love.  I immediately put two rhubarb crowns into large clay pots.  The pots are placed in full sun although I think partial sun would have been a better choice.  I purchased them from the Elk Rover Conservation District during their annual sale.  They came back up this spring and have done reasonably well although they do need fertilizer to reach their ultimate potential.  Having experienced growing in pots, I would recommend planting them in-ground, if possible, with well amended soil. 

The proper time for planting rhubarb is in the spring as soon as the ground becomes workable or plant crowns in the fall when dormant.  Choose a sunny location which will stay moist but not wet.  The soil should drain well.  My garden is on a slope where it catches the sun from late morning until evening and excess moisture drains on down the bank.  Both sunshine and flat land are at a premium here at Brady Acres.

I had my husband till up the garden (not an easy task on the slope) and planted six more rhubarb crowns.  I dug a deep hole for each one and added a little peat moss and a lot of composted manure underneath and around each one.  Each of the six has grown from a bare root to a scant foot high in just a month.  It is not recommended to harvest any spears the first year and only sparingly the second year, but then you can expect to harvest for at least ten years.  There should be plenty for desserts as well as savory dishes.

I put four raspberry plants at the top of the garden above the rhubarb and at the bottom, below the rhubarb, I put in Jerusalem artichokes and horseradish.  I then broadcast zinnia seeds which seem to be doing well.  They are annuals so they’ll bloom this year, I can feed the pollinators and collect seeds, then by next year as the rhubarb gets bigger and needs more space they won’t be there to interfere with it.  Rhubarb can grow exponentially with proper fertilization and water.

Put the crowns about two inches underneath the soil surface.  Holes should be very large and back filled with compost.  Spacing should be roughly two to four feet apart with rows spaced out three to four feet apart.  Crowns at least one year old are best.  Unfortunately, some mail order companies sell inferior roots which may fail to thrive no matter how well you treat them.  You may see rhubarb seeds advertised but this is so hit or miss it is not recommended.

Some sources recommend digging and dividing roots every three to five years although not strictly necessary as long as the plants thrive and produce.  While dormant (in the spring or fall) replant each section to produce more plants.

Mulch heavily with a layer of straw to hold in moisture and discourage weeds.  Please inspect the straw before you buy.  I purchased a few bales from Rural King last year and put around various flowers, berries, etc. and realized soon after the fact it was more like hay than straw.  The wheat seeds were still attached to much of it and now I’m constantly pulling up wheat to remove it from those areas.  It has been a sore nuisance in that something meant to save me work has, instead, caused me to work so hard at removing it.

Water the rhubarb well during the first year and especially if hot and dry as last year was.  If seed stalks shoot up remove them ASAP.  They are easily recognized by the production of flower heads.  These stalks are inedible and unnecessarily pull the energy from the plants which could be better spent strengthening the roots.

Rhubarb will die back before fall/winter.  When this happens, remove all the dead plant material and discard it.  See below.  Then cover the rhubarb with 2 to 4 inches of organic mulch.  This provides nitrogen which will reward you with productive plants the following spring. 

There are varieties that produce red stalks and those that produce green stalks.  It really is personal preference as to which to choose.  Some of us think the red makes the nicest presentation.  Varieties that produce red stalks include Canada Red, Crimson Red, MacDonald, and Valentine.  Victoria is more green than red but flavorful and productive. 

It is important not to cut rhubarb spears as it can cause the stub to decay down into the root and kill the plant.  Maybe not every time, but sooner or later it can be a problem.  Instead, pull slightly away and gently twist the spear near ground level. 

The season for growing rhubarb is reasonably long, usually 8 to 10 weeks and lasts through most of the summer.  Some sources recommend not harvesting after July so that the plant can store energy for the next year but use your own judgment.  Stalks should be roughly 12 to 18 inches long when harvested and at least ¾ of an inch in diameter.  When stalks start thinning out it should prompt us to stop harvesting from the plant.  Never harvest all the stalks.  Leave at least two on every plant. 

An old wives’ tale says the plant becomes toxic when temperatures rise in summer but this is not true.  The stalks may become a little tougher in hot weather but they are still perfectly good to eat.  The skin will easily pull away from the stalk but most aren’t bothered by it and don’t remove it unless it’s a little tough and stringy.

Rhubarb can be susceptible to fungus which is recognized by the presence of yellow leaves, gray spots, mold, buds that will not open, wilt, rot, or scorching.  Sterilize any tools to be used on rhubarb so as not to introduce any fungus or disease.  Collect plant debris regularly and discard it – do not leave it in contact with your plants.  The best practice for prevention of disease is not to crowd plants so that air can circulate through and around each plant. 

Plants can pick up fungal leaf spot, recognized by just what the name implies, spots on the leaves, leaves that turn dark and fuzzy, etc.  Prevention strategies include destroying any infected plants and do not put them in the compost pile.  Usually placing them in plastic bags and depositing them in the trash is best.  Make every effort to purchase resistant varieties, and always disinfect any tools before and after use.  Again, good air circulation is essential.

Discolored leaves, wilt, plants dying back, oozing near the base, slow growing, stunted, or dying plants are indicative of root/crown rot.  Treatment is essentially the same as previously listed.

Insects which can wreak havoc include rhubarb curcullo, and slugs or snails.  Curcullo is a beetle-like pest that bores into the stalks or crowns resulting in notches on stalks or leaves, leaking sap, and wilt/decay.  Adults which usually appear in May, should be hand-picked. 

Damage from slugs and snails is recognized by irregular holes in the leaves, a slime trail, and the disappearance of young immature stalks.  Do not use a heavy application of wood mulch.  Use copper plant collars, avoid watering on the head of the plant, trap them by placing boards around the plants in the evenings and removing in the morning then disposing of any slugs/snails found there, or applying a one-inch wide strip of diatomaceous earth. 

Now that we’ve grown and harvested our rhubarb what do we do with it?  First, to store it cut leaves off the top and discard them.  It can be refrigerated as is in a covered container, the stalks can be cut into pieces and stored in such a container or zip-top bag, or wrap the stalks in aluminum foil before refrigerating is acceptable.  The rhubarb may be frozen for at least a year.

Once the rhubarb has been frozen some of the juice will separate from the stalks.  No worries.  While some drain away the juice, others, like myself, recommend keeping it and adding a little instant tapioca or cornstarch mixed in some of the sugar, into the pie you’re about to bake.  This liquid is not water, it is, as stated, juice which contains most of the flavor. 

Lastly what can we make out of our rhubarb?  The choices are almost limitless.  The amount of sugar used determines the application.  Savory dishes use very little sugar or may not have any while any sort of dessert is sweetened.

The chopped rhubarb can be used for pies, cakes, breads, jam – mixed with other fruit or used alone, making crunch or crumbles, muffins, coffee cake, etc.  Rhubarb can also be an ingredient in soup, punch, salads, sauces, chutney, cooked with meats (chicken, pork, beef and more), stir-fry, salad dressing, made into ketchup, salsa, relish, barbeque sauce, or it can be made into a sweetened syrup and used in drinks such as margaritas.

To make rhubarb sauce place 10 cups of diced rhubarb in a pan with just enough water to cover.  Simmer over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes.  It should be starting to fall apart.  Remove from heat and add 3 cups of sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.  Stir well until the sugar has dissolved.  Serve hot or cold, as-is, or over ice cream or cake. 

Rhubarb barbeque contains 1 cup chopped rhubarb (fresh or frozen but if using frozen use this juice to boil the rhubarb in instead of water), 2/3 cup water or beer, 1 medium onion, finely chopped, chopped garlic to taste, 1 cup tomato ketchup, 2/3 to 1 cup of brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons cider vinegar OR lemon juice, 2 Tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon mustard, hot pepper sauce to taste, and ¼ to ½ teaspoon of salt. 

Steps in preparation:  combine rhubarb with water or beer (or juice if using frozen rhubarb) and cook until tender (5 to 6 minutes).  Cool.  Process in a blender or food processor.  Cook the onion until tender, adding garlic near end of cooking time.  Combine all ingredients.  Optional:  Puree slightly again to dissolve onion and garlic.

Now, mix up a pitcher of rhubarb margaritas and fire up the grill.  Enjoy a delicious meal while pondering on how this was all possible because you planted those rhubarb crowns.

I’m Ready for a Tomato Sandwich!©

26 Friday Sep 2025

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By:  Victoria Brady

Since as long as I can remember one of my favorite foods has been a simple tomato sandwich, preferably a slice of a large juicy tomato big enough to cover the bread with one slice.  Mayonnaise on both pieces of bread is a must as is salt and pepper.  I can remember as a young girl going out to the garden and picking my own tomato and pigging out. 

What I look for in a tomato is a medium acidic flavor but I’m OK with a blend of acid and sweet.  I like a nice meaty tomato with few seed.  I don’t really care if its yellow or red though my hand tends to gravitate toward the red.  I plant mostly indeterminate varieties that will produce till fall.  Determinate tomatoes that ripen mostly at the same time are good for canning.  I love home-canned tomatoes.  They have more flavor; no preservatives and I have the satisfaction of knowing I grew them.

Tomatoes are for the most part self-pollinating with pollen being dispersed by wind, but pollinators ensure better and bigger harvests, especially when Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate with sunshine and gentle wind.  Honey bees and bumble bees are a great help in transferring pollen from flower to flower.  Simply put, the more bees in the garden the better your tomato crop.  Planting colorful flowers along with the tomatoes encourages bees to visit your garden. 

No matter what variety a good tomato requires full sun.  Full sun is not plentiful in my neck of the woods.  We are in a “holler” and the only direct sunlight we get is late in the morning until late afternoon in one area.  My husband says we can see sunshine on the hills to our front and to our back, but there aren’t a lot of places where we get direct sun for any length of time. 

Tomato plants from seed can sometimes get leggy, but never fear, the deeper tomatoes are set in the ground the better because with moisture the vines will grow roots all the way to the surface making it easier for the plant to make use of whatever rain there is.   They can be planted in a trench with the plants laying down and covered all except the tops. 

The average temperatures in West Virginia are usually good for growing tomatoes successfully without being restricted to heat tolerant varieties.  Those tend to be smaller and less flavorful.  They like to be warm but not hot.  Seventy to eighty-five degrees is good.  The higher the temperature goes over that the less the plants bloom.  Temps over ninety degrees seriously affects pollination and production.

Removing suckers at about four inches and placing them in moist soil will produce plants for a later crop without having to buy or start more from seed.  Remember to keep the soil moist. 

I like to bury a big plastic flower pot with a hole in the bottom into the ground then put four tomato plants around the pot.  This allows me to put water in the pot for the roots without watering the grass on the surface.  I’ve done this with milk jugs or two-liter soda bottles too. 

I prefer organic fertilizer that will not burn the plants and apply it several times through the growing season.

Mulching with straw or chips holds in moisture and helps keep out the grass.  You may get some grass on top of the mulch but that is easy to pull.  Of course, weeding is always easier after a rain or a good watering.

West Virginia can claim several varieties of tomato as its own.  Some came about through the work of professors at WVU while others are the passion of gardeners who created them in their own back yard. 

Some of the West Virginia varieties have excellent disease control. 

Hillbilly is a large beef-steak variety, very meaty with few seeds.  Fruits are mild flavored and get to 1 or 2 pounds, just perfect for a good tomato sandwich.  They are low in acid and are streaked orange-yellow mottled with red and pink.  It is a potato-leaf indeterminate variety.   

Akers is a large flavorful tomato.  The flavor is more sweet than acidic, many calling it “old fashioned”.  It is a red variety and averages about a pound in weight.  It is slightly puckered in appearance reminiscent of early heirlooms.  They are billed as getting few cracks or blemishes.  Plants are somewhat compact topping out at about four of five feet making them an excellent choice for smaller gardens.  They are round to oblate in shape.

Carl Akers, originally from West Virginia, moved on to later call Pennsylvania home. 

I’ve known about Mortgage Lifter and how Marshall Cletus Byles, aka Radiator Charlie, bred them in the 1930s for years, even when living in the deep South.   The fruit can grow really large between one to three pounds. 

Another distinguished developer is WVU’s plant pathology professor Mannon Gallegly who has given us four varieties during his 70 years of growing and breeding tomatoes.  He was 101 years old in 2024 and began his tomato gardening in 1950. 

His latest tomato is called the West Virginia 2023 aka Mannon’s Majesty.  The 2023 is resistant to Septoria leaf spot, fusarium wilt, verticillium wilt, and late blight.  The leaf spot affects the leaves of the plant causing them to fall off opening the fruit up to sun scald.  It can affect the taste of the tomatoes and in some cases kill the plant. Fusarium and verticillium wilt are fungal diseases that limit yields, and late blight infects the entire plant.  The disease spreads quickly and can cause total failure.

Another of his varieties is the West Virginia 1963 aka The People’s Tomato. 

In 2017 he gave us two varieties – the West Virginia 2017A (Mountaineer Pride) and the West Virginia 2017B (Mountaineer Delight).   The first is better suited to commercial endeavors as it is thick-walled and holds up well to shipping, the latter is well suited for home gardens.  It is a beef-steak type and sweeter than Mountaineer Pride or the 1963. 

While a home-grown tomato sandwich is just about as good as it gets, the fried green tomato gives it a run for its money.  I like to coarsely chop the tomatoes, put them in flour, then buttermilk, and back in the flour and deep fry them.  Season well with salt and pepper.  It is possible to have the best of both.  Sliced fried green tomatoes on a BLT, turkey sandwich, or club is pure bliss.  Adding blue cheese crumbles takes it to the next dimension.

Enjoy your garden and all those tomato sandwiches and fried green tomatoes!

GOOD KING HENRY: Perennial green

26 Friday Sep 2025

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By:  Victoria Brady

Good King Henry, aka Fathen, wild spinach, English Mercury (in America sometimes corrupted to Markery), goosefoot, or Allgood is not native, but was grown in the U.S. at least by the early 1840’s, perhaps longer.  It is perennial and can be propagated by self-sowing and by root division should you wish to share with your neighbor.  Plant it in a prepared bed where it can grow unmolested and refrain from harvesting until the third year after which it will feed you for years to come.

“We would particularly recommend to our readers, as a first-class vegetable for early spring use, the Good King Henry (Chenopodium Bonus Henricus), or English Mercury.  This is, in many parts of England, Scotland, and Ireland, a rather common roadside weed, with a thick fleshy root, like that of a Dock, and grows to a considerable height.  The lower leaves resemble those of Spinach, and are of a broadly triangular shape, often more than 3 inches long, stalked, sinuate, or slightly toothed, rather than thick and fleshy, and of a dark green colour.  This upper ones are smaller and nearly sessile.  It is extensively grown by the Lincolnshire farmers, almost every garden having its bed, which if placed in a warm corner and well manured, yields an abundant supply of delicious vegetables for a fortnight or three weeks before the Asparagus comes in, and for some weeks afterwards.  From a south border we generally commence cutting the Mercury early in April, and continue cutting until the end of June.  Some of our friends say they like it better than Asparagus; but we cannot go that length, though we like it very much.  When properly grown, the young shoots should be almost as thick as the little finger, and, in gathering, it should be cut under the ground something the same as Asparagus.  In preparing it for use, if the outer skin or bark has become tough, strip it off from the bottom upwards, and then wash and tie it in bunches like Asparagus.  It is best boiled in plenty of water, with a handful of salt added.  When tender, strain and serve simply, or upon a toast.  Some have melted butter with it, others eat it simply with the gravy of the meat.  Now, in cultivation, the Mercury will grow anywhere; but, to have it in the best form, superior cultivation is

necessary.  To this end you cannot have the ground too deep nor too rich.  Hence we should say trench the ground 2 feet deep, mixing in abundance of rich manure, and plant as early in the spring as possible.  As the plant is a perennial, it is necessary to get an abundant yield of shoots, and to get them as strong as possible—and hence, in time, each plant may be a foot or more in diameter.  In planting, we generally put the rows 18 inches apart, and the plants 1 foot apart in the row; and, after we begin to cut, we drench the ground frequently with manure water, or sprinkle the ground with guano in showery weather.  Of course the plants must not be cut too severely until they are thoroughly established—say in the third year—and then you can scarcely injure them.”  – “The Garden Illustrated Weekly Journal”.  London.  April 19, 1873.

In flavor it is comparable to spinach or asparagus.  The shoots may be peeled and prepared as asparagus cooked as greens (alone or mixed with other plants), or put into soup and stew.  Perhaps one of the following appeals to your taste.  Some suggested adding the seed to soup and stew in the manner of quinoa.

GOOD KING HENRY (Boiled leaves).  1916.  Have the leaves well washed, put into a stewpan with the smallest possible amount of boiling water, and let boil for fifteen minutes; then add a little salt, and boil five minutes longer.  Strain off the water and chop the leaves finely.  Have ready hot in a stewpan about one ounce each of butter and flour, with a little pepper and salt, add the leaves, mix well, and heat thoroughly for another five minutes.  Serve hot with garnish of fried sippets (toasts).

GOOD KING HENRY (Boiled Shoots and Stalks).  1916.  Prepare and cook as asparagus, and serve with any sauce suitable to asparagus.  Keep any cold, cooked stalks for salad.   ©

FALL CROPS, and How to Grow Them. ©

26 Friday Sep 2025

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By:  Victoria Brady

When we hear a discussion of fall planting, we really mean summer planting for crops that can be harvested throughout the fall season.  Hopefully by now your soil is prepared for optimum growing potential and maybe you’ve even started some seed for transplanting into the garden.  If not, don’t panic.  There are plenty of vegetable seeds that can be planted directly into the soil or go to a local nursery and buy young plants. 

These crops should be frost-hardy for a longer harvest.  These include arugula, beets, Bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, collards, garlic, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, fall/winter radishes (Baker Creek Heirloom seeds carry such seeds), spinach, Swiss Chard, turnips, pumpkins, etc.

Plant arugula between September 2 and October 6.  Beets should go in between the end of July to the end of August.  Bok Choy is planted through August into the first week of September.  Broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels Sprouts can go in during July.  Cabbage transplants should go into the ground between July 20 and August 12-15.  Collard greens do well when planted during July and August.  November is suitable for planting garlic.  September is a good time to plant radishes and spinach. A second crop of green beans, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard greens, peas, Swiss chard, turnips, and kale can be planted during August. 

Pumpkins used to be planted extensively as food for farm animals, perhaps in some locations they still are.  “Pumpkins planted late in the summer upon good soil will make a large quantity of food for stock by winter…”.

I wonder how many people still plant according to the phases of the moon.  Annual flowers and vegetables that bear above ground during the light, or waxing, of the moon.  Simply put plant these seeds from the day of a new moon until the day it is full.

Bulbs, biennial and perennial flowers and vegetables that bear below ground during the dark, or waning of the moon should go in from the day after the moon is full until the day before it is new again. 

Some believe more moisture is found at the soil’s surface between the new and full moons which is ideal for sprouting seeds.  Seeds tend to germinate better and are stronger and better-established plants.

Such planting is as old as creation.  Many Native American tribes followed a lunar calendar and our Founding Fathers did likewise.  Benjamin Franklin began printing almanacs to aid farmers during the colonial era. 

The English Gardener published in 1683 and The Dutch Gardener in 1703 gave instructions for planting following the phases of the moon.  In 1662 John Evelyn wrote a treatise on felling forest trees in which he noted the special attention woodmen paid to how the phases of the moon influenced this. 

By the 1880s some farmers believed in the practice and dared not plant out of sync while others thought it mattered not when the seeds were put into the ground.  This practice was strictly adhered to in Appalachia by my grandfather’s generation.  He also butchered hogs with the signs believing doing so would keep pork chops from curling on the edges as they cooked.

Writers during the 1800s often discussed the efficacy of following this schedule and noted that planting by the lunar calendar evolved simultaneously in various locations throughout the world.  The practice was so commonly discussed that poets penned verses about it.

The other side of the coin was timing the planting of seeds with the rainy months so that the seeds were more likely to germinate and the plants would bear before summer drought set in.  Today gardeners often consider planting when least likely to be ruined by insects.  Squash is a prime example.  Planting after the main emergence of these murderers of squash plants is well advised. One of the best pieces of advice for fall crops comes from Gardening 1893.  “Before you sow or plant your spring crops decide where you want to have your fall crops, as Lima beans, celery, late corn, tomatoes, cabbage, and roots, as carrots, beets and turnips; make provision for them now [April].  Don’t keep the ground idle waiting for them; instead, plant what we call a catch crop, that is vegetables that come up quickly and are gathered before we need the ground for the late crops. 

Classic Herbs and Herb Blends©

26 Friday Sep 2025

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Herbs are easily grown at home, while spices are brought from far-away lands at greater expense.  This hasn’t changed.  As previously discussed, various herbs were part of the kitchen-garden and were readily at hand when wanted.  Success in growing herbs depends on location, fertilizer, moisture, and climate, although most are easily grown.  Let’s look at which herbs are perennial or that readily self-sow from seed.

Self-sow:  garden angelica, borage, basil, calendula, chamomile, chervil, cilantro/coriander, parsley, dill, chives, edible docks, sorrel, fennel, lemon balm, horseradish, oregano, and purslane.

Perennial:  bergamot, caraway, catnip, chicory, chives, fennel, ginger, horseradish, lavender, lemon balm, lemon grass, lovage, marjoram, mint, oregano, Roman chamomile, sorrel, tarragon, winter savory. 

Evergreen Perennial:  bay, hyssop, lavender, rosemary, sage, and thyme.  These are not worth the effort to dry as they can be picked fresh any time of year.  In really cold winters, however, rosemary may die.

Countless cookery books stated no one herb should be dominant, or tasted more so than the other ingredients, but blend so beautifully, that all come together in perfect harmony.  These should be the basis of any herb garden and the blends may be made after you dry your summer bounty. 

“Any thrifty housewife who has once stuffed her Thanksgiving turkey, her Christmas goose, her every-day ducks and chickens with a fresh blend of aromatic sage, summer savory, and sweet marjoram, grown in her own kitchen garden will be loath ever after to employ the dust of herbs sold…”.  – “A Garden of Sweet Herbs”, published in Country Life in America.  March 1904.  Pg. 395.

SOUP HERB POWDER:  parsley, winter savory, sweet marjoram, lemon-thyme, sweet basil and some add bay-leaves and celery seed.  When dried and bottled they remained fragrant for several months.  The flavor lasted longer when the herbs were infused in vinegar or wine. 

“This composition of the fine aromatic herbs, is an invaluable acquisition to the Cook, at those seasons or situations when fresh herbs cannot be had…”  Kitchiner, William.  The Cook’s Oracle.  London.  1823.  Pg. 331.

SOUP-BUNCH.  This is a bunch of young onions or leeks, carrots, and various herbs to be found in the market in most large places such as green sage, thyme, marjoram etc.; celery-tops are sometimes included.  The onions and carrots and other vegetables can be cut in pieces for the soup, but the herbs are best folded in thin muslin and taken out after 10 minutes of simmering in the soup.

SOUP BOQUET.  A bouquet of herbs for flavoring soups and sauces is much used by foreign cooks, and is made of a few sprigs of parsley, thyme, celery leaves, 1 or 2 leaves of sage and a bay leaf.  This may be folded in a small square of tarlatan or other thin cloth, and wound with a thread.  This can be put in the soup for a little time, and all removed without trouble when the soup is served.  [Cheesecloth works nicely to hold your herbs as does an old-fashioned tea ball.]

VIRGINIA FLAVORING.  Take thyme, mint, sweet marjoram, and rosemary gathered in full perfection; pick from the stalks, put them in a large jar, pour on strong vinegar, and let stand 24 hours; then take out the herbs, throw in fresh bunches, and do this 3 times; then strain the liquor, put it in bottles, cork and seal tight.  Do not let the herbs stay in more than 24 hours at one time, else a bitter, unsavory taste may be imparted.  What is wanted, is just the delicate first flavor which comes from steeping the herbs in the liquid.  It makes a delicious flavor for soups and sauces. 

HERBS, A BUNCH OF SWEET.  Is made up of parsley, sweet marjoram, winter savory, orange and lemon thyme; the greatest proportion of parsley.

HERBS SWEET:  These in cookery are parsley, chibbol, [several spellings, a small onion or leeks] rocambole, [a garlic or shallot] winter savory, thyme, bay-leaf, basil, mint, borage, rosemary, cress, marigold, marjoram, &c.  The relishing herbs or Ravigotte are tarragon, garden-cress, chervil, burnet, civet, [civette is the correct spelling, another name for chives] and green mustard leaves. 

BOUQUET GARNI.  It was formerly known as a FAGGOT.   Parsley, thyme, and bay-leaf.  In its most simple form it consists of a sprig of thyme, marjoram, and a bay-leaf wrapped together in parsley, and tied into a little roll.  To these may be added a small quantity of one or more of the following:  chervil, chives, celery leaf, basil, tarragon.

FINES HERBS.  Chop fine 6 shallots, place them with 1 ounce butter over the fire, cook 3 minutes; then add ½ cupful fine-chopped mushrooms, cook slowly 10 minutes; remove from fire; dip 2 sprigs of parsley in boiling water, instantly remove, chop fine, add 1 tablespoonful of it to the above preparation; season with ½ teaspoonful salt, and the same of grated nutmeg.  If not used all at once, put it in a small glass jar, cover with buttered paper, and keep in a cool place. 

HERBS DE PROVENCE.  Recipes vary from one cook to another but the most common ingredients are basil, bay leaf, marjoram, rosemary, summer savory and thyme with lavender being also quite common. 

POT HERBS.  “Pot herbs include all those varieties of herbs which may be grown in the kitchen garden—parsley, chervil, chives, thyme, sage, savory, basil, sweet marjoram, tarragon and rosemary. . .There are other herbs which might be included in this list of pot herbs; they are not so well known but have good qualities; among these are dill, fennel, mustard, caraway and borage”. 

GREAT MINT FAMILY:  Often used for tea, or a “pick-me-up”.  Besides true mints, some fifty species of thyme, all the balms, the salvias, the marjorams, the hyssop, pennyroyal, hoarhound and other familiar names.”  Any plant from the mint family will have a square stem and probably bear pale pink or purple flowers.  Country Life.  Pg 396.

Now is a good time to prepare a bed for an herb garden and also to purchase seed.  These seeds can be started indoors or directly sown after the danger of frost. 

ALL THINGS MINT©

26 Friday Sep 2025

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By:  Victoria Brady

There are many kinds of mint, all herbaceous plants belonging to the Mentha genus and to a broader family called Lamiaceae, or, simply, the mint family.  Mint’s predominant qualities are a square shaped stem and its unmistakable smell.  Mints bloom in summer and most are utilized as kitchen herbs for cocktails, teas, cooked with peas, put into fruit salad, made into mint jelly (delicious with lamb), etc.  Most mints are also felt to relieve gastrointestinal issues.

Some mints make excellent ground covers while others are taller, but they spread primarily through underground rhizomes.  To prevent spreading grow them in containers.  They are cold-hardy perennials meaning plant once and harvest “forever”. 

Mint is known to deter damaging chewing insects without the use of chemicals.  Cornell University claims it repels ants, aphids, cabbage moths, and mice.  Many gardeners think it repels flea beetles, squash bugs, whiteflies, and slugs as well.  We all want to repel bad insects while attracting pollinators and mint is just the ticket.  The University went so far as to recommend growing mint between rows of brassicas like cabbage, kale, broccoli, and cauliflower.

Bees are attracted to the fragrance of mint and are known to detect it up to 300 feet away.  If you are allergic or afraid of bees plant the mint in an out of the way location out of foot traffic.  It’s not like you are promoting swarms of angry bees and wasps to wreak havoc on your family.  Since I started planting natives I’ve only been stung once and that was because I stepped on one barefoot.  It was a good lesson for me to wear shoes outdoors. 

Such a union of bees and mint and/or native plants is an integral part of our ecosystem.  Farmers sometimes place boxes of bees along the edges of fields to increase pollination which is a testament to the role bees play in our food chain and economy.

Mint is often grown commercially and its culture is estimated at around $100 million dollars per year.  Pruning promotes leaf growth which prolongs its production of leaves, therefore, increasing its potential as a farm crop.  Because mint blooms over a relatively long season it feeds butterflies and bees over an extended period of time.

Peppermint is a cross between watermint and spearmint.  It is good for making teas.  I generally brew tea about three-quarter strength and steep a good handful of washed mint in a little water to add to it.  Discard the leaves and add the liquid to the brewed tea.  Sweeten to your taste.  It is hardy in zones 5 to 9.  It prefers full sun to partial shade and moist soil.  It grows to between 12 and 24 inches tall.  It has pink flowers.  Peppermint and spearmint are my favorites to grow and to use but unless you have enough space for it to naturalize, I recommend growing them in a container.

Spearmint flowers are pink to light violet.  There is no difference in height or growing conditions from those of peppermint.  It is used to flavor chewing gum, in salads, cocktails, and is widely used in teas.  Spearmint was grown in ancient time and was discussed by Pliny.  It likes soil rich in organic matter and moist but well-drained soil.  Again, if spreading is a concern plant it in a container.  Leaves may be used fresh, dried, or even frozen. 

Chocolate mint does not taste like chocolate.  It has a nice citrusy taste, but to some it smells like chocolate.  It prefers well-drained, rich, and moist soil.  Sun preference and height are the same as peppermint.

Pennyroyal is best appreciated as a ground cover and it spreads much slower than other varieties.  It matures at 4 to 6 inches tall.  Pennyroyal is said to repel mosquitoes and fleas.  The ancient Greeks and Romans used it in food and the Roman cookbook, Apicius contains recipes in which it is an ingredient, but it is rarely used for culinary purposes in most cultures today as it has been labeled as toxic for the liver.

Corsican mint is another grown for ground covers and between stepping stones where its fragrance is enjoyed by simply walking from one point to another.  It holds up under moderate foot traffic in these plantings.   It grows in zones 6 to 9.  Preferred light and soil do not differ from spearmint or peppermint.

Apple mint is appreciated as much for a culinary herb as a ground cover.  It has a fruity and minty flavor and fragrance.  Growing conditions and height are the same as peppermint.

Pineapple mint differs from apple mint primarily in its foliage which is green with white edging on the leaves.  Growing conditions are the same, but this mint can reach three feet in height.  Its leaves are quite pretty and it is often used for garnishing food. 

American wild mint, aka Canadian mint or Field mint, is just what one would think, a mint native to Canada and the northeastern U.S.  Leaves are dark green and shiny on the surface, paler and sometimes with hairs on the under-surface.  Flowers grow in whorls at the ends of stems and are white to pale purple in color.  Pollinators, especially bees and butterflies, love it and are attracted to its flowers while it is generally deer and rabbit resistant.  It has a strong aromatic scent and a cooling effect due to a high menthol content.  It can be used in candy, jellies, and teas and is often made into essential oil or fragrance for beauty products.  It grows in zones 4 to 10, likes full sun to partial shade, and well drained but moist ground.  It averages about 18 inches tall.

Cuban mint is used in making mojitos and Margarita mint is grown for a garnish or to make cocktails.  Pretty much any mint of choice can be used for mint juleps.  The Margarita spreads by above-ground runners unlike other mints. 

Hoary mountain mint is native to eastern North America, is a pollinator’s dream, and it just happens to grow wild in West Virginia.  Butterfly larvae feed on it as do Painted Lady, Monarchs, Red Admiral and other kinds of adult butterflies.  It also attracts hummingbirds yet its scent deters deer, thus helping to protect nearby plants.  It stands erect and branches to produce clusters of tiny white flowers in July and August.  Its leaves are silvery white rather than the usual green.  In some localities there are plants with needle-like leaves that are also sometimes referred to as mountain mint but that plant has green leaves. 

Hoary, meaning grayish white, mountain mint is named for its showy grayish white color.  Its leaf coloring as well as its blooms mix well with coneflowers, Black-eyed Susans, bee balm, and other native plants. 

Mountain mint is drought tolerant once established and deer resistant.  Its stems root and it self-seeds, it is perfect for areas where it can naturalize.  If digging for transplants,  be very conscious of not decimating the colony, and consider, instead, picking stems to root. 

It usually grows 2 to 3 feet tall, but can reach up to 6 feet tall and 2 to 4 feet wide in good conditions.  It is grown in butterfly, edible, native, and pollinator gardens and is used in teas.  It is not usually prone to disease or insect damage other than butterfly caterpillars feeding on it.  That loss is easily justified when the beautiful adult butterflies emerge.

Hoary mountain mint plants or seed are sold by most nurseries that deal in native plants, but, like other mints, it can also be grown from cuttings. 

Put the cuttings into water, seed starting mix, or soil mixed with peat.  Keep the soil consistently moist but do not over-water.  Loosely covering the pots with a zip-lock bag for a few days holds in moisture and, increases the chances of rooting.  Do not put the cuttings in direct sunlight.  Remove the lower leaves and discard.  Cuttings should be taken in late spring to early summer while the plant is actively growing.

Seeds are ready to collect in late summer when the seed heads have turned brown.  Spread them out and allow the seeds to dry completely before storing them.  To grow, cover the seeds 1/8 inch deep and keep moist but not wet.  The seeds should germinate within a week and a half to two weeks.  Again, good quality seed-starting mix is the best medium for germination.  Strive for a warm but not hot environment, roughly about 70 degrees. 

Don’t transplant the seedlings before they have 2 to 3 sets of true leaves.  Space the seedlings about a foot to a foot and a half apart, leaving room for each to expand as it grows.

Should your plants begin to die back in the center or become overcrowded divide the roots and replant at the original spacing.  Lift the entire plant out of the ground without damaging the roots and use a sharp shovel or spade to cut the root ball into pieces.  Each piece should have roots and new shoots.  Once this is accomplished replant immediately.  Do not dig and divide until you have the time to replant each section.  Water thoroughly to settle the soil around the roots.  Mulching helps to maintain moisture and discourage grass. These divisions should be done in the early spring or fall, avoiding the heat of summer.

Any mint can also be rooted in clean water.  Cuttings should be 4 to 6 inches and remove leaves except for two sets at the top.  Place your cuttings in a jar or glass in bright indirect light.  I have a shelf under my kitchen window and placing cuttings there while keeping the blinds closed to afternoon sun seems to work quite well.  Roots should begin emerging in one to two weeks.  Allow the roots to grow until sufficient for transplanting (about an inch long).  Grow the cuttings in pots, or finely worked soil.

When mountain mint begins to outgrow the space reserved for it, control its growth by pulling it up around the edges of the colony bringing up the rhizome or digging up clumps.  While pulling rhizomes is relatively easy, choosing a location where it has room to sprawl may be a good idea in the long run.

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