These two common Herbs de Provence are both perennials in the mint family and have a multitude of uses as food and medicine. And rosemary and lavender are both hard to grow in Vermont.
Rosemary is one of those essential herbs for cooking. I love rosemary roasted potatoes with garlic and olive oil. Lavender certainly is also used in foods, but mostly is known as a perfume. If you've every traveled in a Mediterranean region, you'll also see these plants used in landscapes as shrubs and even low hedges.
But let's get more practical. Here in Vermont both can be difficult to grow. These heat lovers need a well-drained soil. Clay won't cut it, so either plant in raised beds or in containers. It isn't just the absolute cold that can kill them. Poorly drained soil stays consistently cool and damp and is a sure recipe for disaster. The English varieties, such as 'Hidcote' and 'Munstead', are the most reliably hardy to zone 5. Lavenders also like an alkaline or chalky soil, as they English say, so add some lime to the beds. In November, cover lavender with bark mulch or wood chips to insulate it from the cold and wind.
Instructions for overwintering rosemary are easy. You can't. Since no varieties are hardier than zone 6 treat them as an annual, or pot up plants to bring indoors in fall. Grow small varieties such as 'Arp' or the trailing 'Prostrate', if growing in a pot. In September, place the container in a shady outdoor spot for a week or two to get acclimated to low light, then bring it into the house. Keep the soil moist and place in the sunniest spot possible.
And now for this week's tip, check broadleaved evergreens, such as rhododendron and holly, that have dead leaves on them. If the stem is still green when cut, leave the shrub a few more weeks to see if it will leaf out. If not, replace it.
Next week on the Vermont Garden Journal, I'll be talking about companion planting. Until then, I'll be seeing you in the garden.
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