It is time for me to stop visiting plant stores and stop buying starts! My backyard garden is finally looking delicious enough to eat from, yet a magnetic pull continues to lure me into plant stores. I have more vegetable starts than I have room from. All this and I am moving in a week! Bah!
On my recent trip to Portland, I drooled over lush cold-weather greens like kale, collards, spinach and chard. I ended up bringing home a few which have been growing well despite the cold, rainy weather. It is always a battle here with the slugs, who also enjoy these delicious greens, but I have succeed so far.
I also ended up buying a second round of annual herbs – cilantro, basil and Italian parsley. I now have a wine barrel fully planted with herbs and a window sill box to boot. What am I planning to do with all this? I’ve been trying to cook a lot of scrambles and fritattas to keep up on the egg supply, so the assortment of fresh herbs have been well used.
This summer I will be living in NYC with Jay, so some lucky local friend will inherit these delicious treasures. I am seriously contemplating exactly which containers I could fit in the back of the car though on my drive east… Only a true plant nerd would be willing to baby sit vegetables in the backseat for 3,000+ miles.
dry those herbs! and you don’t need a dehydrator – spread the leaves on cookie sheets and bake at 200 for 8 minute (10 for basil), and they’re good to go, that way you can put them in tupperware and you’ll have yummy herbs in the off season
Portland Nursery sucks me in EVERY TIME. I have to ground myself from going there or I will drop some serious cash on new plants even with no where to put them.
See how bad it is, I just had to view the font on the sign and I knew where that picture was taken. I hear you. Totally been there!
I have a dehydrator if there is anything you wish to use that for (instead of the oven method). You’re welcome to borrow it!
And if you want anything preserved for you while you’re in NYC, please let me know. I make sauces and jams. You’ll not be enjoying your fruit trees/shrubs much, so I thought I’d offer.