Perennial Herbs

Borage pictured to the right.

Herbs are very necessary for a homesteader. They are great for spicing up foods, to make toiletries, for general home use, and for a home apothecary. These are just the herbs listed at http://garden.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Perennial_Foods.

Perennial Herbs:

• Anise hyssop, Agastache foeniculum


• Basil, Ocimum basilicum


• Catnip, Nepeta cataria


• Chives, Allium schoenoprasum


• Fennel, Foeniculum vulgare


• Feverfew, Chrysanthemum parthenium


• French tarragon, Artemisia dranunculus


• Garlic chives, Allium tuberosum


• Lavender, Lavandula angustifolia


• Lovage, Levisticum officinale


• Mint, Mentha sp.


• Oregano, Origanum vulgare


• Parsley, Petroselinum crispum


• Rosemary, Rosemarinus officinalis


• Sage, Salvia


• Shiso, Japanese Red Mint, Perilla frutescens


• Thyme, Thymus vulgaris

We do plan to have a greenhouse for herbs we use year round. We also plan to grow other herbs like soapwort (to make shampoo and soap) and echinacea.

Note: We planted borage last year, which is supposed to be an annual. It grew huge, with large fuzzy leaves. We left it in the ground and it got brown, so we assumed the worst. We had a few days of sub-zero temperature, and several days of snow. On a warm day this past February, we notice it was greening a little bit. We waited. This weekend we noticed not only had it survived but it was getting all big and bushy again! I'm not saying it will do that for everyone, but it did it for us! Could we have gotten a perennial strain of borage? Or maybe I got the seeds mixed up and it wasn't borage at all? (Borage pictured above.)

Tomorrow... perennial shrubs and berries