I was late in getting the seeds planted for the herb garden this year. I’ve currently got parsley, garlic chives, thyme, cilantro, basil, and oregano seeds in Jiffy Pots thinking about germinating. (Jiffy Pots are compressed peat pucks that expand when wet into baby planters. I’ve used these before to get a head start on basil.) I still have thyme, chives, and rosemary from last year on the upper deck. All should be repotted very soon.
As for the planters at the front entry (see last year’s This Year’s Garden), we went to Molbak’s for advice. When we described the dimensions of the planters to a staff member there, she said, “You’re going to be stuck with annuals.” The planters are only about 6″ deep, which don’t allow much downward expansion for ferns or perennials. In addition, the low depth would put any perennials at increased risk of frost damage. No wonder the previous owners had plastic ferns in those planters. While we were at Molbak’s, I picked up two red shiso plants, a mint plant, and a 6-pack of calendula. The petals of calendula are a key ingredient in Georgian cooking. I’ve been looking for these plants for years.
Saturday we stopped in the Paris-Madrid Grocery to check for padron peppers. They may have some plants next month. In the meantime, I need to get some Thai basil and maybe one or two other plants. Plus we need to get some hanging baskets of flowers to make Julian happy. We might expand our garden to the lower deck, since the landscapers may be getting rid of an overgrown holly plant that’s in front of the deck.
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