Submitted by Kathy Alford
Finding a great present for Mom on Mother’s Day usually requires more imagination than money. Flowers and plants are always a winner, but using that imagination will touch her heart if you can create something unusual that can’t be found at the local nursery.
Try creating a hanging basket of mixed herbs with color annuals that can be hung outside the kitchen window or on the back porch. Bright light may be all you need to grow some of her favorite herbs.
Be sure to read the plants tag for sun requirements. Some herbs can grow in a part shade environment but for most, full sun would be the best. Using edible annuals as filler would be a great idea.
Pick a nice hanging basket with a cocoa mat liner filled with good soil for shallow herbs such as varieties of basil, thyme and oregano.
Set the basil in the middle of the pot and surround it with the trailing thyme and oregano. Mix in a little annual color such as calendulas or nasturtiums, which are edible, and you have a pretty basket that is also useful.
For deeper rooted herbs, use a decorative pot that requires a hanger or strap to hold the weight of the soil and pot when hung. Add parsley, sage and some trailing rosemary along with thyme for a long lasting herb basket.
Be sure Mom picks the herbs on a regular basis so they won’t flower and go to seed. This causes the herbs to taste bitter and if they go to seed, the plant will die.
Regular watering, keeping the soil slightly moist, not wet, will keep the herbs happy. If you use a good organic soil you won’t need to fertilize the plants. Wash leaves of herbs to keep down problems with pests. Fortunately, there aren’t too many pests that like the scent of herbs. Always wash the herbs thoroughly before use.
Whether Mom lives in a house, condo or apartment, she will always have fresh herbs to use and enjoy – and, if you get lucky, you may even get a homemade dinner with fresh herbs out the deal.
Happy Mother’s Day!
Kathy Alford is a landscape designer and owner of Alford’s English Gardens. She can be reached by calling (562) 882-8394.
