Fresh flavors: A guide to growing summer herbs

The recent hot weather has been brutal, and it's taken its toll on many of the culinary herbs that prefer milder weather, such as chervil, chives, cilantro, dill, French tarragon, lavender, parsley, sage and thyme. These herbs tend to be less vigorous during the intense heat of summer and may even succumb to the heat and rain we experience here.

But there are herbs that thrive in hot weather and may be planted now to provide flavorful harvests despite the heat.

Basil is one of the many things grown at the South community Garden on S. Pierce Street.

BASIL: It thrives during our hot, humid summers, and asks for nothing more in the garden than full to part sun and average garden soil that drains well. There are many different kinds and flavors of this warm-season annual herb. Water during dry weather and keep beds mulched to conserve soil moisture and control weeds.

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) grows quickly from seeds, which may be planted now through July. Transplants, which are readily available at area nurseries, may be planted in the garden through August. Allow newly planted basil transplants to grow for a while before you start to harvest.

Individual basil leaves may be harvested for use, but more typically the plant is pinched or cut back. Cut or pinch basil just above a pair of leaves, removing no more than a third of the plant at one time. This leaves plenty of foliage to keep the plant healthy and productive.

Mexican tarragon

MEXICAN TARRAGON: Another of my favorite summer herbs is Mexican tarragon (Tagetes lucida). Native to Mexico, this marigold relative produces large bushy plants 2 to 3 feet tall by the end of summer. The foliage is rich with the flavor of tarragon. It is an excellent substitute for French tarragon, which languishes in summer heat.

In late summer and fall, this carefree plant bursts into bloom with masses of golden yellow marigold flowers – a display that earns it a place in flowerbeds as well as herb gardens. Dormant in winter, this perennial herb returns year after year in spring.

Perilla is common in Asian cuisines, especially Japanese.

PERILLA: This annual East Asian herb (Perilla frutescens) has a unique flavor. I like it in fresh salads, but it is used in a variety of Asian cuisines (especially in Japan, where it is known as shiso). Plant seeds or transplants now.

The purple-leaved varieties are pretty enough to include in flower gardens. Although an annual, perilla self-seeds freely, and it is common to see new seedlings appear in the spring where it has grown previously.

Sweet Annie is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb.

SWEET ANNIE: Artemisia annua is not a culinary herb. Although it's a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, I grow sweet Annie for its wonderfully fragrant foliage. The aroma is rich, sharp and clean, and it is retained for an amazingly long time after the foliage is cut and dried.

This is a great aromatic herb for crafts like potpourris, sachets and wreaths. Start seeds of this warm-season annual herb from April to June each year or plant transplants from the nursery.

Sesame flower

SESAME: The small, flavorful seeds produced by sesame plants (Sesamum indicum) and the oil pressed from them are used in a wide variety of cuisines from many cultures. And, yes, you can grow sesame yourself.

Seeds may be planted in April or May. Transplants could be planted now. Plant in sunny, raised beds (they need excellent drainage). The stocky plants grow to be about 2 feet tall and produce attractive white or pale pink flowers along the main stems. These develop into seed pods full of sesame seeds.

LEMON BALM: There are three great lemon-scented herbs that thrive in the summer herb garden. Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is an easy to grow, perennial herb that looks like mint and smells like lemons. The foliage can be used to make tea or impart a lemon flavor to dishes.

Lemongrass

LEMONGRASS: Cymbopogon citratus is a grass that forms a clump about 3 feet tall and wide over time. Indispensable in East and Southeast Asian cuisine, the profoundly lemon-flavored stems can be harvested as needed all summer. Lemongrass is a perennial that may freeze back in winter during severe freezes, but it is generally reliably root hardy here.

LEMON VERBENA: The third lemon-scented herb is lemon verbena (Aloysia citrodora). It offers a sweet lemon flavor that's refreshing in tea or desserts and useful for seasoning seafood dishes.

Lemon verbena

Lemon verbena is an attractive woody shrub that can grow to be 6 feet tall. Leaves release their refreshing fragrance each time they're touched, and you can plant it near outdoor living areas or walkways, where you can enjoy its lemony scent. Lemon verbena is a perennial here although it may freeze back in winter.

Along with their culinary uses, I also use these lemon-scented herbs as insect repellent. Simply rub the herbs onto exposed skin and the mosquitoes will leave you alone for a while (basil can also be used this way, too). Given individual allergies, be sure to test a small area of skin and see how you react before rubbing them over large areas of skin

Cuban oregano, a variegated variety

CUBAN OREGANO: Coleus amboinicus is not related to oregano (although it is a relative of the colorful coleus in your flower garden). The pungent flavor is similar to oregano, and it is used in the cuisines of the Caribbean and Latin America.

It is an attractive, low-growing plant with fleshy leaves. While perennial, it is not reliably winter hardy and may be lost to severe freezes.

Edible ginger

GINGER: Did you know you can grow your own ginger (Zingiber officinale)? Purchase ginger rhizomes at the supermarket and plant them into partially shaded beds where you have amended the soil generously with compost.

The plants will grow over the summer. In the fall, you can dig up your harvest of rhizomes to use in cooking, leaving some rhizomes in place to grow next year.

GARLIC CHIVES: Allium tuberosum are easy to grow and attractive, especially when blooming clusters of white flowers. This onion relative is grown for its foliage that has a mild garlic flavor.

Hibiscuc flowers

HIBISCUS: Also, seeds or transplants roselle hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa) may be planted now. The large, shrubby plants bloom in the fall and produce tart, ruby red, fleshy calyces used to make refreshing beverages and jelly.

Garden columnist Dan Gill answers readers' questions each week. To send a question, email Gill at [email protected].

Dan Gill is a retired consumer horticulture specialist with the LSU AgCenter. He hosts the “Garden Show” on WWL-AM Saturdays at 9 a.m. Email gardening questions to [email protected].

“Now ‘tis spring and the weeds are shallow rooted. Suffer them now and they’ll o’ergrow the garden.”

— William Shakespeare

Garden columnist Dan Gill answers readers' questions each week. To send a question, email Gill at [email protected].

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