Pickling Cucumber

These vining plants produce abundant cucumbers with a knobby skin and crunchy texture. Grow plants on a tomato cage to save space and keep the plants and fruit clean. Growing the plants trained upwards will help the cucumbers stay nice and straight.

Cucumbers want full sun and very warm conditions for best production. Amend soil with plenty of compost and a good organic vegetable fertilizer. Space plants 1.5-2 feet apart and water regularly.

Harvest pickling cucumbers between 2-4 inches long, before they are too mature and the seeds inside are over developed. Use them to make your favorite pickle recipe.

Lemon Thyme

Grows easily in average, dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerates drought and poor soils of somewhat low fertility. Loose, sandy or rocky soils with excellent drainage are best. Over-watering will cause the stems to rot. Cut back stems as necessary to maintain shape and to renew fresh growth. Harvest leaves for cooking throughout the growing season.

Lemon Thyme typically grows 4-12" tall with upward branching stems. Tiny, dark green leaves have a strong lemon scent which are most aromatic just before flowering. Leaves are frequently used fresh or dried (much better fresh) as a seasoning in a variety of dishes like salads, soups, stews, sauces, and meat or fish dishes. Fresh sprigs may be used as a garnish. Whorls of tiny, tubular, pale lilac flowers appear on the stem ends in early summer. Flowers are attractive to bees.

Lemon thyme is a staple of most herb gardens. The plants are highly ornamental, and can also be grown in containers, rock gardens or as edging along garden borders.

English Thyme

Thyme grows easily in average, dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerates drought and poor soils of somewhat low fertility. Loose, sandy or rocky soils with excellent drainage are best. Over-watering will cause the stems and roots to rot. Cut back stems as necessary to maintain shape and to renew fresh growth. Harvest leaves for cooking throughout the growing season.

English Thyme typically grows 8-12" tall with upward branching stems. Tiny, dark green leaves have a strong scent which are most aromatic just before flowering. Leaves are frequently used fresh or dried (much better fresh) as a seasoning in a variety of dishes like soups, stews, sauces, and meat or fish dishes. Fresh sprigs may be used as a garnish. Whorls of tiny, tubular, pale lilac flowers appear on the stem ends in early summer. Flowers are attractive to bees.

Thyme is a staple of most herb gardens. The plants are highly ornamental, and can also be grown in containers, rock gardens or as edging along garden borders.

Lemon Cucumber

Heirloom. These vining plants produce abundant crunchy cucumbers the shape of small lemons, with a juicy sweet flavor. Grow plants on a tomato cage to save space and keep the plants and fruit clean, and to provide good air circulation.

Cucumbers want full sun and very warm conditions for best production. Amend soil with plenty of compost and a good organic vegetable fertilizer. Space plants 1.5-2 feet apart and water regularly.

Harvest cucumbers when they are greenish yellow, before they are too mature and the seeds inside are over developed. Slice them up in salads, or have them with dip. They are also delicious on a sandwich or wrap.

Italian Oregano

Italian Oregano is easy to grow in well-drained soil, forming an attractive, mound of trailing branches with rounded, aromatic light green/gray leaves about 1 inch long. In early summer, it's topped with spikes of tiny violet flowers. Very adaptable, you can plant it at the edge of your herb garden, in the front of a border, or in a container. Grows 12-24 inches tall. Shear the plants all the way to the ground in the spring to encourage fresh new growth each season.

Plant oregano in full sun, in well draining soil. It will grow very well in ordinary garden soil without extra amendments.

Harvest leaves when they are still young for the best fragrance. The leaves can be used fresh or dried. Lay out or hang branches to dry in a cool, well ventilated place. The flowers may also be harvested and dried for culinary use. When dry, store the leaves and flowers in an airtight container. Use the dried leaves and flowers in tomato sauces, to season meats and vegetables.