Herbs

Basils (Ocimum basilicum)

Culture: Can be direct seeded, but I prefer to start mine indoors 6 weeks before last frost and set out into warm soil, which is compost enriched. 250 seeds.

• Genovese Basil
  The classic large-leaf Italian sweet basil prized for its spicy flavour and wonderful aroma. Fragrant plants grow 18-24". This is the variety of choice for pesto, a best seller. Make successive sowings for continuous summer supplies. Annual.



• Lettuce Leaf
  Also known as large-leaf Italian, a classic heirloom basil. Large crumpled lettuce-like leaves that are 3-4" long. Sturdy large 24" plants. Excellent for pesto.



• Purple Dark Opal
  Beautiful lilac flowers, dark red stems. A beautiful contrast with any green basil, and beautiful in salads or infused in vinegars. Very uniform, an all-Italian strain.

Parsley

• Giant
  From Italy. Sizeable bushy plants produce a wonderful large-leaf parsley with strong flavour, prized by cooks. Biennial in zones 6-9, but typically grown as an annual. 250 seeds minimum.



• Triple Curled
  Closely curled dark green leaves. Very high in vitamins and minerals and a great snack when you are working hard in the garden. Fast-growing strain and it holds for a long time at the harvesting stage, even in warm weather. Biennial in zones 6-9, but typically grown as an annual.

Other herbs

• Cilantro
  No Mexican meal is complete without fresh cilantro. The fresh leaves are called cilantro and the seeds are used as a spice called Coriander. Successive sowings ensure a continuous supply all spring, summer and fall. Nice, slow bolting strain. 50-55 days to first leaf harvest, 90-120 days for seed. 250 seeds minimum.



• Dill – Grandma Einck's Dill (Anethum graveolens)
  Iowa heirloom grown near Festina, Iowa since 1920 by Katherine Einck's family (Diane Whealy's grandmother). Large fragrant heads. Abundant long-lasting foliage, great for canning or fresh use. Permanently maintained at Heritage Farm. Germination is erratic, so please be patient. Self-seeding annual. Certified Organic. 250 seeds minimum.



• Fennel – Smokey or Bronze
  Attractive plants grow 3-4' tall, lacy foliage with a bronze cast. Plant resembles dill in appearance. Does not form an edible bulb like Florence Fennel, instead use it as a garnish or added to salads. Tender perennial grown as an annual. 100 seeds minimum.



• Stevia
  Nature's sweet secret. Used in Japan since the 1970s when the safety of artificial sweeteners came into question. Stevia extracts are 200-300 times sweeter than sugar, calorie-free and all natural. The FDA has approved its use as a dietary supplement. Sub-tropical plant grown as an annual. Should be protected when temperatures fall below 50°F. 50 seeds minimum.