Cloverleaf Herb Farm

It seems like we're having an improvement in the butterfly population this year. I'm definitely seeing more species of butterflies and an increase in the overall number compared to last year. Most of them are smaller types - darkwings, skippers and fritillaries, sulphers and whites. Right now, they're are happy with the flowers on hyssop, savory, catmint and lavender.

I've seen one monarch. I'm not sure if it's the only one, or if I'm seeing different ones each time. I hope there are several around. Milkweeds are the host plant for monarch caterpillars. In addition to common milkweed, there's perennial swamp milkweed with pink flowers and non-hardy scarlet milkweed with showy yellow to red-orange flowers. These are also nectar sources for the adult butterflies.

My topiary program went very well. I demonstrated techniques for both a standard or tree form and for a wreath form. Everyone seemed enthusiastic about trying one on their own. I always tell people that making a topiary isn't difficult, but you  must be patient, because it takes time for them to size up. And maintenance is easy. Just give them a haircut when they look shaggy.

If you're harvesting herbs in your garden, we're approaching the time when you want to stop large harvests from woody stemmed plants like sage, thyme and savory. You can certainly continue to clip for use in cooking, but I stop large harvests (up to one third of the plant) around Labor Day. These plants hold their foliage over the winter with the foliage providing protection for the crown of the plant, so you wan to let the bulk of it remain on the plant as it goes into winter.

One exception I make is for rosemary. Mine remains outside for the winter, so I never know if it will survive or not. I just cut it back as often as I wish and if it doesn't survive, I'll replant next spring.

Also be on the lookout for a new crop of reseeded cilantro. If you grew it this spring, and it flowered and went to seed when it got hot, it will often come back from seed that dropped at this time of year, as it begins to cool off. Remember, if you want things to reseed, you must allow flowers to die on the stalk. These will turn into seed heads. Shake the dry seeds onto the ground for reseeding.

Think about fall planting of perennials as temperatures cool down and rainfall increases. Fall planting allows for root systems to develop before winter sets in. Check out our remaining supply of half-price perennial herbs and flowering ornamentals.