Maybe the fact I grew up with backyard gardens compels me to plant vegetables of my own, but I’m not very good at it. I haven’t studied techniques or seeds much, and when we have an abundance of zucchini or tomatoes, I don’t necessarily know what to do with them. I’m trying to save my tomatoes from the birds lately, and my dwarf okra seems to be going well so far—no okra crop yet. In the last three years, I’ve planted herbs in what used to be a wildflower garden. The rosemary was a great first choice, being a hearty grower. I finally got basil to grow this year. Apparently, I don’t have the knowledge or knack for growing food from seed, so my previous attempts at growing basil never “took root”—snort! I crack me up.
We have thyme, sage, mint (a vicious weed), and oregano now. I thought the oregano would die at the end of the year, but it has survived and become bushy. I keep thinking I should harvest most of the branches, but I don’t want to take the flowers away from the bees. I hear that bees are dying, and I’d like to think a few of my flowers will help them survive in my area. On the other hand, I don’t know if I’m ruining my oregano by letting it go to seed (at least, I think that’s what I’m doing, letting it go to seed). Maybe I’m justifying my laziness.
Bees grapple spikes of lavender, or swarm
The dill’s gold umbels and low clumps of thyme.
Bored with its trellis, a resourceful rose
Has found a nearby cedar tree to climb
And to festoon with floral furbelows.
from Timothy Steele, “Herb Garden”
I asked the wife, whose expertise in these matters always impresses me. She says the following:
1) You won’t hurt the plant by letting it go to seed, which is indeed what you are doing.
2) The bees are dying from a virus, not from anything to do with flowers or the lack thereof.
3) Harvest the other stems of the oregano, not the ones that flower, as the oregano becomes bitter once it has flowered (and moreso as it goes to seed).
Now, how does your wife know what’s killing the bees when the articles I have seen say scientists don’t know what’s causing it?
As for harvesting the oregano, I think all of my branches are flowering. Still, I think I’ll cut most of them back this evening and harvest the sage, thyme, basil, and mint too.
I think she must have read different articles. It’s been a subject of interest for her for a few years, as she’s been considering putting up a few hives.
Ok. Thanks, Grim.