In article ,
Jan Flora wrote:

In article
,
Bill Rose wrote:

Last year everything was late. It was my first year growing mostly from
seed and the rain kept me out of the garden until May. I thought that
these herbs had died but they came back this year. I don't recognize
them so I don't think they are weeds. I posted them in
alt.binaries.pictures.gardens. I had to do the last of the 3 posts over.
It didn't up-load.

I'd appreciate any help and I apologize for the quality of the snaps. It
was a rush job as usual. If they don't get identified, I'll do better
next time.

- Bill


3a looks like a mint on the left and maybe lavender or
tarragon on the right.

Brush your fingers on the leaves and see what those
plants smell like.

Mints normally (always?) have square stems.

Jan

Yeah, your right Jan, it does look like a mint (square stem and all) but
it doesn't have a mint smell and it's not "self-heal". Another feature
of it is that the first couple of inches at the base of the stem is
cherry red, as are a few of the lower leaves. As for the other plant, I
have tarragon growing in the garden already and the two look identical
EXCEPT the unknown has a light grassy flavor (?) and the tarragon tastes
like tarragon. Secondly, the unknown has opposing leaves which rotate at
right angles up and down the stem, whereas the tarragon has a single
leaf that rotates at 170 degrees (or 190 degrees, depending on how you
look at it), up and down the stem. It is unlikely, but possible, that
some of these herbs are culinary but most likely they are medicinal.

Herb 2 also kinda looks like tarragon except for the varying hues of red
on some of it's leaves.

Meanwhile, my grasses are in. One of the Plantago ovata suffered some
grazing damage (the culpable is unknown) and the omega flax is
sprouting. Horizon Herbs never did give me any reason why they thought
that this flax was higher in omega-3s than common flax. The bitter
melons are laid out in front of their trellis along with a Gynostemma
pentaphyllum (Jiaogulan). The peas are just petering along. They should
love the heat (or lack of same). They get daily waterings. They have
been in the ground for about a month. Some are 6" high, and others are
doing better at about 3'. Planted a bird-house gourd vine at the end of
the peas. I figure they (the peas) probably only have another six weeks
to go before it gets too hot for them. The cucumbers are just staring at
me and, just sit there. Zukes are in but they haven't shown much
development yet either. Tomatoes are all in, except for a few more that
I want to find space for. The tomatoes and corn have been the most
responsive plants in the garden, which I find surprising, considering
the temps. It didn't break 70 F yesterday. We have been having morning
fog and high clouds, comfortable afternoons and, cool evening (by local
standards).

The bees are here. Saw at least a dozen yesterday. They are all over the
violets. We have humming birds that feed on our Chinese lanterns. Now if
I could just think of a way to get rid of the blue jays and encourage a
mocking bird to move in. Any kind of song bird would be nice.

Keep your fingers dirty.

- Bill
Coloribus gustibus non disputatum