Getting Fresh

Mints are versatile herbs with both culinary and pest-repellent uses. When growing mint, the one caveat to observe is actually a plus, for container gardeners: Most varieties are rampant growers and should be confined to a pot so that they don’t choke out neighboring plants. (If you’ve already situated mint in the ground, and don’t want to move it, then you can corral it, with some diligence: Just cut any runners that grow beyond a six-inch radius of the main plant.) Bring the container indoors for the winter, and your mint will be a productive member of the garden for years to come.

If your primary goal is to use mint in the kitchen, then you can go hog-wild with flavorful varieties: apple, pineapple, lemon, orange, chocolate — you name it, they’ve probably “minted” it.

But even if you’re not crazy about mint, you might still consider including it in your small-space garden for the sole reason that it benefits other plants and rids the area of many insects. There’s a wealth of anecdotal evidence to suggest that mint improves the health and flavor of tomatoes and members of the cabbage family, and repels a host of pests to which they’re particularly susceptible. It is also said to attract beneficial insects and to be a good companion plant for beans and squash.

Peppermint, in particular, has been proven to contain volatile compounds, and deters ants, aphids, the cabbage looper and worm, flea beetles, moths, squash bugs, and whiteflies. Spearmint, too, has repellent properties that are only slightly less potent.

Mint tolerates a variety of growing and lighting conditions, so it’s a particularly good choice for that tricky spot in your urban garden that doesn’t receive a lot of sun, or is even subject to splash-backs from summer rainstorms (mint actually prefers wetter soil, as long as it also has good drainage).

And, if you need it, here’s one more reason to cultivate mint:

Mint Julep

Muddle together in a glass:
10-20 fresh mint leaves
1 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp water

Fill with crushed ice, then fill to 7/8 full with Bourbon. Pour 1/2 of rum on top, and garnish with another fresh sprig.

References

• All New Square-Foot Gardening, M. Bartholomew
• Horticulture Gardener’s Desk Reference, A. Halpin
• How to Grow More Vegetables (than you ever thought possible on less land than you can imagine), J. Jeavons
• The Rodale Herb Book
• The Bartender’s Black Book, S.K. Cunningham

Holiday shopping is over, so, as an enthusiastic vegetable gardener, you’ll probably pause for one deep breath, and then dive into the next round of seasonal decision-making: Planning your next edible garden. It might seem early yet, but you’re assured of a good selection if you put your order in soon. I know my favorite supplier has limited quantities of certain seeds, even before they distribute their catalog, and the demand for seeds is only going up.

If it’s important to you, choose a supplier that doesn’t traffic in GMO seeds. This Organic Seed Suppliers Search is very user-friendly and robust, to boot.

Above all, focus on those suppliers in your area — their inventory is pre-selected for success under your region’s growing conditions. You’ll have an advantage over the pest and disease issues particular to your area right from the get-go.

Most (all?) state universities have “co-operative extensions” that provide locally relevant info on crops, pests, and scourges. If you’re lucky, you’ll find in-depth vegetable variety trials for your area — now that’s garden geekery.

My personal state co-op is a little thin in this regard, so I did some more digging, and found that the USDA has a search engine for what they call “alternative crops” — those that might work best for “small scale farming by limited-resource farmers and small landowners”. Check, check, and check.

Lately I have been doing a lot of additional “research” (read: mid-winter escapism), and have found some juicy new resources, and rediscovered old favorites.

• Flickr, the ultimate resource for full-color social networking, is a good place to find like-minded, snap-happy gardeners, particularly if you use the “groups” functions.
• myfolia.com is social networking specifically for gardeners, with very clever and enjoyable features for showing off your own garden, and finding others’.
• Use Picsearch to search for “organic vegetable garden” or something similar. Picsearch is a little like Google image search, but I find the results more relevant…and attractive. Oh, eye candy.