As an herbalist I’ve learned to lean into the changing seasons, embracing the ebb and flow of life, death, and rebirth that happens in the natural world all around us. Observing and celebrating these cycles has helped me to become a better medicine maker, knowing that as the plants around me change, I change as well. My body moves through these same seasonal cycles, from youthful exuberance, through powerful strength and eventually waning into my season of slumber. This is an accurate observance whether I consider this seasonal cycle as a daily occurrence, and annual one, or the changes I experience as I move through my lifetime. The seasons are all around us and the only constant is change.
Now, as we enter the phase of spring, we witness the plants beginning to awaken from their slumber. New seeds are bursting to life, stretching towards the sun greeting the new season with joy and determination. We’ve made it through another winter, and it’s time to celebrate! Many of my favorite garden friends are there to greet me as we welcome the return of spring. Whether they are biennial herbs, like parsley, that have been dormant in the soil waiting for this moment to arrive, or cold-hardy annuals such as dill, calendula, or cilantro waiting to be planted, this time of year is a reunion of sorts.The gang is back together again and we couldn’t be more thankful!
From its bright green color to its fresh, pungent flavor, I just love everything about this tasty green herb! There are two distinct varieties of parsley available to the herbalist; flat- leafed and curly. While they certainly offer textural differences to dishes, in the apothecary they can be used interchangeably. I do find that flat-leafed parsley is easier to de-stem and chop, but curly parsley overwinters better in my Michigan garden, which means that I can have an early harvest of flavorful leaves to enjoy in the spring. Since parsley is a biennial, overwintering a few plants in my garden also allows me to collect seeds in the summer which can be saved for planting or medicine making.
Growing parsley is a great way to practice our patience. The seeds can take anywhere from two to four weeks to get growing, so I recommend starting them indoors. They can be direct sown, but weeds can quickly establish themselves and take over that part of the garden while you wait for the parsley to sprout. Soaking the seeds overnight in warm water will help speed up the germination process.
Parsley can be harvested as soon as the plants are established. Simply cut what you need and the plants will continue to grow throughout the summer. If you’re looking to harvest seeds, you will have to wait until the second year as parsley is a biennial herb and will not flower until then. In my experience, curly-leafed parsley is the most cold-tolerant but flat-leaf types will over winter just fine in areas with mild winters. If you have very cold winters, laying down a thick layer of mulch to protect the plant’s roots throughout the winter will certainly help.
Another wonderful herb that joins us for the transition from spring into summer is the feathery and flavorful dillweed. From its whimsical appearance and heady aroma to that bright, pungent flavor that brings so much life to any dish, I just absolutely love everything about dill! Most of us are familiar with dill as a culinary herb, but this ancient plant has been used to support health by herbalists around the globe for centuries.
Dill is easy to grow and can be planted in succession to extend the harvest. Since dill grows a deep tap root, it does not transplant well and should be direct sown in the garden, preferably in a full sun area. Dill will do alright in partial shade but will produce noticeably smaller plants.
Harvesting regularly will slow the plant from flowering, but once summer reaches its hottest days, there is no way to stop dill from bolting. Dill produce seeds on large umbels and the seeds are quite easy to collect, whether you want them for the kitchen, the apothecary, or to plant again next year.
With brightly colored flowers speckled across our garden beds like little bursts of sunshine, calendula cheerfully greets us as we begin the transition from spring into summer. I’ll quickly pinch off the first few flower petals I see and give them a nibble. Calendula’s tangy, slightly bitter flavor awakens the taste buds, and I just can’t help but smile.
One of the common names for calendula is pot marigold, a callback to its use as an ingredient in soups and stews. Despite this, calendula is also a valuable herb, excellent for calming irritated skin conditions.
Calendula is so easy to grow, making it the perfect herb for beginning gardeners. The seeds can be sown directly into the garden after any danger of frost has passed or started indoors up to six weeks before your last frost date and then transplanted out. They thrive in full sun but will still produce well in a partial shade area.
Harvest flowers regularly to encourage plants to continue blooming. Established plants are somewhat frost tolerant and calendula will keep producing until killed by a hard freeze. Be sure to let some flowers mature so that you can gather seeds for next year.
Love it or hate it, cilantro is an herb that’s certainly worth knowing. Some people find the flavor of fresh coriander leaves, more commonly called cilantro, to have a soapy, unpleasant flavor, but even if you’re a hater in the kitchen, this divisive herb can still be a powerful ally for health and wellness.
Coriander is an easy-to-grow annual. Plant more coriander every few weeks for a continual harvest of leaves and, eventually, plenty of seeds. Cilantro does well in cooler weather and should be planted immediately after the threat of frost has passed.
You can continue harvesting the fresh leaves as often as you’d like but once the plants begin to flower, let them do their thing and you’ll be rewarded with a nice harvest of tasty little seeds. Be sure to collect them before they drop from the plants or you’ll have second batch of coriander pop up in that spot later in the season.
You may also enjoy:
Garden Planning Through Companion Planting
The Importance of a Continuous Bloom Garden
Plant Diversity & Natural Pest Control