Growing a Herb Garden in the Tropics Part 2

Herbs

An A to Z of the herbs & medicinal plants in my garden

Part 2 ~ Lemon to Mint

(Part 1 ~ Aloe to Lavender)

Lemon

I'm including lemon in my list of herbs and medicinal plants, as lemons are incredibly versatile and useful medicinally, and great to have in a kitchen garden. The healing properties of lemons are well documented - the peel, pith and juice is full of vitamins (especially vitamins A, B and C) which help protect against infection. A warm drink made from the fresh squeezed juice of a lemon, a teaspoon of honey and hot water can soothe a sore throat and help fight off colds and fevers.

There are dwarf citrus varieties that can be grown in pots on a patio or small landing, as long as the tree receives maximum sunlight and is relatively sheltered from wind. Citrus trees do not like competition around their roots, so ensure the space around the bottom of the tree is free from any other plants. Citrus need well drained soil and plenty of water, as well as regular feeding and fertilising (I use Seasol fortnightly and a slow release citrus fertiliser every three months).

 

 

Lemon blossoms

 

 

                                                                           The dwarf lemon tree growing in a pot on my back patio is covered in lemons right now.   Regularly watering and fertilising citrus will help to encourage the growth of the fruit.  

 

WHEN to grow LEMON in the tropics ~ All year round

WHERE garden or pots, sunny position, sheltered from wind
HOW water moderately, well drained soil, keep soil around tree bare or mulched


 

Lemon Balm

 

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) is also known as bee balm, balm, or honeyplant.  The word "melissa" is a Greek name for "bee".  Lemon Balm has traditionally been planted by bee keepers near bee hives, the leaves used to rub over the hive, in order to calm the bees. 

 

 Lemon Balm has gentle sedative properties and can easily be made into a pleasant lemony tea infusion (how to make an herbal tea infusion) and taken to help settle feelings of anxiety and stomach upsets due to nerves.  The hot tea may also be useful for treating colds, fevers and headaches.

Use the fresh leaves of Lemon Balm to flavour chicken and fish dishes (especially good to add to stuffing), add to salads and fruit salads, add to cold drinks (like punch or iced tea), stewed fruits and desserts. Lemon Balm leaves are best used fresh, as they don't dry well.

 



 

This lush, healthy lemon balm is growing in a half hanging basket attached to a retaining wall, in my backyard.  It is thriving in this sheltered, sunny to semi-shaded position.  Hanging baskets can dry out quickly, so it's a good idea to plant herbs in them that aren't too thirsty and that only require moderate to little water (or be prepared to water every day!).  Lemon balm will survive with moderate watering (the soil doesn't need to be constantly wet). 

 

 

 

Hanging baskets allow for good drainage,

however they dry out quickly and must be watered regularly.

 

WHEN to grow LEMON BALM in the tropics ~ All year round

WHERE garden or pots, sunny to semi shaded position 

HOW water moderately, well drained soil

 Marigold

 

 

 

 Assorted French Marigolds currently growing in my garden

 

 

 

Large flowered African marigolds (Tagetes erecta) and smaller, more compact French marigolds (Tagetes patula)  are scattered throughout my vegetable gardens in order to attract beneficial insects (like bees for pollination).  They also have pest-repellent properties, so can also help to confuse and deter certain unwanted pests.

 

Marigold petals are edible and may be sprinkled over salads to add vibrant colour.  The petals can also be used as an affordable substitute for saffron.

 

 

Picking the flower heads off marigolds encourages more flower production.  Marigolds flower more when they are fertilised less, so don't overfertilise, or the plants will produce more leaves and less flower buds.

 

WHEN to grow MARIGOLDS in the tropics ~ All year round

WHERE garden or pots, as a companion plant in vegetable gardens, full sun

HOW water regularly, well drained soil, moderate fertilising (not too much), pick flower heads regularly to encourage flower production

 

 

 

Mint

 

 

Common Mint (Mentha species)

 

 

Mint is one of the easiest herbs to grow, and is especially suited to the climate here in Far North Queensland - mint loves moist soil and semi-shaded positions.  Mint spreads quickly and can take over a garden bed in no time, so it is best to grow it seperately in a pot.  Pictured above, Common Mint (or Garden Mint) is a great all-purpose mint that has a variety of culinary uses.  

 

Mint is a perfect complementy herb for lamb dishes (mint jelly), fruit salad (chopped or as a garnish), potato salad, cucumber, yoghurt, peas, iced tea and cold drinks such as punch, home-made lemonade and mint juleps.   Fresh mint leaves can be covered in chocolate as a simple, yet elegant, after-dinner-sweet to serve with coffee.

 





I love the many varieties of mint available and have found them all equally easy to grow here in Cairns.  My favourite variety would have to be Chocolate Mint... it smells divine (like a "mint slice" biscuit) and has a delicious flavour - it's also a fun herb to show children to get them interested in a little garden of their own!

 

All of the following Menthe species are currently growing beautifully in pots or hanging baskets around my garden -

 

Apple Mint (Mentha rotundifolia)

also known as Round-Leafed Mint

 

 

Berries and Cream Mint

 

 

Chocolate Mint

 

Chocolate mint may just be my favourite mint variety!  As you can see from the following photo, the chocolate mint in my backyard is thriving in a hanging basket.  Mint needs plenty of water and chocolate mint is no exception, I water it every day during the winter/dry season.

 

 

 

Some Delicious Uses for Mint

 

 Add a couple of leaves to hot coffee or hot chocolate drinks

 

Cover with melted chocolate and set in the fridge for elegant home made after dinner mint treats to serve with coffee

 

Add leaves to desserts, fruit salads, fruit smoothies for a minty burst of flavour

 

 

 

 

 Corsican Mint (Mentha requienii)

Tiny delicate leaves make this the smallest of the mint family, however this low growing native of Corsica has a highly fragrant creme-de-menthe scent.  Corsican mint is edible, although it is mostly used as an attractive ground cover that can tolerate a moderate amount of 'foot traffic'... when walked upon it releases it's wonderful minty fragrance.

Eau-De-Cologne Mint (Mentha x piperita citrata)

Beautifully fragrant mint that is also called Bergamot mint or Lemon mint... delicious added to iced drinks and also can be dried and used to scent pot-pourri... Eau-de-cologne mint also adds a delicious twist to a Mint Julep 

 

Spearmint (Mentha viridis)

 

Vietnamese Mint

Although this herb is called Vietnamese mint, it is actually not a member of the mint family - the botanical name for this herb is Persicaria odorata.  Other English names are Vietnamese coriander, Cambodian mint and hot mint.  The Vietnamese name is rau răm.  Vietnamese mint is used in South-East Asian inspired cuisine and can be used to add a citrus/coriander flavour to laksas, salads, meat and seafood dishes.  Like true members of the mint family Menthe, Vietnamese mint grows prolifically and is best grown in pots where the roots are contained.

 

 

 

WHEN to grow MINT VARIETIES in the tropics ~ All year round

WHERE Best to plant mint seperately in pots where the root system is contained (mint spreads quickly and can take over a garden bed), mint loves a semi-shaded position and constantly moist soil

HOW Very easy to grow, needs lots of water

 

 

 

My next post in this series on herbs will be coming up soon.

In the meantime...

Happy herb gardening!

 

 

 

All text & photography copyright HL Millen 2012