Everything looks great Kelly. I didn't realize oregano and thyme grew so tall. Love the foliage on the pinapple sage. Do you use the herb in your cooking? The sage is nice too. All under shade cloth???

The oregano and thyme will get close to a foot tall if you let them. It's not the creeping thyme that is low to the ground. I'm trying to root you some oregano and so far it's not working... I did get one of the Mexican Flame Vine cuttings to root and it's potted and doing well.

I use the herbs for cooking and teas. Herbs are nice to grow because they are so dang expensive to buy and you usually just need a little. I can't tell you how many herbs from the store I've composted - lol...

This is my first time growing the pineapple mint. It does smell like pineapple! I have had people here tell me they have a hard time growing it. So far mine is going gangbusters. We'll see how it does in the heat. We put the shade cloth up last week. Ran out of heavy duty zip ties and didin't get the vertical one up on the west side of the beds. Will try to do it tonight as tomorrow is supposed to be windy. No fun trying to secure a shade cloth blowing in the wind...

I've used the thyme and oregano you brought to the swap and love the flavor. I left them on the counter to dry and still have some left. Thanks!

Only one of the MFV's rooted? We can cut you some more of it.

OT: but how's the puppy doing? New pics???

Yup - just one rooted, but it's taking off like crazy... I'll get some more cuttngs the next time I see you.

The herbs do well in poor soil, and they like it on the dry side. My thyme is in full flower right now - lol. Normally I cut them off but decided I need the pollinators the flowers attract. I don't notice much difference in flavor when it flowers. I know a lot of herbs they say you should harvest before they flower for best flavor, but to me any herb I grow tasted 10 times better than what I buy in the store.

The puppy is good. She likes to chew on cords though, so trying to nip that in the bud! Yankee decided he likes her better now. They play and fight over toys. I'll try and get some new pics. She moves so fast it's hard - lol...

Dan, Lots of French Tarragon on Ebay:

http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R4...

Thanks Alan. Alma already fixed me up with some.

How's it doing, Dan? My few herbs are doing well.... except the dill. Tomatoes are roaring !

Tarragon is not doing much but it's OK. The rest of the garden is starting to flounder from neglect. Unfortunately the veggies have taken a back seat to the other projects I'm juggling right now. I'm thinking that I may pull everything out and solarize the soil this summer.

Probably the perfect time of year to give the ground a rest. Let's retreat and regroup.

I think French Tarragon wants to grow - in France! Now that the temps are soaring, I see that mine is drying on the stem. It never did take off like the other herbs did and it's obvious it won't make it through the summer. Probably not till next weekend! Guess I'll pull it up and hang it in the house to dry.

Dan instead of solarizing your soil why not consider enlivening it with some microbial tea. Compost plus molasses = soil bacteria. Grass clippings or alfalfa = protozoa. Fish emulsion, fulvic, and humic acid sprayed on the ground = fungi. All of those together enliven the soil, grow the microherd, feed the soil. Ahhhh alchemy at its best. Solarizing kills the microherd. All you need is a HD bucket, a small acquarium pump, two air stones and some tubing. All can be had at WallyWorld except for the HD bucket. Less than $20.00 BTW veggies like soil that is high in soil bacteria as they transform nitrogen into the nitrate form which is preferred by veggies. 7-7.5 pH supports the bacteria while a pH of less than 7 supports fungi which transforms nitrogen into the ammonium state.

Mesquite valley growers here in tucson always has tarragon. I'v discovered thagt the more I ignore it the better it does. Itg will die back with frost but usually comes back in the spring, and by the way- do NOT overwater it. It's one of those things from Provence, which is fairly dry and rocky and doesn't get too much rain.

Maybe I should just build a rock cairn, throw in some dirt and try that. I don't think there's a green leaf left, though it did survive longer than I expected. I've always chalked the summer herb die-off to the heat. As usual, rosemary and basil are thriving. I still have a bit of oregano, thyme (not much) and marjoram. One of these days I'd really like to have a perennial herb garden...

You still have thyme alive? I never get it thru the heat and you are a lot hotter! Do you know which variety? Tarragon just sits when it's hot but it always starts up again for me.

I just saw French Taragon at Summerwinds Bell/67th Av if anyone is still looking.

I haven't showered yet!
Gotta git going and head over there!
Thanks, Jayne.
Did you pick some up?

Nope, didn't pick up anything.

I ain't buyin' any more French tarragon - unless I move to France. Doggone stuff is too finicky for this climate.

Lots of French Tarragon at Summer Winds at Tatum north of Bell. I picked up 2 / 4" at $3.05 each.

Did ANYONE keep their French Tarragon alive??