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Q. What is an easy to grow herb that comes in two delicious flavors?
A. Chives!

Common Chives– Allium schoenoprasum
Garlic Chives -Allium tuberosum
Both plants are perennials. Common Chives is onion flavored and gets from 12″ – 18″ tall. It dies back in the winter. This chive is used to flavor soups and stews. The flower heads are used in salad, omelets, and sauces and on baked potatoes with sour cream.
Garlic chives have a garlic flavor and dies back in the winter. They are used mainly to flavor sour cream for baked potatoes. The white flower on the garlic chive should be cut off as it turns green and goes to seed. They spread very easily in the garden, growing 14″ – 18″ in a clump. Both chives prefer sunny locations but do tolerate some shade and can be grown in a pot. Both plants can be bothered by thrips. Insecticidal soap is the best treatment.

This is an annual plant that has two stages. Cilantro leaves are used in salsa and in Mexican food. Coriander seeds are used in curries in East Indian food. Cilantro is best when the weather is cool and tends to bolt as the weather gets warmer. The coriander seeds can be left to drop to the ground and in early fall will reappear as cilantro. If you want to collect the coriander seeds, it is best to put the seed heads in a bag and collect after the seed head has dried.

The plant grows 24″ tall and 18″ wide. It prefers sun. The most likely pests to attack your cilantro are mites. Treat with insecticidal soap and wash leaves when using.

Can you name two herbs that are lemony?

Consider the following:
Lemon Balm-Melissa officinalis

Lemon Balm is a hardy perennial that spreads easily. Its leaves are used fresh in herbal vinegar, salads, teas, and soup. Lemon Balm needs to be groomed through the summer to keep plant in control and the new leaves tender. It attracts bees and butterflies. It has medicinal properties for nervous disorders and cold sores. It can grow as tall as 1/2 foot if not cut back.

Lemon Grass-Cymbopogon citrates

Lemon grass is a tender perennial [will survive only to above 45 degrees]. It forms large clumps and can get as high as 5 feet. It needs a lot of room to grow. The stems are used in Indian and Thai cooking. Lemon oil is extracted and placed in soap, perfume, and cosmetics. Some people try to winter over the Lemon Grass in the garage. But it is simple to start a new plant each year. Architecturally it is a striking plant.

Peppers, Capsium, can be sweet (Bell Peppers) or hot (chilies). The degree of heat is measured in Scoville units. Jalapenos are 3000 to 5000 units and the frighteningly hot habaneros are 285,000 units. Peppers were first described by Christopher Euland who was on a voyage with Christopher Columbus to the Americas. Peppers were introduced to Europe, Africa, and India by the Portuguese.

Planting-Peppers should be placed in a sunny spot and temperatures should be above 50* at night. Do not move once planted. Apply 10-10-10 to the soil and mix in. When the plant first fruits, side dress with 10-10-10 again. Cut peppers with a knife or scissors. Branches break easily.
Uses- culinary, medicinally, ornamental
Disease-Fungus-use a fungicide
Insects-aphids or mites-insecticidal soap
Height-1-2 feet

Recipes

GREEN PEPPER JELLY
7 sweet green peppers ! Package of powdered pectin
1 jalapeno pepper 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar,divided 5 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups of apple juice Green food coloring-optional

To prepare juice: Wash peppers. Remove stems and seeds. Cut peppers into 1/2-inch pieces. Puree 1/2 of peppers and 3/4 cup of vinegar in a food processor. Puree remaining peppers and vinegar. Combine puree and apple juice in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Strain the mixture through a jelly bag or through a cheese cloth. Measure 4 cups of the juice, add apple juice to make 4 cups if necessary.

To make the jelly-Combine juice, powdered pectin and the salt in a large sauce pot. Bring to a boil over high heat stirring constantly. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Return to a rolling boil. Boil hard one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in a few drops of food coloring ,if desired. Skim foam if necessary. Ladle hot jelly into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head room. Adjust the two piece caps. Process in boiling water bath. Remove and cool. Caps may need to be tightened more. Cool and store in a cool dark place. Be sure to label. Remember to use plastic gloves when handling hot peppers and do not touch your eyes.

JALAPENO JELLY
Two things-please wear gloves when handling peppers and don’t touch your eyes. Also, I often color this with red food coloring because it is very hot.You can grind up the peppers minus the stem thus including seed and flesh of the pepper and make a jam which is even hotter!

yields about 5 half pints

• 3/4 pound jalapeno peppers
• 2 pouches of liquid pectin
• 2 cups cider vinegar,
• divided Green or red food coloring
• 6 cups sugar
  Wash peppers. Drain. Remove stems and seeds. Puree peppers and 1 cup of vinegar in a food processor. Combine puree and 1 cup of vinegar and sugar in a large sauce pan. Bring to a boil , boil 10 minutes, constantly stirring.. Stir in liquid pectin. Return to a full rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minute constantly stirring. Remove from heat. Skim off foam and stir in food coloring. Ladle hot jelly into sterilized jars, seal and put in water bath and process for 10 minutes. Remove from the water bath, tighten lids and label after cooled. Store in a cool, dark place. This jelly can be used for appetizer spread on cream cheese and spread on crackers.