A Word from the Board of Directors
On May 27th I, and lots of other herb enthusiasts, joined Kelly Allsup from The Land Connection for a virtual class tailored exclusively to our shared interest – Growing Kitchen Herbs. This class was the first in a series of virtual herb-focused presentations that will take place in 2023. For more information on future classes check out this page, and be sure to keep an eye out for more information in your inboxes and on Common Ground’s Instagram page!
During this first class, Kelly shared her vast knowledge of different herbs with us. Participants were given the option to pre-order class kits but we were also able to participate virtually only, free of charge. I opted for the class kit which came with both live plants (rosemary, sage, mint, lemon grass, yarrow, and ginger) and seeds (dill, borage, chamomile, catnip, and calendula). Also included in the kit were handy printed facts, care information, and growing recommendations for all the herbs we received so we could follow along while this info was reviewed in detail during the one-hour virtual class. I already know I’m going to refer back to these sheets many times as I get further into my herb-growing journey.
I especially appreciated the run-through Kelly gave on herb soil preferences and how to check soil drainage in your garden or yard. I had no idea you could pre-check your soil drainage to ensure successful herb growing ahead of time! If you don’t have great soil drainage (turns out I don’t!), Kelly shared alternative methods to grow your herbs – either through container growing, raised beds, or haybale growing.
The next class, Preserving Herb Harvests presented by Amy Wertheim of Wertheim’s Gardens, will take place virtually on Saturday, July 29th. I’ve already registered, and I hope to see you there!
For a full list of Common Ground’s class offerings and upcoming events, click here.
Happy planting!
Morgan Montgomery