By Tammi Hartung, Storey Publishing, $19.95, 256 pages
“Unfortunately, many wild herbs are under stress from habitat destruction, overharvesting by commercial product manufacturers, and climate change (to name just a few reasons).”
Homegrown Herbs helps you decide which herbs you can grow no matter the size of your garden, length of your growing season, or greenness of your thumb. The book addresses everything from soil improvement to herb companions to diseases and pests. In my experience most herbs are easy to grow. So much so that, at the end of the season, you find yourself asking, “What will I do with all this lavender, oregano, mint?” Thankfully, author Tammi Hartung dedicates almost half the book to just that question. She tells you how to store herbs after the growing season and includes meals, personal care products and a host of other things that can benefit from your herb crop.
Homegrown Herbs is a joy to read, not only for the information you get through the text, but also for the beautiful photographs and illustrations it contains. Constructing a drying rack is much simpler when you can see a photograph as is identifying plants. With the information divided into easy-to-skim lists, charts and side bars as well as a thorough index, this book will soon become a go-to resource for beginning herb gardeners.
Reviewed by Jodi M. Webb