Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
deFinitiOn
hardy annuals
are plants that will often return the following year from self-sown seeds. It isn't the parent
plant that survives, as with perennials, but rather new plants that appear from seeds that were produced
from the first plant and survived over the winter.
If overcrowded, calendula can be susceptible to powdery mildew. Slugs and aphids can pester
tender young plants but are rarely a serious bother.
While the flowers are edible and can be added to summer salads, the herb is most often used for
wellness as a poultice. It is effective for treating skin irritations of all kinds, and that is one of
calendula's primary uses.
Beginning in late spring when the flowers appear, you can begin harvesting the blooms. Calendula
flower heads can be used fresh, or preserved through drying, freezing, or infusing in oil.
Chamomile (
Chamaemelum nobile
)
Chamomile is one of the most common herbal teas and is an easy herb to grow in the home
garden. Informal growth habits make it a perfect plant for cottage garden border or kitchen herb
container. Both the leaves and the flowers are used in herbal preparations and potpourri.
Chamomile is a hardy annual so it reseeds itself and usually comes back each year. The flowers are
small and daisylike in form while the leaves are fine-cut and fernlike. Chamomile can be grown
easily from seed and will also spread from rooted runners. In fact, in some areas it is considered a
weed but homesteaders know better because we have a good use for the plant.
Harvest chamomile flowers by cutting the stems and drying them. Dry the flowers in a well-
ventilated area out of the sun or hang the stems upside down to dry. The flowers are used to make
a soothing tea that is designed to help calm nervousness and soothe stomach unease.
Comfrey (
Symphytum officinalis
)
Comfrey is an herbaceous perennial with coarse leaves that is hardy in zones 4 through 9. It grows
4 to 5 feet tall and 2 feet wide. The large root system of comfrey is extensive and makes the plant
not only tolerant of drought situations, but also hard to eliminate from a garden area after it is
well-established.
Comfrey is usually propagated not through seeds, but through root cuttings and divisions. They
are easy to propagate and live a long time in many conditions. Many gardeners will grow comfrey
in raised beds or containers, and it's often best suited to the back or middle of the perennial border.
