Last week we noticed that the Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana, syn. Cochlearia armoracia) plant, that has been in the same place getting gradually bigger for a couple years, had put out a few baby runners. So these were dug up and I planted them in a row in my garden. Some of the small roots came up with them, and I discovered by chance that they dry very easily in the sun and still retain much of their flavour and heat when dry. So we may well be storing sun dried horse radish in the future – drying seems to concentrate sugars making the root much sweeter – as well as using it in chutneys, sauces etc. I really like it.
We also seem to have borage (Borago officinalis) acting like a perennial, dying down in the winter but then growing back from the roots. I didn’t know borage could do this.
We have never actually used the flowers or leaves for anything, other than growing it for wildlife, as bees and other insects love it. But, having just read in a wiki, that it makes good soup or tea and is good for pre-menstrual stress, perhaps I should gather some flowers each month, and also dry some for winter teas.
Plants for a future suggest that borage shouldn’t be eaten by people with damaged livers, or in quantity by anyone. Perhaps just an occassional tea then.
GROWING AND USING HERBS SUCCESSFULLY
Most books on herbs just regurgitate the same material with glossier and glossier pictures which is why we like this one from America. All the usual stuff, well written and easy to follow – growing, propagation, harvesting, storing, but then there are good sections on growing herbs for profit, herb products and how to sell them. Useful book.
Are you sure they are growing as perenials? Coulsn’t it be that they are just growing from last year seeds? I have loads of the around here (as weeds) and also never seen them regrowing from roots.
i think they’re growing from last year’s seeds
[...] comment to my recent post, saying that the borage seems to have grown back from the roots, made me wonder whether it could [...]