Growing costmary
Costmary – A loved and prized herb
Costmary is an “old-fashioned” herb that gardeners are beginning to rediscover. In Victorian times, almost all kitchen gardeners grew this sweet-smelling plant. The many different names given to the herb are related to its fragrance: scented sage, farmer’s sage, balsam leaf, or fragrant leaf. In Europe, this plant is simply called balsam.
Like other members of the Chrysanthemum family, Costmary originated in the East, where it has been used for generations to give food a spicy flavor.
He is not a sage
The reference to Sage or Salvia should be considered as a sign of respect for the plant, not as an indication that it belongs to the Salvia family.
Costmary: an easy herb to grow
Aromatic plants are available in nurseries in spring, summer and fall. The seeds can also be sown in pots or trays for later transplantation, or sown directly into the garden soil. Plants grow 2 to 4 feet tall; fragrant gray-green leaves have scalloped margins. Place the plants in full sun in dry soil; They thrive in the same type of growing conditions as other herbs, such as rosemary and thyme. While trimmed, Costmary makes an attractive, fragrant hedge in the herb garden or perennial border.
If left unattended for too long, Costmary plants tend to have a weedy appearance. Cut the plants regularly to encourage a new crop of aromatic leaves.
The folklore of Costmary
The scented corsage, or church bouquet, was often worn to church services or meetings. The bouquet may consist of lavender, peppermint, rosemary, rosemary, sage, or any other seasonal aromatic herb. The corsages were often mixed with flowers. Bringing a bouquet was believed to bring good luck, and the fragrance certainly helped parishioners stay awake during long sermons.
Costmary also had some medicinal applications. A poultice of leaves was often applied to cuts and scrapes, bee stings and swellings. It has many healing properties and was therefore an extremely useful plant. But most of all, the lovely fragrance has been enjoyed and used for many hundreds of years, in the belief that it ward off disease and misfortune.
Plant doctor
Like many other aromatic herbs, it is not very prone to insects and diseases.
Since Costmary spreads in ever-widening circles through corridors that grow from the roots, the plants often die in the center. It is advisable to renew the plant by division every 3-4 years and plant the new ones where desired. It’s easy to dig up the old plant, divide it, and replant the more vigorous parts.
Buying tips
Buy seeds in spring or young plants from your herb selection at nurseries or garden centers.
Life expectancy: Perennial outdoor herb that must be renewed by division every few years.
Season: The plants are sold in the spring and bloom from summer to fall.
Difficulty quotient: Easy
Also called: Costmary, or Chrysanthemum balsamita, it is known by many botanical and common names. It can be sold as Balsamita major, Balsamita vulgaris or Tanacetum balsamita.
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Size and growth rate
Costmary is a perennial herb that can reach a height of 2 to 4 feet. The leaves feel soft to the touch. The plant branches out as it grows, but the leaves near the base are still large. Higher up the stems, the leaves become smaller and sparser.
Bloom and fragrance
Costmary blooms from late summer to late fall. The daisy-shaped flowers are small and yellow and have an exquisite fragrance, as does the entire plant.
Light and temperature
A plant that loves light and sun in the garden. The plants are quite hardy and survive cold winters.
Irrigation and feeding
It may be necessary to water in dry periods. Feed the plants several times during the growing season with a general purpose fertilizer.
Soil and transplant
The best is a regular garden soil enriched with organic amendments in the fall or chemical fertilizers in the spring. Divide and replant Costmary every 3-4 years, saving only the most vigorous new divisions. Discard the old plant portions.
Cleanliness
Pruning Costmary is not normal, but can be trimmed to get fresh new leaves. Dig up small plants that come up in the garden, or this plant could become a weed pest.
Propagator
The cost of marie can be increased by seed or by division. Sow seeds in the spring or collect older plants and divide them. The division is necessary approximately every three years, since the old plant is bare in the center.
Environment
Costmary deserves a place in any herb garden, but it is also attractive in a flower bed. The green leaves of the plant create a relaxing background for the wild colors of the summer flowers. When most of the plants have finished blooming, Costmary is still blooming, well into fall.