Desert Messenger

10 www.DesertMessenger.com January 18, 2023 "Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say that I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us and the world will be as one." —John Lennon Gardening with Dennis HERBS IN THE DESERT By Alex Taft I have had a life-long interest in herbs. They are powerful plants whose aromatic properties can make cooking and eating a joy. Many herbs have medicinal proper- ties also that can enhance our well- being whether we make a tea out of them, add them to an iced tea, or purchase them from a a health food store. Dennis experimented with herbs more from a culinary interest, because he was always trying new recipes. Between the edible plants of the desert and common herbs that can be grown here, there is a substantial variety. Here are a few herbs that are not native to the area but do really well here: • Basil, usually grown as an annual • Chives, a perennial • Cilantro & Coriander, grown dur- ing the cooler months but do not tolerate the heat. • Dill & Fennel are grown as an an- nual in the cooler months • Lemon Grass is a perennial that is heat tolerant and needs to be pro- tected from frost • Marjoram is a perennial • Mint is a perennial but needs shade and extra water to survive the summer heat • Oregano, both Mexican and Eu- ropean are perennial and tolerate the heat well • Parsley, an annual herb that pre- fers the cooler temperatures • Rosemary, a perennial that toler- ates desert heat very well • Sage is a perennial herb that pre- fers the cooler temperatures • Thyme, a perennial where the English and Middle Eastern variet- ies tolerate the heat best This is not a comprehensive list of herbs that can be grown in the des- ert. All of these herbs, with the ex- ception of Rosemary which thrives like a desert plant, do best in a raised bed or in containers. Of all of the herbs listed here only Chives, Cilantro and Coriander are not me- dicinal. What is interesting is that all the herbs listed below contain properties that aid in digestion and gastric disorders, so recipes, old and new combined foods and herbs that were both nutritional and me- dicinal, in addition to enhancing flavor. The reference I have used in this article to discuss the medicinal properties of the herbs is "Today's Desert Messenger News offers FREE Classified Ads! Here's the small print: Items for sale under $500. Private Party Only. 1 per month. Yard/Garage/Craft Sales, Wanted, Give-a-ways, Free, Lost & Found, etc. (non-commercial) For more information, contact Rain at 928-916-4235 or Email: Editor@DesertMessenger.com The public is encouraged to attennd the monthly Quartzsite Town Man- ager's Meetings, which will be held at 1:00pm on the Wednesday im- mediately following the FIRST Town Council Meeting of every month. Bring your questions and con- cerns. The meetings are held at the Quartzsite Library Meeting room, 465 N. Plymouth Ave. For more in- formation contact Town Hall 928- 927-4333. Town Manager meetings Herbal Health" by Master Herb- alist, Louise Tenney. This book is available at the Quartzsite Public Li- brary. Based upon the information in "Today's Herbal Health", Basil is used as a treatment for exhaustion; Lemon Grass can be used to treat colds and fevers; Marjoram can be used to treat respiratory problems and headaches; Mint, usually pep- permint can be used to treat fever, headaches and heartburn; Oregano is related to marjoram is used to treat headaches and acts as an anti- septic*; Parsley can be used as a di- uretic: Rosemary is used as a tonic for the heart; Sage is used to treat fevers and sore throats;* Thyme is used to treat bronchitis and gout. For the herbs that have an asterisk* following the medicinal informa- tion, "Back to Eden" by Jethro Kloss was utilized as a reference. I have only used brief descriptions for each herb. The references I have noted go into substantial detail for each herb. As to what herbs grow in the desert I have used as a refer- ence, "Month-By-Month Gardening in the Deserts of Arizona" by Mary Irish, also available at the Quartzsite Public Library. Herbs are a wonder- ful resource that date back centuries and growing them in raised beds or pots offers more gardening choices. Note: for those who did not know Dennis, he was a part-time employ- ee of the town parks department, a Master Gardener since 1985 and instructor for the Master Gardener Class. He passed away in 2018. ADOBE HANDYMAN & PAINTING • Painting • Pressure Washing • Wall Texturing • Popcorn Ceiling Removal • Landscaping • Minor Plumbing • Minor Electrical • Minor Drywall Repair • Roof Coating • RV Repair RELIABLE, REASONABLE RATES References Available CALL/TEXT 928-412-9642 (not a licensed contractor) What's new at the Quartzsite Art Guild? New Location for meetings is Mountain Quail RV Park Clubhouse located at 490 N. Moon Mountain Ave., Quartzsite. New Time: 12:30pm - 2:30 pm on the Second Thursday of each month through March. • February 9th To Be Announced • February 24-25 Guild Art Show • March 9th Last Class of the season – To Be Announced We strive to bring artistic people to- gether to: Meet new friends, improve and grow artistically, learn new techniques, provide Fine Art shows for the community as fundraisers for local charities. Each month we will post on Facebook what the class will be. Annual membership fee is $10. Members are invited to partici- pate in the Art Guild Show. ~ Oney Budge, President Linda Klein, Secretary/Treasurer Quartzsite Art Guild Update

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