What can I do with fresh lemon verbena?

Table of Contents:

1. What can I do with fresh lemon verbena?
2. Can I eat lemon verbena?
3. How do you take lemon verbena?
4. Will lemon verbena come back?
5. Can I take cuttings from Verbena?
6. Should I prune my lemon verbena plant?
7. Will verbena cuttings root in water?
8. Where do I take verbena cuttings?
9. Does Verbena grow in shade?
10. How do I prepare verbena for winter?
11. How do you care for verbena in the winter?
12. Can you over water verbena?
13. How do I make my verbena bloom more?
14. What is the best fertilizer for verbena?

What can I do with fresh lemon verbena?

This lemon-scented herb has a number of culinary uses ranging from rich roasts to sweet citrusy desserts and jams. Lemon verbena can be used to make flavorful olive oil-based salad dressings, subtle lemon ice cream, and lemon verbena jelly, as well as season poultry dishes, salsa verde, and soups.

Can I eat lemon verbena?

Lemon Verbena is an incredibly versatile herb, appropriate for both sweet and savory dishes. The young leaves are sweet and tender and may be eaten raw in pestos, vinaigrettes and salads.

How do you take lemon verbena?

Thinly slice the leaves and add Lemon Verbena to a salad or vegetables. Make a hot tea – bruise or cut up 1/4 cup leaves and add 1 cup hot water, steep and enjoy. Consider adding mint for a real treat.

Will lemon verbena come back?

A native of tropical climates, lemon verbena is perennial in frost-free areas.

Can I take cuttings from Verbena?

Verbena plants can also be propagated successfully from cuttings. The best time to take cuttings is in late spring, when they are most likely to root. Summer cuttings are tougher and more likely to survive, but they root much more slowly. Take a cutting that's 3 inches (7.

Should I prune my lemon verbena plant?

Like most shrubs, lemon verbena benefits from a pruning in spring or early summer to eliminate dead branches and other winter damage. ... As a result, this shrub can grow leggy. It requires regular pruning throughout the year to increase leaf production. Snip off leggy stems just above a leaf whorl.

Will verbena cuttings root in water?

Cuttings in Water The simplest way to propagate homestead verbena may be to root the plants in water. Cut off stems just above a node, which is a lumpy spot in the stem where a leaf will sprout. Dip the cut end of the stem in rooting powder and allow it to dry for a few minutes.

Where do I take verbena cuttings?

Taking cuttings is simple. Choose a non-flowering shoot; often the best are side shoots that are 5-10cm long. Snip them off with secateurs or sharp scissors just below a set of leaves. Remove this lower set of leaves and insert the cutting into gritty compost around the edge of a pot.

Does Verbena grow in shade?

For best results grow Verbena bonariensis in full sun to partial shade, in moist but well-drained soil.

How do I prepare verbena for winter?

Trim lightly during the summer and complete two or three heavier trimmings that will cut back around 25 percent of the plants. Verbena flowers will grow back quickly, and they will continue doing so until the winter sets in, and they turn dormant. Trimming is best done with a sharp pair of garden shears.

How do you care for verbena in the winter?

The dead stalks can be left to provide winter interest, but an autumn mulch with well-rotted manure or a covering of straw, will protect the roots from frost. Cut back the old stems in spring, as new shoots start to show at the base of the plant.

Can you over water verbena?

Careful Watering Too often, the gardener will soak the soil too much and cause the stems of the plant to rot, or they won't water at all and the once-lush foliage crisps up into something like a breakfast cereal. The best solution is to simply inspect your verbena every day during hot or dry weather.

How do I make my verbena bloom more?

Although most verbenas do not require deadheading to keep them blooming, you may want to trim back trailing varieties if they begin to overtake containers or crowd out other plants in the garden. Give your verbenas a light trim every now and then for fuller plants and more prolific flowering.

What is the best fertilizer for verbena?

Fertilizer. Verbenas are not heavy feeders, but they do appreciate a monthly application of balanced, slow-release flower fertilizer to help them keep up the flower show, which can last from spring until frost.