We are offering seven new seed varieties this year! Three herbs, one vegetable and one grain:
I'll cover the three new herb varieties in this post and leave the vegetables and grains for next time.
Navajo Tea
Navajo Tea is a short lived perennial growing wild in the central and southwestern US. The Navajo, Pueblo, Apache, and Hopi tribes have long used it as a tea, medicine and dye plant. When it germinates, it's very difficult to distinguish from a grass seedling, but as it grows, it develops long threadlike stems. Another common name for this plant is Greenthread, which is quite descriptive. Navajo Tea produces lovely yellow flowers which are also edible. The tea is rich in luteolin, a powerful antioxidant.
To make tea, you can either rip off a little of the thread-like stems and steep them, or cut and dry the plant later on in the season. Native people bundle and tie it before drying it.
Because the seedlings look so similar to grass, I found it easier to germinate Navajo Tea seeds in pots. They like a cold period (stratification) before they germinate, which can be met be spreading the seeds out on a wet paper towel. Fold the paper towel a couple of times, wrap it loosely in a plastic bag and set it in a refrigerator for 5-7 days. When the seeds have sprouted, gently transfer them to small pots or cells and barely cover with soil. Keep moist. After seedlings have their second set of true leaves (this will look like grass), transfer them to the garden after all danger of frost has passed. 60 days from transplanting. This plant needs full sun.
Summer Savory
This fabulous herb is underated in my opinion. Just by opening the jar of seeds, their spicy aroma transports me back to last summer, which is quite a feat after this cold, snowy winter. Summer Savory's delicate leaves add a mild peppery flavor to dishes with just a hint of mint and thyme. This herb is great for bean and meat dishes, vegetables, stuffing, anything, well...savory. A wonderfully cheerful plant with its tiny white flowers, it also attracts pollinators.
After the last frost, sow one seed per inch in rows 18” apart. Barely cover seeds and keep soil moist during germination and seedling stage. Thin to 8” apart.
You can also start seeds inside or even outside on your porch once the weather warms up. Transplant once the seedlings get several inches tall.
Summer savory is an annual that likes to grow in full sun. You can expect to start pinching off the leaves in about 45 days from the time it germinates. It gets even more flavorful as the tiny white flowers appear.
Cinnamon Basil
Cinnamon Basil is an Asian variety of Basil. It has a strong basil taste with undertones of cinnamon. The mature plant has beautiful violet stems and flowers. The bees must find the flowers as attractive as we do, because they were buzzing around this plant once it bloomed throughout the summer.
Cinnamon Basil is long lasting annual that appears to be less troubled by the diseases that plague many of the more traditional basils. I started these plants in June and was still picking plenty of leaves until mid October.
Transplant or direct seed after last frost, 2-3 seeds per inch in rows 18” apart. Thin to 6 inches apart. 65 days from transplant to maturity.
Original artwork (watercolor and collage) Copyright 2026 Linda Enerson