Hyssop: The spicy garden herb at a glance

Hyssop is extremely undemanding and robust. He also keeps some unwelcome animals at a distance. So hyssop is a must in every garden.

The real hyssop – with a botanical name Hyssopusofficinalis – belongs to the mint family (Lamiaceae). It thus joins the ranks of many popular herbs such as rosemary (Rosmarinusofficinalis) or thyme (thymusofficinalis) a. Altogether belonging to the genus Hyssope (Hyssopus) six types. Most of these are native to Russia and are not found in our gardens. Since the hyssop grows partially woody, it is one of the subshrubs. Therefore, it should be trimmed regularly to keep its shape. Otherwise, the herb is extremely easy to care for and even drives away some pests thanks to its extremely intense aroma. Therefore, the hyssop proves to be a well-suited plant neighbor for more susceptible species. The attractive blue-violet flower means a high ornamental value for the home garden. The flowering period is also extremely long from June to September.

Growing hyssop: In the garden bed or in the bucket

Hyssop prefers a sunny location on permeable and if possible calcareous soil. This may well contain nutrients. Only in open areas where strong winds are blowing does he not feel particularly comfortable. Heavy soils should be loosened up with sand because of the risk of waterlogging. Of course, hyssop can also be cultivated in pots or tubs on the terrace or balcony. Ours is ideal for this Plantura Organic Herb & Seed Soil. The container should always be chosen a little larger, otherwise it can quickly become too narrow for the herb.

A detailed step-by-step guide can be found in our Hyssop Grow Guide.

propagation

There are several ways to multiply hyssop easily and quickly:

Propagating hyssop by seed

So that the small seedlings do not freeze to death, it is advisable not to sow hyssop outdoors until the beginning of May. However, young plants of the herb can also be grown on the windowsill. If the seed is sown in a seed tray from mid-May, stronger young plants can be planted out after the ice saints in mid-May.

Propagate hyssop by cuttings

Young shoots of around 5 cm in length can be removed in spring or summer and placed in a special substrate for the propagation of cuttings. It is an advantage if no flowers or flower buds have formed yet, as this requires unnecessary energy and makes rooting more difficult. For the time when the cuttings have not yet rooted, they should be kept in high humidity - for example in a propagation box with a plastic hood.

Increase hyssop by sinkers

Since hyssop is a semi-shrub, it cannot be propagated by division. Instead, however, it is possible to bend down relatively strong but flexible shoots and attach them to the ground with a wire, for example. The tip of the shoot protrudes vertically out of the ground and earth is heaped up at the bending point. Roots then form on the shoot at the point tied down and the newly formed hyssop can be transplanted to any place after separating it from the mother plant.

Pour and fertilize hyssop

The hyssop can even cope with a dry place in the rock garden. Therefore, if it is grown in a normal bed, there is no need to water it. When cultivating in a pot, on the other hand, an occasional water supply must be made from time to time. However, waterlogging should be avoided at all costs in order not to provoke an infestation with life-threatening root fungi.

It doesn't take much to ensure the supply of nutrients, because hyssop has anything but high nutrient requirements. It is sufficient to fertilize your plant once a year - for example with ours Plantura organic universal fertilizer.

cut hyssop

Annual pruning is recommended so that the woody hyssop in the lower part of the plant does not get out of shape and the shoots become sparse and bare. The plant can be shortened to a height of 10 cm. However, you must not cut into the woody parts of the plant, as the hyssop can no longer sprout here. The cut can be made in autumn, but it is even better in the spring before new growth. Then there is no threat of winter frost moving into the fresh interfaces and possibly causing parts of the shoots to die off.

Regardless of whether the hyssop is cut in autumn or not until spring, it should be covered to protect it from winter. Although the subshrub is relatively hardy, long-lasting, severe permanent frosts can also affect it. More to Care and propagation of hyssop you'll find here.

Harvesting and storing hyssop

In itself, hyssop can be harvested continuously, provided that there are fresh shoots and leaves on the plant. However, as with so many herbs, the herb is at its most fragrant when harvested just before the long-lasting June to September flowering season. Either the leaves are plucked off individually, or whole shoots are separated.

Aromatically, it is the greatest pleasure when the hyssop is used freshly harvested. However, there are also possibilities to be able to use hyssop for a longer period of time after the harvest:

drying hyssop

If hyssop is dried at room temperature in a dry place, it can still be used as a dried spice for several months. If whole shoots are harvested, you can hang them up. When plucking off individual leaves, they are spread out on a towel to dry. However, a slight loss of aroma has to be coped with due to the drying process.

Freeze hyssop

The leaves of the hyssop can also simply be frozen and removed from the refrigerator as required. The hyssop is available freshly harvested and without loss of aroma intensity.

pickle hyssop

Like almost all Mediterranean herbs, hyssop can also be preserved in oil or vinegar. The shoots must be completely surrounded by the liquid so that the harvested parts of the plant do not start to mold. After two weeks, the oil or vinegar will have absorbed the flavors and can be used as a flavorful tarragon oil or vinegar for cooking, marinating or salad dressings.

Hyssop: Use in the kitchen and in the garden

What is the spicy herb used for, which only rarely finds its way into the home garden?

Due to its strong aroma with a slightly bitter note, hyssop is popular for sauces, salads and various meat dishes. The beautiful flowers of the hyssop are also edible and look great as a stylish garnish on the plate. Taking it has a pleasant side effect: just like the closely related sage, hyssop also has a soothing effect on inflammation of the oral mucosa. It is also said to have a beneficial effect on sensitivities of the gastrointestinal tract. However, hyssop is no longer used as a medicinal product because in higher doses it can cause cramps due to the ingredients it contains.

A very special property of hyssop makes it interesting for another use. It can be used as a natural pesticide. Its intense smell and high content of its specific ingredients have a repellent effect on some pests such as caterpillars, snails or aphids. If other plants are susceptible to these pests, it can sometimes help to plant hyssop in the immediate vicinity.

More to Harvesting, storage and use of hyssop can be found in our special article.