Depending on your location herbs that are grown outdoors may require protection to enable them to survive through the winter. Equally if you want to enjoy fresh herbs during this time of the year then you will have to grow them indoors. To learn the best way to overwinter your herbs read this article which comes from The National Gardening Association website.
I’ve enjoyed harvesting fresh basil, parsley, and fennel from my garden all summer. Now that fall has arrived, it’s easy to forget about those fresh herbs and resign myself to cooking with dried herbs. But I’m not giving up just yet. Some herb plants can be brought indoors to grow for months, providing summer flavor for my cooking. Others can be protected in the garden over the winter and they will bounce back next spring.
Here are some suggestions for keeping herbs through the winter — indoors and out.Protect Perennial Herbs
Herb plants can be annual, biennial, or perennial. Perennial herbs, such as chives, lavender, oregano, thyme, overwinter well in the ground. In most areas simply wait until a few hard freezes and then cut back tall herbs to within 4 to 6 inches of the ground. In cold winter areas (USDA zones 3-5), add a 2- to 3-inch-thick layer of shredded bark mulch on top of the herbs for added protection. The bark will prevent the ground from freezing and thawing in winter, making it less likely the herb roots will heave out of the ground, desiccate, and die.
Bring Plants Indoors
You can enjoy tender perennial herbs such as rosemary, and biennial herbs such as parsley, all winter long by potting them up and bringing them indoors for the winter. Here’s how.
Dig parsley plants now, making sure to get most of the root system. Pot them in deep containers, water well, and leave them outdoors for a few weeks in a shaded area to recover from transplant shock. Once they’ve revived, bring the plants indoors before a hard freeze and place them in a sunny window. You should be able to harvest fresh parsley leaves all fall, and if the plant gets enough light, it will even produce new growth. However, by late winter the leaf quality will decrease as the plant gets ready to produce a seed stalk. At that time simply compost the plant.
See more at The National Gardening Association
Image: Leonora Enking
