Topic: Overwintered Herbs

[Rox]

I have several pots of perennial herbs that survived the winter and now are in position for the coming growing season  :D  I wanted to give them a bit of a growing boost and was wondering whether I could cut them back now and give them a light liquid feed, or whether it is better to wait until they have flowered before cutting and feeding them? (The herbs in question: chives, sage, rosemary, basil, curry plant, lemon balm, thyme, mint). Many thanks in advance for any/all suggestions!  :) 

[philcooper]

From my experience,

Do nothing to chives, rosemary

Trim sage, thyme so they don't become straggly or woody

Lemon balm and mint hack back to ground level

Don't know on the others

I would repot the mint and lemon balm and liquid feed for the rest

Phil

[Svea]

btw, the curry plant is not a true herb.
the leaves should not be used for cooking, as they can be poisonous in the quantities needed to flavour anything enough.

but you probably knew that already.

[Rox]

Thanks Svea - sure did  :D
Cook loads of Indian food with real curry leaves and they look and smell totally different... Too bad the real curry plant is not suitable to grow here - it's delicious and irreplaceable for certain Indian dishes... :P

[Marianne]

Oh what a helpful post this is !! :D

I have got lots of mint and other herbs in pots and was wondering whether to trim the plants now.  The thyme is going mad !!! 

I think I will repot the lemon balm and mint as they look rather sad.

[philcooper]

I think I will repot the lemon balm and mint as they look rather sad.

Not for long they won't, being herbaceous they die bach in the winter, this warm spell should bring them bursting back to life - they are both very vigorous and constratining them in pots is a good idea