Which herbs are Hardy,and which Herbs are not,Ive quite a variety of herbs,and i`m not sure which will need protection over the winter and which ones wont,many thanks
I couldn't give you a full list, but I have had rosemary, oregano, sage and parsley continue through winter. I always grow basil inside as it needs a lot of warmth, I think. I'm sure someone else will have a more useful list!
I've found lemon verbena, pineapple mint, basil, parsley and stevia don't like frost :happy7:
Hi there, I leave my Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, Chives, Mint, Bronzed Fennel, Lavender, Oregano, Feverfew & Parsley pots outside all year round but I make sure I give them a good pruning back late Autumn & check they aren't becoming too waterlogged from time to time (mine are all in pots). The Parsley always looks like it has died completely, just an empty looking pot of soil remains but without fail it grows again in the Spring. I have had most of these herb pots with the original plants in them for over 10 years & they are still very usable for cooking, great strong flavours etc. I think the cutting them back before Winter is very important as the plant can be basically dormant until the Spring & the new growth tastes lovely & fresh ;)
I only grow Basil inside like Manics says it seems to always need the protection even in the Summer.
I have a large Lemon Balm for the first time this year so I may keep it slightly protected by putting it near to my front door where it will get some cover from the heavy rains. If it starts to look unhappy I will fleece it & see how it goes.
xJane
Crystalmoon,Thanks you very much for your reply,you have covered all of the herbs that i have grown for the first time this year,also in large pots,i will cut them back over the next week or so.I have ginger mint,pineapple mint,lemon thyme (Doone Valley),curry plant,tarragon,marjoram,as well,which the wife has really enjoyed using in her cooking,I've also enjoyed the taste.(probably why i`m on the pleasantly plump side),thank you once again
The tarragon will probably need a bit of extra protection. The tops will definitely die back with the colder weather, but the roots will need some protection from the frost as well.
I'd bubble wrap the pot and have some fleece/wrap available to cover the top when the colder weather arrives.
Lemon verbena - cut it back well in winter, saving the leaves for teas! It will look 'orrible in winter and takes a while to get going in spring but it will come back very generously by March, April.
Sage will take a very hard cold snap, it may lose some foliage but springs back. Thyme is also pretty hardy and rosemary almost impossible to kill!!
Mint will go away but come back and I find that parsley self sows so successfully, that os the best way to grow it. Coriander too is a great self sower, I don't touch them anymore but always have loads of parsley and corainder leaves in sping.
You are lucky, I have had to replant my rosemary for the last 2 years and I see it is dying this year again. Prior to this I had a rosemary for many years without any trouble which had become quite big and then it died. I blamed this on the very hard winter we had that year.