Herbs and cold weather

Nancy Carter
Nancy Carter Posts: 202 ✭✭✭
edited October 2020 in Growing Medicinals

I have a small herb garden and the cold weather is approaching, I am wondering how to continue my herb garden. Should I bring everything inside? I do not have a greenhouse yet. How cold is too cold for herbs to grow outside?

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  • Torey
    Torey Posts: 5,690 admin

    It depends on which herbs you have and what your climate zone is. Some of them may overwinter outside but others may have to be brought inside or at least into a sun room or porch. If you are going to bring plants inside, make sure they don't have any bugs that may infest your indoor plants. Some may need to be cut back quite a bit as they may get "leggy" inside. For some it may be easier to take cuttings and root those for overwintering.

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  • ltwickey
    ltwickey Posts: 369 ✭✭✭

    I always bring in a small batch of all my herbs indoors at the end of September. But I usually end up with thyme and sage surviving the winter outdoors!

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  • herbantherapy
    herbantherapy Posts: 453 ✭✭✭✭

    @Nancy Carter it would help us to help you if we knew which herbs you grow and what zone you are in.

    I grow over 30 varieties of herbs in zone 9. I specially grow more perennials that annuals and those all over winter outside. My annuals of course are just about done for the year; this includes basils, perilla, calendula, Cuban oregano, and probably something I’m forgetting!

    If your herbs are all in pots I suggest you gather them together and place against a wall for wind protection and warmth. If you place them so they are all touching pots put the more tender varieties in the middle for extra insulation.

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  • Nancy Carter
    Nancy Carter Posts: 202 ✭✭✭
    edited September 2020

    @herbantherapy I believe I am in zone 5. I have lemon basil, basil, parsley, sage, italian oregano st johns wort, rosemary and lavender. I have a small amount of each.

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  • Nancy Carter
    Nancy Carter Posts: 202 ✭✭✭
    16007938759683912526221570182355.jpg

    @herbantherapy

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  • herbantherapy
    herbantherapy Posts: 453 ✭✭✭✭

    @Nancy Carter everything but your St. John’s, rosemary and lavender will be annuals for you. And the others will need winter protection, lavender MIghtbe too tender. Try insulating as well as you can. If you have a cold room with bright light, this would be a good winter option for these 3.

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  • Ferg
    Ferg Posts: 285 ✭✭✭

    If bringing in tons of big pots is too much, you could bring in a few sprigs and put them in water (or sand with water) to root them; that'll give you time to get them into smaller pots and they'll not take as much room, plus they'll be more mature when you do put them outside.

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