Spring Herb Garden Preparation

By Tom Wajda
Willow Pond Farm Herbs & Everlastings

The first chives have sprouted? Then it's time to get your garden in order.

But first, a word of caution--avoid working in the garden when the soil is wet. Moist soils compact easily; they are then hard to work, slow to drain, and difficult for plant roots to penetrate. So make haste slowly to your garden.

Perennial herbs generally divide into two types--those that die back to the ground for winter and those that remain more or less alive above ground. The first category includes oregano, marjoram, chives, bee balm, lovage, and the entire mint family. Having died back all the way, they will grow back from their roots. If you didn't do it last fall, remove the dead tops of these plants. If they have been in the ground for more than three years, it's probably time to divide them. As soon as the new growth shows, dig them up and divide them. Discard the old, woody centers and start your new plant using new growth from the outside. (You will probably have enough new starts to share with your neighbors.)

To minimize insect and disease problems it is advisable to put your new plants in a different area of the garden. By rotating your plantings you leave behind viruses, molds, or bugs that may have gotten into the soil around the old plant.

Hardy plants that survive the winter without dying back to the ground include lavender, hyssop, sage, thyme, and rue. These need trimmed and shaped. As a starting point, I recommend cutting them back by about a quarter or a third. This will get rid of most of the deadwood. If there are any dead branches, cut them out, but donít be too hasty. Many plants, for example rue and southernwood, look terrible at the end of winter. Give them a few extra weeks and some warm sunshine before getting too busy with your clippers.

Of course, now is also the time to get rid of weeds before they get well started. Some balanced fertilizer will encourage growth and an inch or two of mulch will hold down weeds and help the soil maintain moisture.

One last note--don't forget your local herb festivals. Much as we would like you to buy all of your herbs from Willow Pond Farm, if you are truly interested in herbs, be sure to attend all of the festivals in your area. With dozens of vendors the selections can be incredible, and the prices are competitive. In addition, you will probably be supporting a worthy cause, as most herb festivals are undertaken by nonprofit organizations.