Winter Care of Herbs

By Tom Wajda
Willow Pond Farm Herbs & Everlastings

Cooks and gardeners are always trying to find a better way to grow herbs indoors during winter. It’s not easy, but what joy it is to have fresh rosemary or basil in January. Here are some suggestions to help you achieve that blissful state.

First things first: Before bringing plants indoors, it is important to properly prepare them. Plants in the ground need to be dug up and potted. Plants already in pots need to be checked to see if they are root bound; repot any that are. Wash the soil off the roots and prune any broken or oversized roots. You should also prune the branches, taking special care to open up the middle of the plant to allow good air circulation and let in light. As a rule of thumb, both the roots and branches should be cut back by about one-third.

Get rid of insects: Give your plant a serious shower to wash off as many insects, larvae, and eggs as possible. And remember that most insecticides kill only adult insects—not larvae or eggs. To insure that you’ve gotten them all, spray your plants with insecticidal soap every five days for two weeks before bringing them indoors.

Water when it's dry: Some professional growers claim that more indoor plants are killed by overwatering than underwatering. This is often the case with herbs; they simply do not like wet feet. So water them when they are dry—usually not more than once a week. And—this is important—don’t let the pots sit in saucers full of water. About an hour after you water your plants, empty those saucers and let the roots breath.

Feed when needed: Fertilization requirements vary by plant. Generally, plants that are largely dormant in the winter, such as lemon verbena, rosemary, and scented geraniums, should be fertilized no more than once a month. Actively growing plants, such as basil, should be fertilized every two to three weeks. >>

Page 1 Bringing Plants Indoors
Page 2 Perennial Herbs Outdoors
Page 3 Specific Plants in Winter