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Overwintering herbs

 
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murdrobe



Joined: 03 Jun 2010
Posts: 189
Location: Blackburn, Lancashire
PostPosted: Wed Oct 06, 10 12:59 pm    Post subject: Overwintering herbs Reply with quote
    

ive started to bring the chilli plants that i want to keep over winter inside now and im taking a look at the herb garden. ive just got it to look very much how id want it and with winter closing in it would be a shame to loose some of the more difficult to aquire plants.

is there any fool proof methods of saving delicate herbs whilst leaving them in the ground? i should mention that they are allready growing through a plastic sheet with a decent layer of bark on the top.

to give some idea of what im trying to save:

Pineapple Sage
Blackcurrant Sage
Chervil
Perilla/Shiso
Marjoram/Oregano
Caraway
various thymes
Rosemary
Bay
Burnet
Tarragon
Fennel
Feverfew


also wondering what would be the best way to cover the Fig and Calamondin plants?

thanks for any advice you can give

sean
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42207
Location: North Devon
PostPosted: Wed Oct 06, 10 1:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Most of those are pretty hardy AFAIK. If you're forecast a hard frost you could cover them with horticultural fleece. You could wrap your fig tree in it too.

judith



Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire
PostPosted: Wed Oct 06, 10 2:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Where are you based, Murdrobe?

A lot will depend on how waterlogged your ground gets over winter - that is what kills most herbs, rather than cold per se. But here are a few thoughts about your list:

Pineapple Sage - sage is usually fine overwinter, but it might benefit from cutting back to prevent it getting too leggy next year. Don't know if this variety is more tender than the common sages though.
Blackcurrant Sage - ditto
Chervil - this is an annual, isn't it? If you are lucky it will have self-seeded
Perilla/Shiso - don't know
Marjoram/Oregano - cut back the dead growth, split it now if you want more plants, otherwise it should be fine.
Caraway - don't know (annual?)
various thymes - thyme is borderline in my garden. Some varieties survive, some don't. None last more than a couple of years for me. They will benefit from a haircut in any case.
Rosemary - this will be fine as long as it doesn't get waterlogged at the roots, in which case it will almost certainly die. Again it will appreciate trimming back to keep it in a good shape.
Bay - if it is a healthy plant in the ground it should be fine. If it's in a pot, you might want to bring it inside if very cold.
Burnet - another annual?
Tarragon - this will die right back, so put in a marker to prevent you digging it up next year, otherwise it will be fine.
Fennel - just cut back the stems to tidy it up, otherwise just leave it
Feverfew - don't worry about this - give it a couple of years to seed everywhere and you will wonder what possessed you to allow it in your garden in the first place!!!

Hope that helps a bit.

mochyn



Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 24585
Location: mid-Wales
PostPosted: Wed Oct 06, 10 2:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Both those sages are tneder, unlike the bog standard sage. Bring them indoors intoa well-lit space which is frost free. Unless you have a heated greenhouse, of course.

murdrobe



Joined: 03 Jun 2010
Posts: 189
Location: Blackburn, Lancashire
PostPosted: Wed Oct 06, 10 3:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Thanks for the replies. I'm based in Blackburn, Lancashire. I could move the pinapple sage as its still fairly small. The blackcurrant, theres no chance though, would it be worth trying to cover it somehow?

https://www.harrodhorticultural.com/HarrodSite/product/Plant%20Protection_Fleece%20and%20Plant%20Cosies/GDN-992.htm

These look interesting to cover the small fruit trees and the tender herbs maybe?

mochyn



Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 24585
Location: mid-Wales
PostPosted: Wed Oct 06, 10 4:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I'd just swathe the plant in a few layers of fleece (one won't be enough) and wrap the pot in bubble wrap.

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35056
Location: Devon
PostPosted: Wed Oct 06, 10 5:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Will chilli plants over Winter? I thought they were annuals.

murdrobe



Joined: 03 Jun 2010
Posts: 189
Location: Blackburn, Lancashire
PostPosted: Fri Oct 08, 10 9:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

some will, some wont, its more luck than science from what i can gather overwintering chilli's but keeping them over winter (even if you cut them right back as suggested on a growing guide i read) gives the plant a massive head start because the roots are allready there.

Pilsbury



Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 5645
Location: East london/Essex
PostPosted: Fri Oct 08, 10 9:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Jamanda wrote:
Will chilli plants over Winter? I thought they were annuals.


I kept a scotch bonnet for 3 years once, cut back on the watering slowly and then about november stopped watering alltogeter, overwintered in a frost free unheated greenhouse and them slowly started watering in about march teh following year.

earthyvirgo



Joined: 24 Aug 2007
Posts: 7972
Location: creating prints in the loft, Gerlan
PostPosted: Fri Oct 08, 10 11:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

mochyn wrote:
Both those sages are tneder, unlike the bog standard sage. Bring them indoors intoa well-lit space which is frost free. Unless you have a heated greenhouse, of course.


Tender but quite resilient if they're in a sheltered spot.

I had an unexpected re-emergence of a blackcurrant sage this year which I thought was a goner becasue it was under snow for several weeks! ... early summer it suddenly put out lots of new leaves but as Judith said, they do tend to get leggy very quickly.

EV

linz71



Joined: 30 Jun 2008
Posts: 119
Location: N.E.Lincolnshire
PostPosted: Mon Oct 11, 10 5:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I planted a supermarket taragon in the garden 3 years ago its come back nice and thick each year.
I also rooted rosemary from supermarket sprigs at the same time and they're thriving in the ground too.

I never do anything to protect them either

murdrobe



Joined: 03 Jun 2010
Posts: 189
Location: Blackburn, Lancashire
PostPosted: Sat Oct 23, 10 6:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

a question about overwintering the chillies, i have a nice white (ghost) habanero plant that i bought at the chilli festival this year. ive picked the main crop and made a very nice white hot sauce from them.

i was going to cut it back and get it ready for the winter but looking at it, its going for round 2, lots of little flowers on it. should i cut it back now or will it be safe to wait until it fruits again?

Pilsbury



Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 5645
Location: East london/Essex
PostPosted: Sun Oct 24, 10 9:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

im thinking the same thing, My Naga is putting out flowers ns I cant decide weather to cut them back or see if I can keep it going all winter in the kitchen..... I just cant deided what to do wit it

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