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Herb Gardens in Fall
Well I guess summer is just about over; Saturday is the official first day of Autumn! And I have been getting many questions about the fall herb garden - harvesting, overwintering, autumn planting, etc. So I thought I'd write up some autumn tips!
If you haven't already started, now is the time to harvest for winter use!
Herbs to harvest and dry:
Mint
Lemon Balm
Raspberry/Blackberry Leaf
Plantain
Self-Heal
Sage
Oregano/Marjoram
Comfrey
Fennel Pollen
Tarragon
Feverfew/Camomile
I like hanging small bunches of herbs around the house this time of year. You want to avoid hanging them in direct sunlight or where there is limited airflow. Bunches of herbs hanging about the house is not only decorative, but somehow comforting - perfect as the weather gets cooler and days shorter and we start getting into winter-hibernation mode.
Herbs to freeze:
Basil
Parsley
Dill
Chives
Lemon Verbena
Fennel Fronds
Celery
Frozen herbs must be used immediately upon removing them from the freezer. But they actually impart great fresh flavor into many cooked meals. Basil is probably my favorite - the leaves freeze perfectly but when you take them out of the freezer, they just crumble into pieces. I crumble them into sauces and sautes and as the pieces hit the warm pots, you get that wonderful fresh basil aroma!
The Never-Ending Herb Garden
Many people plant all their herbs as annuals or worry that the herb plants will need to be brought indoors in the winter. But many of the most useable culinary herbs are not only perennial, but also thrive in our climate if planted in a permanent location outside.
Some herbs to plant as perennials either in spring or fall, and that do very well in our area, are:
Tarragon
Sorrel
Salad Burnett
Sage - traditional culinary (some are tender though such as the fruity sages like Pineapple, and the medicinal sages like White Sage)
Oreganos/Marjorams
Thymes
Lemon Balm
Chives
Mints
Bergamot (Bee Balm)
Stinging Nettle
 Mints and Lemon Balm can become a bit over zealous and invasive - if you have limited space or if you want order in your herb garden - I would suggest planting these in big pots set in the herb garden. A note on pots kept outdoors in the garden: pots stress plants out! In the heat of the summer, pots get too hot and dry; and in the winter, a pot makes the plant more vulnerable and exposed - a plant that might usually be hardy enough planted in the ground can get harmed or even killed if it is in a pot. You can combat this by burying the pot about halfway and using very big pots ... 25 to 45 gallon giant pots.
Stinging Nettle
is so healing to the soil and plants around it - but you should use some caution and plant it in spots out of way of children and dogs.
Other annuals can be grown with reseeding in mind. Once you plant these herbs,you can count on them to reseed. You have to let them go to seed though! And be mindful while weeding next spring!
Reliable reseeding annual herbs are:
Calendula
Dill
Fennel
Anise
Violets
These herb seeds like having a natural cold treatment, and sprout with enthusiasm in the spring sun-warmed soil.
Consider Planting or Planning a Colonial-style Door-Yard Garden!
Door-yard gardens are a colonial tradition when small useful gardens were situated in the door-yards to the kitchen for easy access while cooking.
Although having a large herb garden with lots of bulk herb availability is fabulous, I also find that having easy and simple access to my culinary herbs is really important.
Sometimes when I am cooking a meal, I have a sudden desire to add a certain herb ... with a few steps, I can harvest some from the door-yard garden and drop it in the pot. It makes a big difference! Before I set up a dooryard garden, I often would want to add some fresh herbs, but I didn't want to put on shoes, go trasping out to the big garden, unlatching gates, etc etc... so I would just use the dried herbs sitting on the counter! Now I have one or two plants of each of my most used herbs right outside the kitchen door and that has allowed me to use fresh herbs on a much more regular basis.
You can also use the door-yard herb garden as inspiration. Many times, halfway through cooking, I peruse the dooryard herbs to see if I can add any to my recipe.
Cutting Back Your Herbs
Almost all culinary herbs love to be harvested. The healthiest looking herb plants are the ones that are regularly trimmed and cut. Always appreciate and respect your herb plants when you harvest, but feel free - even obliged - to harvest regularly and often! The trimmed stems will 'bush-out' from below the cut and the plant will get full and shiny.
Culinary herbs that need regular trimming to maintain longevity and good flavor are:
Basils
Sages
Oreganos/Marjorams
Lemon Balm
Chives
Thymes
Tarragon
Lavender
Herbs that are always appreciative of a trim, and that grow back enthusiastically are:
Parsley
Cilantro
Mints including Asians
Sorrel
Salad Burnett
Papalo
Shiso
Rosemary
Lemon Verbena
Vietnamese Coriander
Tender Herbs
And there is some preparation to be done for those herbs that will need to be taken indoors before the first frost. Now is a good time to transplant them into larger pots and give them a good trim. Some common herbs that will need to be moved indoors are:
Rosemary
Lemon Verbena
Vietnamese Coriander
Tender Sages
Tender Lavenders
Lemon Grass
Hope this helps and always feel free to email me with any herb questions - I love to think about herbs and it is my pleasure to help out! info@midsummerfarm.com
Very best,
Barbara
Midsummer Farm
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