Herbs outside

[OverWyreGrower]

I've currently got the following on my patio:

Rosemary (grown from seed)
French tarragon
Pineapple sage
Thyme
Chocolate Peppermint

They're all in pots, but I'd like to plant them out next year (except for the mint)

Should I move them into my unheated greenhouse over winter, or will they survive out in the cold with the coastal winds over winter?

[redadmiral]

i'm not sure about the rest, but rosemary should be hardy.

[Birdie Wife]

Thyme doesn't like the cold winds but if you can give it some shelter it should be fine. I would treat pineapple sage the same. Rosemary very hardy as redadmiral says, so long as it doesn't get moved about or has it's roots in cold wet soil, but French tarragon I would have serious doubts about lasting through the winter. Chocolate peppermint, wow sounds lovely! No idea.

Cuttings are very easy to take and now's the perfect time, so if you can, hedge your bets by getting cuttings in a coldframe or windowsill now.

[shirlthegirl43]

BW I have loads of rooted cuttings of chocolate mint - want me to post you one?

[OverWyreGrower]

Oh, thanks! Might try taking cuttings of the tarragon to live on the windowsill then!

[Snadger]

Most herbs are of mediteranean origin and and wouldn't appreciate freezing cold winds. Likewize the pots may freeze and kill the roots!

If they were mine, and they were easily moveable and there was space indoors, thats where I would put them! You'd just have to remember to harden them off again when you take em out in the spring/summer!

PS You would probably get a few early shoots of mint to go with the spring lamb, as well!

[Winged one]

I have had french tarragon in a pot for the past 2/3 years. Don't have anywhere to put my pots indoors (also have sage, thyme, margoram, bay tree and mint), so I just cluster them together where they get the most shelter and what little sun there is for the winter. Most of them die back over the winter but have all been fine every spring.

The only thing I have problems with is rosemary, but I think that's a different problem - it dies on me every couple of years.

This year, I put the rosemary and tarragon into the ground in late spring, and need to move them to the plot next week (builders will be building on that bed the week after) - I just hope that the tarragon can be moved at this stage as it is still a very active plant.

[andrewo]

My thyme, rosemary and sage do well outside - I do keep rosemary in a pot so I can make sure that it is free draining - it hates standing in the wet. My sage is cut back hard in the spring of each year and bubbles back with a wealth of leaves by summer. Now, french tarragon - no offense, it's a bugger - it hates the wet, it hates it if it's too hot and seems to be a magnet for disease but that may be just my garden but I would bring it in to somewhere frost free.

[moggssue]

I have rosemary, mint, parsley, chives, basil and bay all happily growing away in their pots, but the french tarragon, sad sorry disaster! Andrew, think you've just told me why!! My rosemary, mint and chives all happily survived last winter outside, next to the house wall, but I am fairly southern I guess.

[OverWyreGrower]

If I want to take a cutting, do I need rooting powder, or should I just cut a small piece and put it in some compost?

[andrewo]

It's getting a bit late for cuttings as these tend to be taken earlier in the year. Get the tarragon under cover and take cuttings from the new growth, make a cut under a bud, or leaf axel (same thing), and place several cuttings in a mix of 50:50 perlite and compost and then place a bag over the top of them and secure. Keep undercover, when they have rooted, around spring, pot on and snip out the leader growth to bush up and then keep under cover, harden off when all signs of frost are gone in 2008.

[Alison]

Last winter my sage survived quite happily outside in a pot but the pineapple sage next to it died and I lost it. May have been a coincidence but alternatively it may be less hardy. Personally I'd tend to putting the pots in the greenhouse, you'll get an earlier crop next year that way also.

[MrsC]

OWG, rosemary should be fine, mine always is as far a the others have always lost them, so would bring indoors or somewhere sheltered, gd luck

[MrsC]

BW I have loads of rooted cuttings of chocolate mint - want me to post you one?

shirl have never heard of that one, would love some if you don't mind?

[shirlthegirl43]

shirl have never heard of that one, would love some if you don't mind?

PM me your address. I will wrap it in damp paper and pop it in a jiffy bag. One of the stems was lying on damp soil and has roots all over the place, I am sure they will take easily.