Pruning herbs

[Gryfon]

What should I think about pruning now, before the spring comes and it goes all wild again! I've got rosemary, thyme, oregano, majoram, sage and lavender...the fever few seems to have disappeared for now, as has the fennel but I'm sure they'll pop up again soon!

[Hazel at the Hill]

Nice to see you back, Gryfon - not sure on your pruning herbs thing tho'.

Oh - and congrats on the little one too!

[Glasshousevirgin]

I would let the risk of frost be over before exposing any herbage myself.
They may be untidy but until cold weather is over outer foliage would protect them from damage or even demise.
You may also get new shoots popping out if the weather temporarily goes warm which them will be damaged by a cold snap.

[Gryfon]

Thanks! It's nice to be back as well, I've really let the garden go to seed over the past year or so which is a shame. However you have to prioritise some things

If I leave it till next month then do you think that will be alright? Being down in Guernsey we don't usually get many frosts which is nice.

[crichmond]

I have a flower bed full of rosemary and use it all the time in my cooking, I just cut what I need for cooking by cutting a few sprigs halfway down off each plant.
these are planted in a rosebed and absolutely fill the bed it smells nice and the cats from over the road no longer do their bussiness in my flower bed.

Cheers Chris

[lainey lou]

There is a paragraph in this months GYO mag about pruning evergreen herbs such as sage, rosemary, thyme and lavender, it says they need regular clipping ( how often is regular?) using secuteurs to cut off all but the bottom 1" of the most recent growth, to be done in mid february and to be careful not too cut into old established wood.

[Alison]

Isn't regular pruning on herbs just what you do when you need a bit for the pot??????

[lainey lou]

Isn't regular pruning on herbs just what you do when you need a bit for the pot??????

Good point!

[wellie]

We just harvest the perennial herbs 'as we need them' and that tends to keep them nicely pruned, and fresh-growing, rather than getting woody, which also keeps them healthier. But it does depend on how often you use fresh herbs from your garden in your cooking. If you don't use them regularly, trim them to shape anyway, and that will keep them healthy and productive.


With fresh herb plants and sprigs SO expensive to buy, it's worth taking the time and trouble with them. Ask your neighbours if they'd like a few sprigs. Chuck herbs in your stockpots, soups, gravies, casseroles, on your roasts and roasted vegetables.......

[Flummery]

Hear hear Wellie. Don't be hide-bound by convention either. Try lavender with lamb. Hyssop with beef. Bayleaves with EVERYTHING!