Fall is a beautiful time in the herb garden, the air is clear and bright with color, and temperatures are perfect for working outdoors. As the nights cool into the 30s it's time to harvest the remaining annuals such as basil. Your basil can be dried, or chopped as pesto and frozen in ice cube trays, then put in zip-lock bags for an easy, fresh tasting addition to your winter cooking.

If you're bringing herbs indoors to grow for the winter, for annuals like basil, it's usually best to start with a new, young plant. Rosemary should be moved into the shade for a few weeks to grow leaves that can feed the plant through the winter if you're bringing them indoors. Remember to acclimate your plants by bringing them in at night and putting them back out during the day, just as you did in spring. When bring in herbs you've grown in pots all summer look to see how root bound they are. You may need to repot and divide them so they don't choke themselves out during the winter. And make sure your pots are big enough to allow healthy root development in proportion to the plant. No smaller that a 4" pot, 6" is better. Click here for more information on growing Herbs indoors.

This is a great time to thoroughly clean your gardens, divide invasive or overgrown perennial herbs such as mint and oregano. Cut back any dead or dying foliage on herbaceous plants. You can prune of the dead flower stems from woody herbs like lavenders and thymes, but don't be tempted to prune them any further. It's best to do any severe pruning in early spring when you see new growth starting, and then never more than 2/3 of the leafy part of the plant. Sages can be pruned back by 1/3 to gain better shape next year. Take cuttings now to start new plants inside, do layering, save seed, and do a final harvest for your winter use.

At Telly's we bring in young culinary herbs in 3" & 4" pots throughout the season into December. Herbs make great gifts and displays for your Holidays!

For answers to your herbal questions, or requests for herbs you would like to see us grow next year, email Jeane at jeane@tellys.com

Links for more information and herb groups:
Michigan Herb Associates
The Herb Society of America
HerbNET