How to overwinter your perennial herb garden

As the days become shorter and the hint of fall is in the air, it’s the perfect time to start thinking about steps you can take now to get your perennial herb garden ready for fall and winter. There are many perennial herbs which are winter hardy and some that need more care to keep them alive over the winter. Some of the more common perennial herbs include: chives, thyme, mint, fennel, oregano, lavender, and tarragon. Learning how and when to prepare these plants for the upcoming fall and winter months is just part of the equation. It also takes some knowledge about the zone in which you are growing your herb garden.

In today’s blog post, we walk you through the basic steps you need to take to get your perennial herb garden ready for winter. By following these tips, you will be well on your way to becoming a successful herb gardener and having a flourishing perennial herb garden.

Fall fertilizing

It’s best to finish fertilizing your perennial herbs before the end of August. Doing so slow down their growth pattern and allow them to become dormant. If these plants are left to put on new growth, the tender buds and shoots could become damaged in colder northern climates. This is because rapidly decreasing temperatures and icy conditions over winter. If herb plants are left to suffer these harsh conditions, it could open them up to a host of diseases that you want to avoid in order to have a successful herb garden next season.

Watering

Before they go into dormancy for the year, your perennial herb plants should be watered thoroughly before the end of summer. If you had a lot of rain in your area over the summer, you may not need to be as diligent with watering as those in more drought-prone areas. What you want to avoid, however, is having plants that are stressed going into their dormancy period because they did not get enough hydration. Stressed out herb plants, especially perennial varieties that will be outdoors during the winter, can be susceptible not only to harsh weather elements like wind and cold, but they may also develop diseases that will weaken or stunt their new growth in the spring.

Trimming and cleaning up your herbs before winter

Many perennial varieties of herbs like chives, mint, oregano, or tarragon need to be cleaned up and trimmed back before winter. A good rule of thumb is to clean up any old growth around your herb plants and trim them back to at least 4-6 inches tall. This process should be done after the first few hard frosts in the fall. When they awaken from the winter, your herbs will be on the right track to putting on new growth for the next gardening season.

Providing shelter to the roots and protecting your plants in extreme cold temperatures

Mulch will go a long way to protecting your perennial herb plants over the winter. The mulch you choose should be loose and sprinkled around the root ball to protect it from icy and freezing conditions. Leave a small perimeter around the main stem(s), but make sure that the root ball is covered. The mulching process should take place after the first few hard frosts in the fall. In the spring, remove the mulch so that your herbs can be free to put on new growth and flourish throughout the spring and summer months. In cases of extreme cold over the winter, it may be most effective to place burlap, gardening fleece, or a cloche over your herbs to help protect your plants from rapidly falling temperatures. These covers are only a temporary measure and can be removed once temperatures warm up a bit more.

Final thoughts on overwintering your perennial herb garden

Having access to your own fresh herbs year after year can be so rewarding as a gardener. By taking some time now to care for your herbs over the fall and winter months, you can keep the rewards coming season after season. Until next time gardening friends, try giving perennial herbs a try in your own garden. They not only look spectacular in a garden landscape, but the flavours that they can add to your favourite meals will be well worth the effort! In the meantime, why not join us over on social media on our facebook, instagram, and pinterest pages.