Annual Herb Fall Care
Annual herbs should remain in the ground until you are ready to replant for the spring season. The exception to this, would be removing an annual to exchange it for something better suited for that location. It is also a good idea to thin spreading herbs that got away from you at this time. You can clearly see where they outgrew their boundaries.Consider planting aggressive herbs in containers next year.
Container Herbs
Move tender perennial herbs that have been grown in containers, into cold, but protected areas. An unheated garage or root cellar works well for this. Allow these containers to dry out but not become parched, as you do not want to promote premature growth during the winter.
Empty invasive container grown herbs completely. These are usually easily grown from plugs or seeds in the spring, and with their spreading habit, will not grow a second season, without becoming rootbound. Although you may be able to grow a rootbound container herb for more than one year, it is difficult to supply the proper amount of water and nutrients to combat the stress caused by being so overgrown.
Perennial Herbs
Do not cut off dead growth on perennial herbs. Leaving this material until spring is helping to provide food for birds and other foraging creatures throughout the winter. Do clean up any layered plant material that may harbor large numbers of rodents, who do extensive root damage, however.
Mark perennial herbs you wish to transplant in the spring now. They are easy to locate at this time, while in the spring, there may be no visible plant to find. Use a piece of wool yarn and tie a knotted piece onto the sturdy part of the stem. In the off chance that the yarn becomes lost, it will degrade safely, unlike a petroleum based yarn.
Final Step For Fall Cleanup
Finally, fall cleanup is not complete without making notes in your garden notebook. Make a simple map of what grew where. Note which herbs didn't thrive and possible reasons for it. Now is a great time to jot down changes you want to make for next year's garden as well. Simple steps for a healthy herb garden, can mean the difference between a mediocre and fabulous herb garden for next year!
