Herbal Containers

Every year our herbal containers get better. Above you can see two scented geraniums 'Logee's Snowflake', a rose scented and variegated leaf. This is their third year in these pots. We may have to change plants out next spring. We have a diversity of herbs in containers. Lavenders, scented geraniums, lemon verbena, an allspice tree, a bay rum tree, three figs, two bay laurels, a couple of rosemaries, a kaffir lime to name a few. They all come inside for the winter. It can be a little hectic! I remember one of the first years we were in this house and the first hard frost was announced! We were digging up plants and putting them in pots like crazy! Some made it and some didn't. If you are really interested in keeping herbs indoors over the winter, I would begin to get plants in pots now to get them ready for the change. We are also lucky in this house to have a south facing garage that has windows in the door. That is a big plus for the rosemaries and scented geraniums to keep their leaves and limit the powdery mildew that affects rosemaries in the winter. It's because the garage is unheated so it is not too warm or hot from the forced air of the furnace. The lavender to the right is a green fringed lavender that is tender in our region. Lavender is the herb of devotion. That's what is says on and side of the container.

I hope you will take some of your herbs that might not make it if you have snow in winter or very cold temperatures. We both love herbs in containers on the coldest days of winter. I know you will also. If you bring in your lemon verbena, it is likely that it will drop all of its leaves and you will think it has died. Make sure to water it about every 10 days or so. If by chance it keeps some of its leaves, cut the whole plant back to about 6 inches in December. In mid February or so, it should start to leaf out. It is a very exciting process. Until next time.