Robin Sweetser Nance Trueworthy

Related Articles

A good cook knows that the freshest ingredients are always the best. All summer you have been able to step into the garden and snip the herbs needed for last minute seasoning. Even though summer is winding down, you don't have to give up fresh herbs. Pot up divisions of some of your favorites, sow seeds, or take cuttings and start new plants to grow on your sunniest windowsill.

Everyone has their favorite herbs that they cannot do without. To decide what to grow, take a look at your spice rack. Which herbs do you use most? Is there an ethnic style that you prefer? Any proper French cook needs fresh tarragon, thyme, rosemary, parsley, savory and chives. For the freshest Italian foods you'll want to grow basil, oregano, thyme and parsley. Middle Eastern cuisine relies heavily on fresh mint, parsley, cilantro, coriander seeds, dill, fennel and fenugreek. If zippy Southwestern food is a family favorite, you'll need cilantro, parsley and a hot pepper plant.

Getting herbs ready to come indoors
Some herbs, like rosemary, are tender perennials that we have to grow indoors over the winter if they are to survive. Lauriejane Kelley of Steeplebush Farm Herbs in Limington, Maine, says, “I find the tender things come into your house more successfully than the hardy ones.” Most hardy perennial herbs need a rest before coming inside, then they will continue to grow over the winter in a pot on a sunny, south facing windowsill. If the plants are not too huge, you can dig them up, pot them, and cut them back. Bury the pots up to their rims in the garden and leave them there for three good freezes to give them a period of dormancy. Bring them in and in a few weeks they will reward you with tasty new growth. This method works well with chives, tarragon, parsley, oregano and thyme.

Some older herb plants die in the middle while growing outward in an ever-expanding ring. Dig the whole plant up, throw away the dead, woody center, and divide the healthy outer portions into several new plants. Replant some of these in your garden and pot up a few to bring inside. Rita Wollmering of the Herb Farmacy in Salisbury, Massachusetts, advises us to remove as much of the old soil as possible to get rid of any insects or their eggs. She uses an organic, compost-based potting soil to encourage a healthy root system.

Lauriejane says, “Even though terra-cotta pots look the best, they dry out too fast. Plastic or glazed clay pots are better for growing herbs indoors.” She recommends we do a “reverse hardening off,” and says, “Just as you would gradually introduce plants to the outside in the spring, we need to gradually accustom them to life indoors in the fall to get them used to the warmth and dryness of the house.”

Rita reminds us to be sure to inspect any plant you are bringing inside for insects. “We call it scouting,” she says, “Look at the leaves, stems, and soil each time you water to catch bugs at early stages.” A thorough spraying with soapy water (one teaspoon of Lemon Joy in a quart of water works great!) will get rid of most pests. Repeat again at three-to-seven-day intervals to take care of any newly hatched bugs. Lauriejane recommends a fine, water-soluble oil spray that will smother any pests. Let plants sit in the shade after spraying.

Don’t hesitate to cut back untidy, leggy looking plants and turn them often so all sides get enough light. This, along with regular feeding with a diluted organic fertilizer, will encourage bushy new growth and a healthy, well-shaped plant. Both Rita and Lauriejane stress the importance of air movement to the health of your indoor herb garden. Rita suggests we set up a small fan or, at the very least, rub your hands over the plants often to give them a change of air.

Making new plants
Instead of lugging in large containers and digging up entire plants, you can easily take stem cuttings of your favorites and start some brand new plants. To make efficient use of your time, before you start cutting gather all the materials you'll need and you'll be able to prepare a lot of cuttings in a short time. Clean plastic pots or boxes, a bag of sterile soil-less mix, some powdered rooting hormone like Rootone or Bontone, a sharp knife, clippers or razor blade, and some alcohol to sterilize your cutting tool are all you need. Fill your containers with soil-less mix and water well.

Cuttings can be taken as long as the parent plant is healthy and growing. This method works best on any plant with a soft stem, not a hard woody one. Sterilize your knife in alcohol between plants so you don't spread any diseases to the cuttings. Make sure to keep your cuttings out of direct sun and place the cut ends in water temporarily to prevent them from wilting. Stressed cuttings rarely root. Look for new vigorous side shoots or tip growth and slice off a piece three or four-inches long. Remove the lower leaves and any flowers or buds, moisten the stem in water and dip it into a little pile of rooting hormone. Make a hole in the soil with a pencil, stick in your cutting and firm the soil around it. Always take more cuttings than you need because some are likely to die. Be sure to include a tag with any pertinent information on it.

To create a mini greenhouse, place the box or pot of cuttings in a plastic bag, blow in to inflate it, and seal the end. Big zip-lock bags work great. Place this in a warm spot, 65°F–75°F, out of the direct sun. Bottom heat helps cuttings to root faster. Open the bag every few days to check for mold or wilted cuttings. Fresh air helps to prevent mildew from forming in this humid atmosphere. After a week or two, if the plants look lively, remove the bag and move them into the light. You can check for rooting by giving them a gentle tug. If they resist being pulled out, roots have begun to form. Soon you’ll be able to transplant your new plants into separate pots filled with fresh potting soil. After two weeks you can fertilize them and move them to their permanent indoor location.

Cuttings of pineapple sage, basil, mint and scented geraniums often will root in a glass of water. When potted up, they happily grow on the windowsill until spring.  If you have any extras you can share them with friends. You’ll find that stem cuttings are an easy, affordable and space-efficient way to keep some of your garden favorites from year to year.

Whether you are a serious cook who requires the most flavorful herbs for cooking, or you just like the looks of them growing on your windowsill, fresh herbs are sure to spice up your life!
 

Robin Sweetser has written a biweekly gardening column for the Sunday Concord Monitor for 12 years, is a regular contributor to ACCENT and writes for the Old Farmer’s Almanac. A former Seacoast resident, she now lives and gardens in Hillsborough, New Hampshire.

Nance S. Trueworthy's photos have appeared in books and magazines, and on greeting cards and calendars. Her first book was Maine in Four Seasons and her second, Down the Shore, was published in 2003. She recently worked as a photojournalist for the book series America 24/7 and her work was featured in the Smithsonian Museum's Ocean Planet exhibit.