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Bringing Herbs Indoors

post #1 of 9
8/27/05 at 11:44am
Thread Starter 
This year I bought I pot of various fresh herbs. Rosemary being my favourite in the pot:)

I'm not sure if there is anything special I should do with them come the Fall. Can they remain in the pot they are in? Do I need to change the soil or spray them for bugs?

Any ideas are welcome.

Thanks
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post #2 of 9
8/27/05 at 3:34pm
If the soil is good soil, it is not necessary to do anything other than to literally bring the pot inside and put it in a north or west facing window if possible. You can purchase in inexpensive grow light (under $15, or just a few dollars for just the bulb if you have something to put it in) to provide additional light. Changing soil and pots can actually add additional stress on the plants.

Cut down on watering, they will respond to cooler temps just as the plants outside do. Spray with an insecticidal soap if you feel it is necessary.
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post #3 of 9
8/27/05 at 11:15pm
I have one pot of thyme and one pot of Rosemary that I've been bringing in every year in late fall for years. I put them on my sunniest windowsill, turn them every so often for even sun dispersal, and water them whenever the dirt starts getting dry. That's all I do and they thrive, not to the extent that they do in summer, but better than if I left them outside.

Mark
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post #4 of 9
8/28/05 at 5:35am
Thread Starter 
Excellent:)

I wasn't sure if herbs live through the year. I had planted one in my flower bed last year and we used it throughout the summer but it never came back this year.

Its been a very hot summer and the herbs had faded some with my one watering per day, but once I started watering in the evening as well it started to come back.

I'll keep an eye on the weather and probably bring it in mid September. I'm going to look for something to fit under it as its an oblong plastic pot and just has open drainage. I liked the shape but wished it were clay.

Anyways, thanks so much for the advice.
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post #5 of 9
8/28/05 at 1:40pm
Herbs, as with most plants will live throughout the year under their preferred conditions. The problem is that when they are extracted from their native environment on this planet and moved to locations they would never have otherwise found themselves in, they simply don't thrive as easily and need a little help.

Also, all herbs are not created equal so you can't generalize. Exactly which herb did you plant in your flowerbed which did not come back this year?

How do you water? Sprinkler? Drip irrigation? By hand with a hose?

Do you use mulch? Exactly what herbs are you bringing in? Are you leaving any in the ground for the winter?
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post #6 of 9
8/28/05 at 2:10pm
Thread Starter 
Mudbug

Now you're putting me on the spot hehehehe. *BLUSH*

It was Rosemary. The branches remained but nothing on them. God provided the rain most of the time, I did put a little fertilizer on it at the beginning of the season and again in the middle of the summer and I think thats about it.

I think I should stick to indoor plants which I occassionaly have luck with:) I took better care of the pot as it was with the other plants on the deck and I could just step out and water it.

Although the Rosemary in the flower bed did great last year along with some basil, which also didn't come back this year.

MY GOD I love the smell of fresh herbs. I loved stepping out for a snip in an omlette or on pasta. BUT, my green thumb is kinda white.
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post #7 of 9
8/28/05 at 2:59pm
Ok.. specifics definitely help.

Rosemary is a tender perennial, meaning it might survive cooler temps or a really mild winter, but will probably not survive a zone 7 or lower winter. So if you're in Missouri, or Michigan or some state with a similar climate, bring your tender perennials inside.

Basil is an annual, not a perennial. It will not come back the following year.

Common herbs that are perennial - will come back year after year - that you may want to try are sage, thyme, oregano. I also recommend flatleaf italian parsley. It's biennial, meaning you can get two growing seasons out of it. So if you plant seeds to years in a row and let the seeds fall and do their thing, you should have parsley every year.

The best time to water is in the morning, before the heat of the day. Second best would be the evening so long as you're watering the soil, not the plant. Water left on the leaves can lead to fungus development if it doesn't dry off.

We all have to start somewhere in learning about things. If you're interested in particular herbs, please make a list, also if you can tell me your location, I can tell you which zone you're in. The more you keep trying, the more you'll learn and the more you'll know. And it's always nice to have a variety of fresh herbs ready to be harvested just a few steps away.
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post #8 of 9
8/28/05 at 3:13pm
Thread Starter 
My mistake, we planted another rosemary plant this year but we didn't get much from it before it died (due to my lack of watering I'm sure), so the rosemary wasn't in with the potted herbs.

Sooooo, can I now plant a small rosemary in the pot. There was an edible flower in with the herbs but it didn't last, so there's room. In the pot I have there is curled parsley, sage, savory, oregano and thyme oregano. Is it too late in the season to plant rosemary with the others?

We live in Ottawa Ontario so it is definately cold here in the winters. Goes down to -40 many times. Summers can be pretty hot many days in the 90F range but our Springs come pretty early compared to newfoundland where I'm originally from. I'm sure it was in the 80's today.
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post #9 of 9
8/29/05 at 8:57am
You can plant the rosemary in the pot. It would only be "too late" to plant if you were not going to bring it inside. Since you're bringing them inside, seasonality is somewhat irrelevant. Have fun with them!
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