Planting Herbs In The Fall
Posted on Nov 20, 2009 under Best Perennials | 6 Comments
For gardeners who have tried and possibly failed at planting herbs in the spring or summer, you may have already figured out that planting herbs in the fall is usually best for many herbs. Especially for herbs grown from bulbs, planting them in the fall gives them a chance to make roots and they will be ready for harvest in the spring. Since herbs are almost always very delicate plants, planting herbs in the fall is the best because of the cool weather. The harsh humid conditions that occur in many parts of the country throughout the summer means that herbs will have a difficult time getting started, let alone surviving.
Of course, planting herbs in the fall is not for all climate zones, especially for climate zones above 5 or 6, and not for all herbs. In these climate zones, it is usually cool enough through the spring and summer months to grow herbs and may be too cool in the quickly approaching cold weather of the fall months. If you are interested in particular herbs then it is best to research their hardiness independently for climate zones 1-5.
For the rest of the country, planting herbs in the fall works well because herbs need lots of sun, but do not need the humidity that goes along with the sunshine. There is a fine balance between too little and too much sunshine for these delicate plants, who usually need about five to six hours of sunlight a day. Keep in mind that there are a few herbs that enjoy the shade, such as parsley and mint, but the majority of herbs prefer at least a few hours of sunlight a day.
The best part about planting herbs in the fall is that herbs can easily be planted in containers, just in case the weather gets cold. This way herbs can be moved to a greenhouse or indoors where grow lights or just placing them in a sunny window will keep them at bay for the winter.
It really is best to start out small herb plants or herbs from seeds in small pots in the fall and transfer them to the ground in the spring, if at all. Since they are so fragile, placing them right in the ground might mean not getting good results. Remember that there are a few herbs that come in the form of perennial bulbs, such as garlic, fennel, saffron, and shallots, but the rest are in the form of plants or seeds. Herb perennial bulbs should be placed in the ground as the fall weather approaches, but at least 6-8 weeks before a freeze, this way they have time to establish roots before becoming dormant.
There are both annual and perennial herbs as well as biennial herbs. Popular annual herbs include basil, borage, cilantro, chamomile, and rosemary. Popular perennials and biennials include parsley, sage, and mint. Most herbs are annuals and the point of planting herbs in the fall is to give them a chance to get rooted and be prepared for an entire season in the early spring and summer months. That means you will be harvesting these annuals in the midst of the summer when the heat of the summer is useful in helping dry herbs for storage.
Ted Roberson
http://www.articlesbase.com/advice-articles/planting-herbs-in-the-fall-63641.html
November 20th, 2009 at 12:50 am
What 5 plants (herbs, flowers, or vegetables) should my class grow in our garden this fall/winter?
I would like plants that we could plant in october or november….:) i need to know the number of hours of sulight they will need per day too and what temp they need:) thank u guys!
November 20th, 2009 at 5:52 am
lettuce,marigolds,string beans,petunias,carrots
they migh some artfactial light,keep it room temp.
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November 20th, 2009 at 5:54 am
I presume you are in UK
Flowers include winter pansies and primroses ( if you buy plants they can go outside now ) Now is a good time to plant sweet pea seeds in long pots in a cold green house or cold frame to go out next spring .
As for veg, broad beans, Japanese onion sets and spring cabbage such as "Greyhound" can go in the ground now.
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November 20th, 2009 at 5:56 am
mandevilles are really nice plant, and if it is warm and himid in the room it will grow very fast and have nice blooms. only poblem with this one it that it is not an easy indoor plant to grow.
maybe a million bells plant is best. it grows pretty fast and has nice blooms. temps for germination should be around 80 degrees. also keep away from heating vents. doesnt matter about the amount of daylight it has, as long as it is kept away from signifcant temperature change.
lima beas seen to be very easly to grow and some classes have gotten theirs to flower and make seed pods just a month after germination. lima beans seem to be easy plants. the dont need too much water, and also dont need too much light.
good luck
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November 20th, 2009 at 5:58 am
broccoli lettuce cabbage parsley collards pansy dianthus snapdragon viola these can all be planted now and can handle cold and at least 4-5 hours of sunlight
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November 20th, 2009 at 6:00 am
Hi Paige,
This is a site for Texas, but does give good Northern Hemisphere hints — especially with regard to frost tolerance (http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/fallgarden/fallgrowing.html). This site has a good self-search engine too, and you’ll be able to get info on hours of sunlight and temperatures from this site.
Another way to look at it, is to think about what you’ll do with your produce at the end. When my (primary school or high school special ed) classes have grown things in the past, it has fitted in with a broader/thematic unit of study — like ‘water’ (water cycle, water efficiency, etc), or a business unit (like selling herbs (plants and cut/dried), or making food for sale (pizzas)). May as well squeeze as much umm .. pedagogical joy (!) from those plants as possible! Good Luck!
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