Sage leaves can be picked
through the winter

What to do in your herb garden in November

The nights are drawing in fast, and temperatures will be dropping significantly this month. With careful planning there are still many aromatic herbs that can be harvested right through the winter and planting of herbaceous herbs can continue whenever the soil is workable.

Things to do this month

• If the weather is still mild, herbaceous and clump forming herbs such as lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), sorrel (Rumex acetosa), sweet cicely (Myrris odorata) and vervain (Verbena officinalis), can be divided to make more plants. The new plants can be placed in the garden or potted up to give away, or plant elsewhere in the spring.
• Sow seed of plants which require stratification See below for information about stratifying seeds.
• Reduce watering of plants in pots and other containers.
• Cut back and prune to shape cotton lavender (Santolina spp.) to create a tidy plant. This is often used for hedging in knot gardens.
• Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) spreads easily from seed. Cut back after flowering in the summer and remove any remaining seed heads now to prevent it spreading all over the garden.
• Take care when digging out herbs and weeding this month. Many plants, such as the mandrake (Mandragora officinarum) may be dormant and easily damaged.
• Protect non-hardy herbs such as lemon verbena (Aloysia triphylla) and scented geraniums from winter frosts by bringing indoors into a frost-free greenhouse or conservatory.

Flavour from the garden this month

Herbs are very versatile. The following herbs can provide fresh flavours for the pot all through the winter:

• 
  Rosemary is evergreen and can
  be used throughout the winter
  
  
  Keep mints on your windowsill
  for use in the cold season
• Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) Perennial
  This is a low growing aromatic herb with a mint-camphor-like flavour. It can be slightly bitter. Add in a small quantity to oily fish dishes and meat stews. It also adds a refreshing flavour to salads.
  Organic seed is available from the Organic Gardening Catalogue.
• Bay (Laurus nobilis)
  An evergreen tree, growing to about 25ft in Great Britain. Usually clipped to maintain as a compact shrub in the herb garden. Leaves can be picked and used fresh throughout the year, to flavour stocks, sauces and marinades, or in bouquet garni.
• Rosemary (Rosmarinus sp.)
  An evergreen shrub and leaves can be picked all year round. Use when roasting meat, potatoes or other vegetables. It can be added to a wood fire to give off a lovely aroma.
• Sage (Salvia spp.)
  An evergreen perennial used for flavouring stuffings and other fatty foods, including sausages. It has a strong flavour, and should be used sparingly. Cooled sage tea is an effective gargle to help sore throats and as a mouth wash for infected gums or mouth ulcers because of its antiseptic properties.
• Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) Perennial
  Lift clumps of chives and pot up for use throughout the winter. Place in a warm spot with lots of light, such as a kitchen windowsill.
  Organic chive seed is available from The Organic Gardening Catalogue.
• Mints (Mentha sp.) Perennial
  Lift clumps of mint and pot up for use throughout the winter. There are so many different species of mint available, with flavours ranging from chocolate to pineapple. It is a very versatile herb, suitable for use in drinks, salads and many other dishes.
  

Herbs to propagate this month

Seed Sowing

Stratification is a technique used to break the dormancy of seeds that require exposure to low temperatures before they can germinate. This can be achieved by sowing seeds in the autumn, then leaving the trays outside or in a cold frame.

The process is as follows

1. Sow seed in a well-drained seed compost.
2. Cover lightly with coarse sand or grit.
3. Put the container outside, in a spot where it will be exposed to all weathers, including frosts.
4. Cover with wire mesh if necessary to keep mice and squirrels from eating the seed
5. Do not allow the compost to dry out or the seed will not germinate. Do not allow the seed to sit in water either, or they will rot.
6. In spring, prick out the seedlings into larger pots. Plant out when large enough, in late spring.

To speed things up, stratification can be done artificially in a fridge.

1. Mix seed with damp (not wet) coarse sand or vermiculite
2. Put this in a plastic bag in the fridge; turn it occasionally
3. Keep the seeds in the fridge for up to 12 weeks – check them regularly and remove them if they start to germinate. After 12 weeks, whether they have begun to germinate or not, sow in a sheltered environment such as a window sill or unheated greenhouse. They should germinate earlier than those stored outside for the winter. This method also means they do not end up as food for hungry pests such as mice.
   

All the following herbs require stratification.

• Arnica (Arnica montana) Perennial
  A very pretty golden-flowered, daisy-like plant, from the mountains of Europe. This herb grows best on a slightly acid soil and is suitable for the rock garden or flower border. It is a protected species in the wild. Arnica should not be eaten; it is for external uses only.
• Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum) Perennial
  A native sweet-smelling, pretty herb, which produces tiny white flowers, from spring to summer.
  Dried sweet woodruff can be used as a fabric freshener. Place dried stems and leaves between stored clothes, sheets and towels for a smell of freshly mown hay. Alternatively use in pot pourri or herb pillows.
• 
  Yellow Iris
  
  
  Field poppy
  
  
  Sweet cicely has beautiful
  flowers in summer and
  seeds can be sown now
• Yellow Iris (Iris pseudacorus) Perennial
  A beautiful native plant suitable for a damp area, or water garden. Elegant deep yellow flowers appear early/mid summer summer and continue until early autumn. Now grown mainly for historical interest and wildlife value, as it has no modern culinary or medicinal uses.
• Field Poppy (Papaver rhoeas) Annual
  This is a very pretty small poppy with brilliant scarlet flowers; a delight to see in the summer cornfields. The seed can be used in baking.
• Soapwort (Saponaria officinalis) Perennial
  A hardy plant with lovely pale pink, sweetly scented flowers. Containing a natural soap, this herb has been used for centuries as a shampoo and is still used today to clean medieval tapestries. Sow seed into a prepared flower-bed in full sun position.
  This plant should not be taken internally as it is poisonous!
• Sweet Cicely (Myrrhis odorata) Perennial
  Attractive fern like leaves and frothy creamy white flowers from spring to summer make this a favourite addition to the herb garden. Sweet Cicely prefers a rich, well-drained soil, but can spread. Leaves can be added to salads and puddings. Green seeds can be added to fruit salads. The ripe brown seeds have a sweet, aniseed flavour. Roots can be cooked like parsnip or grated onto salads. It also makes good wine. The flavour is of sweet, mild aniseed.
  Leaves provide a sweetener suitable for diabetics.
• Sweet Violet (Viola odorata) Perennial
  A beautiful low-growing plant with sweet-scented purple flowers. The essential oil is used in perfumes, the crystallised flowers for cakes.
  An infusion of sweet violet flowers added to a hot bath helps to ease aches and pains.
• Angelica (Angelica archangelica) Biennial
  Native to continental Europe, angelica produces umbels of sweetly scented, greenish-white flowers in its second year. It then sets seed and dies. Young leaves can be chopped and added to salads, stir-fry dishes and soups. Stems of second year growth are often candied and used to flavour deserts.

Cuttings to take

Although spring is usually the best time for softwood cuttings, it can be worth trying some in the autumn.

More information about softwood cuttings here

Preparing for Christmas

• Sprigs of rosemary, thyme, bay, garlic and chillies can all be added to wine and cider vinegars to make attractive and interesting presents.
• To make herbal bath salts mix 200g of Epsom salts or coarse sea salt with a large handful of pine needles or rosemary leaves, add about 20 drops of essential oil – melissa or rose geranium will add a floral, seasonal note – and decant into pretty jars.
• Christmas pot pourri is simple to make from dried garden herbs and store cupboard ingredients. Mix juniper sprigs, dried rosebuds, bay leaves, rosemary sprigs, cinnamon chips, cloves, and assorted pine cones together until it smells great and looks interesting. You can also add essential oils for extra scent and orris root as a fixative to help retain the aroma.
• Pomanders are easy to make and smell delicious. Take one large Seville orange and insert cloves through the skin to cover about 75% of the surface. You may need to use a knitting needle to make holes first. Roll the whole thing in dried cinnamon powder and orris root powder, then leave to dry for about 4 weeks in a warm dry place, such as an airing cupboard. Use to scent and repel moths from wardrobes and clothes drawers or place in a room to add a delightful seasonal scent.
  

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