Ground Force legend Alan Titchmarsh has put out a series of tips via Gardeners World to help gardeners protect their precious herb gardens in the freezing cold winter months
Green-fingered Brits who’ve been nurturing herb gardens are being warned to brace their beloved plants for winter’s chill.
Ground Force icon Alan Titchmarsh has shared his wisdom via Gardeners’ World, offering a lifeline of tips to keep those precious herbs from succumbing to the frosty embrace of the colder months. From garlic to basil and the hardier sage and rosemary, Alan advises close care during the icy spells, particularly with snow forecasted by the Met Office in the near future.
Now’s the time, he suggests, to safeguard your herbal treasures. Alan said: “Where would we be without the herbs that flavour our food?” He highlighted the resilience of certain herbs, noting: “Even in winter, with things like bay in lovely winter soups and stews, being evergreen it can stay out all year round, in all but the coldest localities.”
He also mentioned rosemary’s robust nature, able to withstand the garden’s year-round climate. However, he pointed out that not all herbs are as tough, saying: “Other perennial herbs like mint and chives which tend to die down in winter – their interest and their savoury uses can be prolonged by digging them up now and making sure that you’re putting them in a place where through the winter you can carry on encouraging them to grow.”
Alan then demonstrated how to transplant chives indoors, advising viewers to trim excess foliage and replant them in a tray after division, reports the Express. Alan shared his gardening wisdom, saying: “I prefer to put a clump like this in a clay pot with some ordinary peat free compost.”
He also highlighted the benefits of indoor herb gardening: “The prospect of having fresh chives right through the winter more than makes up for the bit of work you put into it. You can do the same with mint too.”
Meanwhile, Gardeners World issued a warning: “Wet conditions kill more herbs in winter than the cold, so place container-grown perennials such as oregano, thyme, sage and rosemary in a sheltered position against a wall or the side of the house or garage.
“This will reduce the amount of rainfall hitting the pot by around 25 per cent.”
