In your herb garden in September

Elder
Sambucus nigra

September – ‘season of mellow fruitfulness’ (as well as mists of course).  And in the herb garden there is plenty of fruitfulness, which means plenty of harvesting to be done, including seed to collect and store. Sloes will be starting to ripen, and elderberries and blackberries can be collected for jams, chutneys and jellies, or left for the birds.

It’s also the time to divide large clumps of established perennial herbs. But remember to leave un-cut some of the larger, hollow stemmed plants, and those that form a tussocky clump, as overwinter shelter for beneficial insects.

Things to do in the herb garden this month

• Harvest and dry roots of angelica, comfrey, sweet cicely, marshmallow, horseradish, Orris (Florentine Iris), liquorice and valerian.
• Collect and dry teasels for winter decoration, to use as rabbit defences around tender plants and to stick into bare soil to keep cats away. Leave a few standing, however, to provide food for goldfinches.
• Collect annual herbs before they die back in the cold to keep in jars for winter use.
• Continue gathering seed of caraway, coriander, dill, angelica, chervil, anise and fennel
• Take semi-ripe cuttings of rosemary, bay, hyssop, tarragon, rue, cotton-lavender and lavender. See below for instructions on taking semi-ripe cuttings
• Take softwood cuttings of lemon balm. See below for instructions on taking softwood cuttings
• Take root cuttings of sweet cicely, dandelion and comfrey. See below for instructions on taking root cuttings
• 
  Pot up some herbs for the winter
  Some herbs can be potted up and grown indoors overwinter. See below for instructions on potting up herbs
• Transplant spring-sown clary sage, (Salvia sclarea) to flowering position
• Divide large clumps of plants such as soapwort, bergamot, fennel, lovage, tansy, yarrow, elecampane and tarragon.
• Take inside containers of tender plants toward the end of this month. These will include scented geranium (Pelargonium spp.) myrtle, bay, lemon verbena and lemon grass. Check thoroughly for tiny grubs in the foliage. Curled up leaves are often the homes of tiny caterpillars that will continue to munch all winter long. Nip off any suspect leaves and put in the green waste bin. It’s also a good idea to remove the top layer of soil (about 1cm) and replace with a thin layer of horticultural grit. This will get rid of unwelcome larvae sheltering near the surface. In spring, remove the grit and replace with fresh potting compost.
• Cut back shrubby herbs after flowering including lavender, santolina, marjoram and curry plant in mild areas. In areas where winters may be harsh, remove only the spent flower heads, leaving the majority of the foliage in place over winter, where it will provide frost protection for the plants.
• Collect and freeze annual herbs before they die back in the cold. Mint, chives, coriander, basil, tarragon, can all be frozen for winter use. Freeze in ice cube trays with a little water, or in the case of chives, milk, if you want chivey potato mash.

Flavour from the garden this month

The last of the herbs to be harvested this month include.

• Basil (Ocimum basilicum) Annual
  A must for pasta and tomato dishes, or why not make your own pesto? Add torn leaves to dishes towards the end of cooking to preserve flavour, which is ruined if the herb is over-cooked. Move plants indoors as temperatures fall to extend the season. Sadly, basil rarely survives our English winters, even indoors. By November plants become sad, leggy shadows of their summer richness. If you have plenty of leaves, make pesto, but don’t add cheese, and freeze. Add cheese once thawed.
• 
  Anise hyssop
• Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) Perennial
  North American native produces fantastic spikes of purple flowers, which are loved by bees. Young leaves and flowers have a mild aniseed/mint flavour and can be used to make a refreshing tea, as well as to flavour fish and chicken dishes.
  Anise hyssop grows well in containers. Grows best in rich moist soil.
• Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) Perennial
  A popular addition to barbeques and soups and stews.
  Organic rosemary seed available from the The Organic Gardening Catologue.
• Borage (Borago officinalis) Annual
  This Mediterranean native produces blue, star-shaped flowers through until the first frosts in autumn. Dead heading helps to prolong the flowering period. Use fresh leaves and flowers in salads for a mild cucumber flavour.
  Organic borage seed available from The Organic Gardening Catalogue.
• 
  Cats can't resist Nepeta
• Catnep (Nepeta cataria) Perennial
  Although the camphor-like aroma is used in teas, this herb is best loved by cats. This is worth keeping in mind, for if there are pest problems of the feline variety, try growing a healthy crop in an area away from tender herbs. The fresh leaves add a light, mint flavour to salads.
  The scented dried leaves can be sewn into cloth balls. These make a popular toy for cats and kittens.
• Clary (Salvia sclarea) Perennial/Biennial
  A very attractive member of the sage family. Produces blue/purple/lilac flowers, which are white at the base. Easy to grow from seed, this sage has a slight vanilla/sage flavour, ideal for soups and salads.
• 
  Pineapple mint
  (Mentha suaveolens ‘Variegata’)
• Mint(Mentha spp.) Perennial
  Introduced to northern Europe by the Romans, mints are valuable culinary herbs used in sweet and savoury dishes, and teas. Spearmint (Mentha spicata) leaves have the freshest mint flavour. However, the flavour and colour of the plants may vary dependant upon the soil in which it is grown.
  As mints can be invasive, grow in pots sunk into the soil to help contain the roots. Or grow in a large container in which you can also grow some spring bulbs, such as crocus, and a small shrub, such as spirea or hardy fuchsia.
• Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) Perennial
  This herb produces clusters of delicate, fragrant white flowers tinged with pink. The root is less pleasantly fragranced, and is more attractive to cats than catnep. A tincture of the roots, which has a calming effect, was used to treat shell-shocked soldiers in World War One.
  Plant valerian in sun or partial shade, but make sure the roots are kept cool and moist.

The following herbs should also be available this month:

Lemon balm, bay, caraway, chervil, chives, fennel, hyssop, marjoram, mints, parsley, pennyroyal, sage, winter savory, sorrel, thyme.

Herbs to propagate this month

Seed Sowing

• 
  Angelica - a truly
  dramatic addition to
  the herb garden
• Angelica (Angelica archangelica) Biennial
  Native to continental Europe, where it grows alongside streams and in other damp places. Sow seed in early autumn in its final location – angelica hates to have its roots disturbed. It needs no protection from frosts, but it does require deep, moist soil. Angelica prefers a site where its roots are in shade, but its flowers get some sun.
  Organic angelica seed available from The Organic Gardening Catalogue
• Rocket (Eruca versicaria) Annual
  Mediterranean herb with peppery-flavoured leaves. Sow in rows into rich, moist, but well-drained, soil from early spring through until September. Leaves should be ready to pick in 6-8 weeks. If you sow in a large pot, you can move the plants under cover if the weather turns nasty. A cold greenhouse or cool conservatory is ideal for extending the growing season. The perennial wild rocket (Dipsotaxis tenuifolia) has a more pungent flavour, is less likely to bolt and doesn’t need winter shelter once you have a sturdy plant.
  
  Rocket leaves have
  a peppery flavour
  Organic rocket 'Rucola' and wild rocket seed is available from The Organic Gardening Catalogue.
• Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) Biennial
  Parsley is the most cultivated herb in Europe. It first became popular in Roman times. It prefers a rich, well-drained soil. Sowing now should provide you with leaves right through the winter. In hard weather, protection with fleece will help maintain a good crop. You can also sow, and grow, in pots either in a cool greenhouse or indoors. Pouring boiling water over seed after it is sown can help germination.
  
  Organic parsley seed, curled and flat-leaf, is available from The Organic Gardening Catalogue.

Seed to sow indoors

• Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) Annual
  This herb has been cultivated for more than 3000 years. It is mentioned in The Old Testament, and is traditionally eaten at Passover feasts. Sow seeds in pots, and position in a sunny well-ventilated spot. Direct sowing works best as coriander does not transplant well and tends to bolt. Trials have found that coriander is difficult to grow through the winter, just like basil. It is unlikely to last much beyond February. Be prepared to freeze some in order to have supplies to take you through to spring.
  Two types of organic coriander area available in The Organic Gardening Catalogue. 'Cilantro' is a special selection for goodleaf production.
• Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) Perennial
  
• At this time of year, sow in pots and place in a greenhouse or cool conservatory. You should get a crop before winter really sets in, but chives will die back. Providing some shelter will extend the season, but it’s also worth freezing some for use during the depths of winter
• Organic chives seed available from The Organic Gardening Catalogue.

Potting up herbs for a winter supply

It’s tempting to pot up herbs in order to keep them growing overwinter, but some are fussier than others. Not all will keep growing well, even if brought indoors. It seems that some plants, such as chives and mint, need a period of dormancy, while others, basil and coriander for example, just don’t like the low light levels of a British winter. But parsley does well indoors, as does oregano.

Pot up in gritty compost, and keep in a well-lit and airy spot. 

Cuttings to take

Both semi-ripe and softwood cuttings can be taken this month. Have a good look at your herbs. Some plants may be getting a bit too woody, out of shape or have suffered from prolonged drought while you were away on holiday. Cuttings are an easy way to reproduce new plants for next spring. Potted herbs also make great Christmas presents.

Semi-ripe cuttings
Semi-ripe cuttings can be taken from late summer to late autumn. Semi-ripe means that the base of the stem to be cut is firm and only slightly flexible, in comparison to the soft stems of a softwood cutting. Use this method to propagate the plants listed above in Things to do in the herb garden this month:

• Semi-ripe cuttings are taken mid to late summer and sometimes early autumn.
• Select shoots from the current seasons growth. Check that they are firm at the base, soft and pliable at top
• Take cuttings 10-15cm (4-6in) long with sharp knife. Cut below a node (where leaf joins stem)
• Remove leaves from the bottom two-thirds of the stem
• Insert cuttings into pots or trays of cuttings compost, 8-10cm apart. Do not allow leaves to touch compost, or the leaves of other cuttings. Mix your own cuttings compost by using your usual organic potting compost and mixing it with horticultural grit. Ratio: 1 part grit to 4 parts compost.
• Firm compost
• Label with name and date
• Water
• Over winter the cuttings in a cold frame/greenhouse/shady window ledge in a cool room. Cuttings don’t enjoy the dry air of central heating.
  

'Softwood' is the term given to the type of cutting taken from young growth in the spring and early summer, but also where new growth sprouts from recent cutting.
Here are the main points to follow:

• Take cuttings early in the morning
• Take cuttings with a knife rather than scissors (which squash the stem)
• If cuttings are not to be dealt with immediately, place in water or polythene bag and leave in shade
• Prepare pot or seed tray with good organic potting compost mixed with grit as above.
• Trim the cutting to just below a node (where leaf joins stem) and remove any leaves from bottom two thirds of the stem. This will reduce water loss as well as the possibility of fungus on leaves touching the soil
• Make hole with dibber and push cutting in. Make sure bottom of cutting touches bottom of hole
• Firm compost around cutting
• Water, but do not leave pot standing in water
• Covering with plastic bag or cloche can aid rooting in some cases. Be careful that the compost is not kept too wet, as cuttings can rot.

Root cuttings
Use this method for sweet Cicely, dandelion and comfrey.
Select a pencil thick section of the root, about five cm long. Cut the piece closest to the crown with a diagonal cut, the root end straight. This allows you to remember which bit is the top and which bit is bottom. Place in a pot of moist general-purpose compost. Cover with a centimetre of vermiculite, sand or perlite

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