Overwintering a Tender Perennial Herb

[bluelacedredhead]

For the very tender like Rosemary, I find I have to container grow it, and bring it indoors over the winter.
But Sage is a little more cold hardy although at this particular house, I haven't had much luck with it? My herb garden is southwest facing, and sometimes we get vicious winds and storms from the west.
I've lost 3 large common sage here now.
Wondering what I can do to protect the next one?
Plant closer to the house?
Styrofoam rosebush collar?
Feedstore bag tied around it??

[flowerpower]

I always take a division or a cutting to overwinter. Sage is easy to propagate by layering. I mulch the plants with at least an inch of spoiled hay. I do not cut them back to the ground. They aren't taller than a ft anyway in the fall.

My garden has at least 3 ft of snow covering it for most of the winter. This protects the plants from the winds alot. Sage will show new growth both from the branches and the crown. I would say to treat it like a rosebush for the winter.

[Brook]

Or treat it like the rosemary, and bring it indoors.

You don't have to treat it like a houseplant, though. If you store it in a place that stays cool, but doesn't freeze (i.e., basement, garage, whathaveyou) it should do just fine.

The literature says to water about once a month when storing perennials that way. But I've found you have to water more frequently than that. Maybe every two to three weeks, depending on conditions. You don't want the soil wet, but you don't want it dust dry, either. Sort of like a wrung-out sponge.

[GreenCap]

Brook is that what I would do with rosemary and lavender as well? I have killed every rosemary plant I ever had when I bring it in. I can't get the water thing right. Funny my sage grows great outdoors but lavender well, that is another story.

[cReAtIoN gRoAnS]

I must be backwards...my sage crops come back every year...but my rosemary never has made it yet. This year I am going to build something portable over my rosemary. Dont know what yet but I have finally got a really nice plant going and I don't want to lose it.


later!

[Brook]

A lot depends on your USDA Plant Hardiness Zone, plus any microclimates you may have, coupled with the tenderness of the plant.

F'rinstance, I can winter-over garden sage in the ground. But white sage needs to come indoors. Rosmary doesn't winter over by me, either. Lavender is strange. Friends only a couple of miles away are covered up with it. But it won't winter over for me.

Greencap: Yes, that should work with both the rosemary and lavender. Potential problem with the rosemary, though, is how big it can get. Once it outgrows a reasonable sized container (i.e., one that you are comfortable moving), it's time to take cuttings and start over with a new plant.

Chad: I haven't tried this, but I'm wondering if you treat your rosemary like a fig if that will help? With figs you wrap the tree (once the leaves have dropped) with roofing paper, surround that with a tube of chicken wire, and fill the cylinder with leaves.

The one thing to not use is plastic or foam, because they create too warm an environment.

With rosemary I wouldn't be surprised if just a heavy mulch of leaves would do it.

Rosemary is theoretically hardy in our locations, so I don't know why both of us have trouble with it. But I'd bet a difference of as little as 5 degrees would be all it takes.

[rngardener]

I live near Atlanta. I've found that most winters, rosemary does fine here with no help. However, every few years we have a doozie (sp?) that kills beautiful old rosemary bushes. So I try to keep rosemary close to the south facing wall of the house. My new home, however, is very shaded on the south side, so I have rosemary out in the garden. Not sure if I should let it take its chances there or try to bring it in.

Now for something completely different. Last night I was in the garden just before dusk, having a beverage and loving on my tomato plants. I got a creepy, "I'm being watched" feeling. I started to look around. At first, I didn't see anyone...then I started to see them. Bunnies. I was surrounded on all sides by bunnies! Just 5 or 6, but, for just a moment, I felt rather intimidated by them sitting so still and silent watching me. I haven't noticed that they've done any damage in the garden. It reminded my of camping on Cumberland Island, GA. The raccoons there do that every night -- they start to stalk you, waiting for you to leave your food unattended for just a sec. Very bold.

[cReAtIoN gRoAnS]

Thanks Brook!

I will try that....or something similar.

I do not want to lose this beauty!


Thanks!

[flowerpower]

Brook, how big does the White Sage get? I would like to grow it but don't know if I would have the space in winter. Could I take cuttings? Thanks

[Brook]

I don't know whether cuttings work or not, Flowerpower. My guess is that it would, because other sages can be propagated that way.

I grow the White Sage is tallish, 6-inch wide decorative pots, and harvest most of the new growth before it dies down. This keeps the plants to a manageable size. It goes dormant over the winter, so has to be kept cool without freezing, and watered occasionally.

Do to mismanagement, I lost all the White Sage this past winter, and will be starting over with it again next year.

I get mine from Horizon Herbs, and buy the started plants rather than seed.