Picture taken at The Herb Cottage. I am reluctant to prune this one because it blooms all summer. A light pruning helps keep it bushy and the flowers rebloom immediately.
In my area of South Central Texas, from early summer until at least the end of September the weather is very hot and humid. It is stressful for our plants, even the hardy herbs. It’s stressful for the gardener, too, but that’s topic for another discussion.
One way to help our herbs survive the summer weather is to prune them back at bit. This way, they have a shorter stem to keep hydrated.
Herbs that bloom in early summer often look a little ragged after the blooms fade. This is the perfect time to prune the plants back a bit. The general rule is to prune about ⅓ of the length of the stem. Some plants, however, we can prune to the ground. Read on for more details.
Herbs That May Need Pruning
MINTS
Mints may become leggy in the summer, unless you’ve really been using them a lot to keep their growth compact. Mojitos anyone?
I find this is the perfect time of year to prune the mints back. The intense heat of late summer here in Texas is not kind to mints. So, I like to prune off the long growth and dry it for use in iced teas and allow the plant to put on new growth from the roots. This practice gives the plants some rest from having to pump so much water to the ends of the stems during the hottest time of the year.
You can prune all the way to the ground, if you like. They’ll come back beautifully, provided you keep the plants watered.
This is also a good time to divide your mints. Whether they’re growing in containers or in the ground, you can dig sections out or dig (or de-pot) the whole plant and see where new little sections have started themselves. Clip those off the main plant and replant or repot them. If you see brown or shriveled roots on the main part of the plant, prune those off, too. Then, repot or replant the main plant- or discard it if it looks tired or if the center of the plant has died out.
Just remember water all plants regularly after pruning, transplanting or dividing and new growth will begin in a few weeks. Meanwhile, you have the dried mint for your tea.
OREGANO/MARJORAM
By mid summer, my oregano and marjoram have flowered or are flowering. Since these are perennial plants, you can enjoy the flowers and leave them on until they play out. Flowers from the oregano family bring beneficial insects to your garden and they are pretty. If you like, you can clip them for cut display or use them to flavor your cooking.
Several types of oregano are designated as ‘flowering oregano’ or ‘ornamental oregano’. These are cultivars are bred for their more dramatic flowers. Alas, some of the flavor is lost from these types and they are best used as hardy ornamental landscape plants.
Whichever type of oregano you are growing, after the flowers fade, the plant doesn’t look its best. The stems can become leggy and the spent flowers are rather unattractive. So, now is the time to prune the flower heads off. You can also prune the whole plant back if it’s too big or needs shaping.
This oregano has grown without regular pruning. You can see the leafless stems at the bottom of the plant and all the new growth at the top. This is a perfect candidate to severe pruning. All the way to the ground! I’ll water it about twice a week during the rest of the summer and watch the new growth come out!
PRUNING PRINCIPLES
There is a general principle of pruning which says for best results, don’t prune more than about 1/3 of the growth of the plant. This is true for some plants, like a large Rosemary, roses and other shrubs. But, we can prune many herbs all the way to the ground if they are growing out of control or look leggy. Which ones, you might ask? Here’s a list of some common herbs that we can prune all the way to the ground, whether you’re growing in pots or in the ground:
- oregano
- marjoram
- mints
- lemon balm
- catnip
BASIL
Since basil is an annual, it has different characteristics from the previous plants I’ve mentioned. It flowers much more readily, as those of you who grow basil know.
We attempt to keep it from flowering by frequent harvesting. Once the plant gets older and the stem starts to become woody, the tops will begin to flower signaling that the plant is near the end of its annual cycle.
We can clip off flowers to maintain the leafy, succulent growth for a while, but eventually, the plant wants to flower, set seed and die out.
If you haven’t been harvesting your basil frequently and the plant still has leafy growth all along the stem, go ahead and prune the stems back, but not so far as to get into the woody growth, if you see that. It’s unlikely the plant will leaf out again if you prune back to the woody growth. By pruning into just the newer, soft wood, your basil will send out new branches and leaves for your next harvest.
It is best to harvest/prune your basil fairly frequently during its active growth. That way, you avoid getting those long stems that lose leaves along the stem and end up with just the fresh, new growth at the top. If your basil is very leggy with growth only at the top of the stems, it’s probably best to take it out and put in a new plant.
I am often asked if we can grow basil from cuttings. And, the answer is a resounding YES! The best time to take basil cuttings is in the early growth stages of the plant. I don’t mean when it’s very young and soft, but before it looks like it’s going to begin to flower.
Any cutting you stick and root is the same age as the plant you took it from. So, if the stem you’re rooting was about to flower when it was attached to the plant, it might flower right away as a rooted cutting, too.
A packet or two (or three…) of basil seed is very inexpensive. Starting basil from seed is easy, and it’s easier as the weather warms up. So, if you’re really into basil or pesto, think about investing in some seed early in the season and every 3 or 4 weeks during the growing season, sow a few seeds for new plants. That way, when your older plants no longer look lush and lovely, you have new plants coming along to replace them with.
LEMON BALM
Another herb that usually needs pruning this time of year is lemon balm.
After flowering, growth can get leggy and the heat can cause the leaves to look splotchy and brown. Just prune it to the ground and you’ll have lush, new growth in a few weeks. By Fall, your plant will be its old self again, ready for harvesting more of those lemony, soothing leaves for tea, cakes, quick breads and more.
Herbs that Don’t Need Pruning
CHIVES
Chives, including regular and garlic varieties rarely need pruning. Their growth habit is grass-like, so they never become leggy. If you harvest correctly by clipping the whole stalk just above the soil line, the individual stalk with grow out again and the clump will keep growing and putting out new stalks. If you harvest simply by grabbing a handful and ‘giving them a haircut’, you will not see as much new growth.
Definitely allow your chives to flower. Garlic chives bloom in July through August, the regular chives tend to bloom earlier in the summer- in June. You can use the flowers in vinegars and salads, too, just like the stalks.
LEMON GRASS
Lemon Grass is another herb that doesn’t really need pruning. As with the chives, it’s best to harvest by clipping the whole stalk. In fact, with lemon grass, it’s the fleshy part near the soil line that’s we use in cooking. Cut the fleshy part away from the leafy part and either mince or smash it to release the flavor.
Personally, I think the best way to use lemon grass is to add it to your dish in large pieces so you can remove it before serving the dish. It’s very tough and should not be eaten.
The leafy parts make a light and flavorful tea. It dries well, too, so you can preserve it for use. I like it mixed with green tea for an aromatic and satisfying hot or iced tea.
FENNEL
Fennel tends to be perennial here, so I just let it grow as it pleases. I get new stalks on a regular basis and it stays looking good. Sometimes I cut off the spent flower heads with the seed to keep for trades, baking and reseeding. Occasionally, I prune off dried branches or ones that are broken. Otherwise, my fennel just takes care of itself.
Oh.. fennel is a favorite of my garden visitor- a pesky gopher- and I find the whole plant toppled over with no root whatsoever, and I know the gopher has been in that herb bed. Apparently, gophers like fennel root, as well as parsley root. I grow most of my fennel now in large containers.
In Texas, summer means getting into the herb garden in the early morning when it’s cool- relatively so, anyway- or in the evening. I water, prune, harvest and enjoy watching the butterflies and other pollinators among the plants. After I finish in the garden in the morning, I love to sit in the shade with a glass of herbal iced tea and just look at the plants, the pollinators and the birds in the area. So peaceful. I marvel at the many shapes, textures and colors of the herbs in the garden.
Taking some time in the summer to prune and rejuvenate your herbs will give you healthier and more productive plants as the season continues and on into the fall. Remember, don’t stress yourself in the heat. Take breaks. Enjoy some herbal iced tea and take in the plants.
And, remember, even in Texas, summer won’t last forever.
QUOTE FOR THE MONTH
Since when do we have to agree with people to defend them from injustice?
-Lillian Hellman, playwright (20 Jun 1905-1984)