What should be done in the garden before the first frost?
Even if you are not located in Idaho, this might be interesting and informative for you.
Via: U of I Master Gardenerat the Idaho Statesman
Now that the initial shock of “what I didn’t get done this summer” has worn off, it’s time to think about what can be accomplished before the snow flies.
According to the National Climate Data Center, Boise’s average first frost date is Sept. 22.
If you already have an herb garden, watch for the basil to die back. It’s the most frost tender of all herbs and is a signal that nights are getting cold and all other annuals will soon be gone.
If you have perennial herbs in pots that need to be brought inside for the winter, do so soon after the basil dies back.
If you don’t have an herb garden but have been thinking about starting one, first find a suitable space. Most herbs need full sun but will tolerate afternoon shade. That makes the east, northeast or southeast parts of the yard the best areas for an herb garden.
Some herbs are annual, some biannual and some are perennial. Some are grown for their leaves, some for their seeds. A Purdue University Advanced Master Gardener put together a list of herbs and the culture of each one. You can download the list and keep it for future use. Purdue University is in Zone 5, so any herbs that can be grown there can be grown in our Zone 6.
