The Beginner's Herb Garden: An Herb Society of America Guide
Garden Cleanup
The garden should be kept clean at all times. Constantly remove dead leaves,
spent flower stalks, and dead flowers (unless you want the
plant to go to seed). Decaying plant matter encourages slugs, insects and
disease. The flowering period of many plants can be extended considerably if dead
flower heads are faithfully removed. Remove annual herbs at
the end of their growing season and collect plant stakes for another year
of use.
Winter Protection
Fortunately, many plants are hardy and can withstand cold and snow. Snow itself is a natural and perfect mulch, provided it is a winter-long covering. In lieu of snow, a mulch of straw, oak or beech leaves may be applied when the ground has frozen. If they are available, place small tree branches over the leaves to hold them in place. Evergreen branches can add further protection.
A winter mulch helps maintain an even soil temperature and thus prevents alternate freezing and thawing with its consequent winterkill. The mulch should be removed gradually in the spring.
Next section: Herbs in Common Use