A herb garden changes with the seasons, just as a vegetable garden does, but the rhythm is different. Herbs are a mix of perennials that wake in spring and annuals that must be sown fresh each year, of tender plants that live for one summer and woody shrubs that live for many years. The gardener's job changes with them: spring is for sowing and pruning, summer is for harvesting, autumn is for drying and protecting, and winter is for planning and patience.
This guide walks through the year for herbs, season by season. The exact dates depend on your climate — use our frost date calculator for your local dates, and check your local extension service for the calendar that fits your area.
Spring: sowing, pruning and waking the perennials
Spring starts when the soil can be worked and the worst of the cold has passed. Cut back the dead growth on perennial herbs — sage, thyme and oregano can be cut back by a third, and chives can be cut to the ground — and top-dress the beds with compost. Do not cut rosemary or lavender back hard; trim them lightly, always leaving green growth with leaves on it. Sow or plant the annual herbs: start basil indoors a few weeks before the last frost, sow dill and cilantro direct where they are to grow, and plant out parsley and mint — mint in its own pot.
Spring is also the time to divide overcrowded perennials. Dig up a tired clump of chives or oregano, split it into pieces, and replant the healthiest ones — division rejuvenates the plant and gives you spares. Check pots and beds for winter damage, replace any plant that has died, and refresh the compost in pots. Watch for slugs, which are at their worst in damp spring weather — our guide to slugs and snails control covers the options. And sow little and often: a small sowing of cilantro every two weeks gives a steady supply, while one big sowing bolts all at once.
Summer: harvesting, pinching and watering
Summer is the harvesting season, and the rule is little and often. Pinch basil every week or two to keep it bushy, pick parsley and mint as you need them, and cut chives with scissors when they get long. Pick in the morning, after the dew has dried, when the essential oils are at their most concentrated. Pinch off the flower buds on basil and cilantro as soon as they appear, because flowering ends useful leaf production. Let one plant of each kind flower, though — oregano, thyme and dill in flower bring bees and hoverflies into the garden.
Watering is the main summer job. Pots dry out fast in sun and wind, so check them daily, and water the soft herbs — basil, parsley and mint — more than the Mediterranean herbs, which want their soil to dry out between waterings. Feed lightly: a half-strength liquid feed once a month is enough for basil and parsley in pots, and Mediterranean herbs often need nothing. Check weekly for pests — aphids on basil, spider mites on rosemary indoors — and deal with the first few before they spread. Our watering calculator can help you work out how much your herbs need.
Autumn: drying, taking cuttings and protecting
Autumn is the season for preserving the harvest and preparing for winter. Dry rosemary, thyme, sage, oregano and mint by hanging small bunches upside down in a warm, airy, dark place, and freeze basil and parsley — they dry poorly and lose flavour. Use our herb drying calculator to work out drying times. Harvest lavender flowers as they fade, and collect seed from dill and cilantro when the seed heads are dry.
Autumn is also the time to take cuttings. Rosemary, mint and oregano all root readily from cuttings taken in late summer, and a cutting taken now will be a sturdy young plant by spring. Bring tender herbs indoors before the first frost — basil and lemongrass in pots can live on a sunny windowsill for weeks. Prune rosemary and lavender lightly after flowering, never cutting to bare wood, and sow parsley and cilantro for an autumn crop in mild climates.
Winter: protection, planning and indoor herbs
Winter is the quiet season for outdoor herbs, but it is not a dead season. Hardy herbs such as thyme, sage, chives and mint stand in the ground and can be picked on mild days — rosemary and thyme can be picked all year. Protect potted herbs from freezing solid: move them against a sheltered wall, wrap the pots in fleece, and raise them off the ground. Reduce watering sharply — plants in cold compost need very little water, and wet, cold compost rots roots. Do not feed in winter.
Indoors, winter is the season for windowsill herbs. A pot of basil or parsley on a sunny sill, with a grow light in the darkest months, gives fresh leaves all winter. Use winter to plan: note which herbs thrived and which struggled, order seed early, and decide what to move in spring — a herb in the wrong soil or the wrong light will not improve by itself. If you are unsure about overwintering a particular herb in your area, check your local extension service for their advice.
Succession sowing for a year-round supply
The thread that ties the seasons together is succession sowing. Sow cilantro and dill a little every two to three weeks from spring to late summer, and you will have a steady supply instead of a glut followed by a gap. Sow a fresh pot of basil every few weeks indoors, so there is always a young plant coming along behind the one you are picking. Sow parsley in spring and again in late summer for an autumn and winter crop. And use the space freed by an annual herb — a cilantro plant that has bolted in July leaves a gap for a late sowing of parsley or a new pot of basil.
Keep notes on sowing dates and what worked, and after two or three seasons you will have a calendar tuned to your own garden. The harvest date calculator can help you work backwards from the date you want to pick. And remember that succession sowing is also insurance: if slugs eat the first sowing of parsley, or a late frost kills the first basil, the next sowing is already on its way.
Common mistakes
The most common seasonal mistake is doing everything at once in spring — sowing all the cilantro and all the basil in one weekend, and then having a glut in July and nothing in September. The second is neglecting summer watering for potted herbs, which dry out in a day in a heatwave. The third is forgetting to bring tender herbs indoors before the first frost. The fourth is pruning rosemary and lavender hard in autumn, so soft new growth is damaged by frost. And the fifth is skipping the planning: growing the same annual herb in the same pot year after year, and wondering why it does worse each time. Sow little and often, harvest little and often, and plan a little each winter.
| Season | Main jobs | Key herbs |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | Prune perennials, top-dress, sow annuals, divide clumps | Basil (indoors), dill, cilantro, parsley, chives |
| Summer | Harvest little and often, pinch tips, water pots daily | Basil, mint, parsley, rosemary, thyme |
| Autumn | Dry and freeze herbs, take cuttings, bring tender herbs in | Rosemary, thyme, sage, oregano, lavender, lemongrass |
| Winter | Protect pots, pick hardy herbs, grow herbs indoors | Rosemary, thyme, sage, chives; basil on a sunny sill |
Frequently asked questions
What should I do with herbs in spring?
Cut back dead growth on perennials, top-dress with compost, divide overcrowded chives and oregano, start basil indoors before the last frost, and sow dill and cilantro direct. Do not cut rosemary or lavender back hard — trim lightly, always leaving green growth.
How do I care for herbs in summer?
Harvest little and often, pinch basil every week or two, pinch off flower buds, water pots daily in hot weather, feed lightly, and check weekly for aphids and spider mites. Pick in the morning when essential oils are most concentrated.
What do I do with herbs in autumn?
Dry rosemary, thyme, sage, oregano and mint, freeze basil and parsley, take cuttings of rosemary and mint, bring tender herbs indoors before the first frost, and prune rosemary and lavender lightly after flowering.
Can I pick herbs in winter?
Yes — hardy herbs such as rosemary, thyme, sage and chives can be picked on mild days all winter. Tender herbs must be indoors. Reduce watering sharply in winter, protect pots from freezing, and do not feed.
How do I keep herbs going all year?
Sow little and often — cilantro and dill every two to three weeks, a fresh pot of basil every few weeks indoors — and sow parsley in spring and late summer. Keep notes, so you build a calendar tuned to your own garden.