8 autumn herb tips

• Sow herbs, including chives, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme, and parsley. Cool-season annuals such as chervil and coriander can still be planted but need a sheltered spot.

• Most herbs produce a better flavour if the soil is average rather than overly rich. Dig in a little compost before planting, but don’t overdo it.

• Keep chives well-watered if it’s still dry or they’ll be at risk from black aphids. If you’ve already got aphids, blast them off with the hose.

• Trim lavender but don’t cut into old wood as it won’t regrow.

• Prune rosemary to keep it from going spindly.

• Take hardwood cuttings of lavender, rosemary, and lemon verbena and overwinter in a cold frame. You can also layer lavender and rosemary (cover an attached stem with soil, which will then develop roots).

• Take cuttings of tender French tarragon and keep it indoors over winter.

• Prune thyme plants if they’re becoming straggly. Propagate established plants by layering.