Too late for herb cuttings?

Mediterranean-type herbs love welldrained compost, so add 20% potting grit to your usual mix.

QI’ve stocked my garden with a variety of herbs – mainly for cooking. My daughter is moving away in a month’s time and would like to take some with her, to grow in pots at first. Is it too late to take some cuttings, or could I lift some sections of them?

Andrea Garbut, South Witham, Lincolnshire

AI imagine we’re talking mainly about herbs used for cooking and tea making. Many – including mints, lemon balm, marjoram, fennel and chives – are herbaceous perennials and now, when they are going dormant and dying back, is actually a good time to shear foliage, lift, divide and replant.

You can rejuvenate older plants and, at the same time, pot a few sections for your daughter. To ease transport, use small plastic pots – your daughter can then decide whether to plant them out, pot them on singly, or amalgamate them into larger containers next year.

Shrubby herbs such as bay, rosemary, thyme, lavender and sage are usually propagated by cuttings, and while the best time for taking these is spring or summer, there is no harm in starting a few now. Given the reducing light and temperatures of autumn, they might take longer to root, but can stay in their pots of gritty cuttings compost all winter, ready for potting separately in spring.

Look around the roots of established thyme plants, as long stems often layer themselves into the ground. Cut them from the parent plant, lever up the roots and pot the small plant, trimming back any wayward stems. An established plot should also yield seedlings of borage, fennel and pot marigold (calendula).

Mints spread from rhizomes or underground stems, so fork some up and cut sections of rhizome so that each holds a couple of trimmed stems or some obvious growth points, plus proper roots. A few of these potted up will soon burst into growth and give you some autumn pickings before dying back.

Herbs are relatively cheap to buy, but the beauty of this project is that your daughter will be taking a piece of home with her. Their flowers will attract lots of insects, too. 2

Divide lemon balm ready for potting up. This herb usually dies right back for winter and grows new leaves in spring. 3

This small thyme plant has layered itself from the parent. Sever the connecting stems before lifting and potting the new plant. 4

Mint rhizomes can be cut into smaller sections so that several will fit into a pot. Mints spread readily and are often contained in large pots sunk in the ground.

Growing a wide variety of herbs brings exciting scents and flavours to the kitchen garden. While lifting and dividing plants to freshen up, potting a few to give away is a great plan Lavenders such as ‘Anouk’ are usually propagated by cuttings, and there’s no harm in taking a few now some cuttings of mints such as Mentha x piperita ‘Mitcham’

Borage seeds will make a welcome addition