This time of year, it's easy to just let the herbs in your garden go. Maybe you've made enough pesto to feed an army or used all the dill you'll need for pickles. But there are good reasons to stay on top of your annual and perennial herbs. Some can be protected from winter, some brought indoors and you can collect seeds from others.
Perennial herbs, such as lavender, chives and thyme, should survive our winters outdoor. Protect them with a layer of bark mulch in November. Rosemary and parsley should be brought indoors for use during winter. Then there are self-sowers that love to spread their seeds around the garden. They include coriander, dill and calendula. Collect those seeds, dry them and store in glass jars in a cool, dark place for winter. Next year you can sow them where you want.
Hear more on the topic by listening to this podcast.
Now for this week's tip: harvest pears while still firm when squeezed. If you wait until they soften, the insides will be mealy and mushy. Tilt the fruit horizontally. If it breaks off easily, it's ready to harvest.
