Indoor Herbs Look Dead in Winter
Answered by: Inge Poot
Question from: Adam
Posted on: January 22, 2002

Last spring, I purchased around $350.00 worth of French thyme, Syrian oregano, tarragon and rosemary. Early fall before any cold weather, I took them all inside, but they look dead now. I had lots of people look at them and say they are dead, or they are going through a winter stage, they will come back in the spring, just put them back out this spring and they will come back, or some people just laugh and say they are all dead. What’s up, can you help me out with this one, I do not know what to do?

Looking forward to see you guys this spring.

Except for rosemary which never dies down, the other plants may have died down. French thyme and Syrian oregano don’t usually die down and I fear the worst. Keep them cool and slightly moist until spring and maybe you will have a pleasant surprise. French tarragon needs at least a month of freezing weather to come out of dormancy again. I would suggest putting it for a month in the fridge and then for a month out of doors in slightly freezing weather. If it was not dead , then it should come back in the spring. Since the tarragon plants are in pots, they cannot survive temperatures much below freezing.

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