The curry herb comes from the Mediterranean region and is not hardy. You can also find it commercially as a curry bush, immortelle or Italian helichrysum. Although it is not included in the spice powder of the same name, it tastes very similar.

The curry herb is used to warm Mediterranean climates

Can I also harvest curry herb in winter?

If your curry herb is in the garden, then it must be brought to winter quarters for further use, even if it tolerates a little more cold than other Mediterranean herbs. Ideally, you overwinter your curry herb at around + 10 °C.

This is the temperature in an unheated greenhouse or a cool conservatory, for example. There you can then harvest your curry herb throughout the winter. However, it should also be relatively bright in the winter quarters, the curry herb does not like a dark basement room.

How do I care for curry herb in winter?

The curry herb can only overwinter in the garden if it is frost-free and not too wet. With the help of a well-designed frost protection you can protect the herb from frost, at least in the short term, but it needs minimal care even in winter.

From time to time you should water your curry herb so that it does not die of thirst. As an evergreen plant, it needs water all year round. However, the herb must not get too wet, because it does not tolerate waterlogging. Fertilizer is not needed at all in winter, it generally has a rather low nutrient requirement.

How do I prepare curry herb for winter?

If your curry herb is to overwinter in a mild area in a sheltered spot outside, then protect the root ball from frost with a thick layer of leaves and brushwood, but also from excessive moisture. You can wrap the parts of the plant above ground with a bamboo or straw mat. However, the plant must still get enough air.

It is best not to cut back the curry herb in autumn, in spring you can remove any frozen shoot tips. You can only prune it in autumn if the shrub is too big for the planned winter quarters, but not right down to the wood. The curry herb can only sprout well from the soft shoots.

The essentials in brief:

  • not hardy
  • ideally overwinter at approx. + 10 °C
  • well suited winter quarters: cool conservatory or frost-free greenhouse
  • evergreen
  • can also be harvested in winter
  • Avoid waterlogging all year round
  • water from time to time, even in winter, but do not fertilize
  • better cut back in spring than in autumn

tips

It is best for your curry herb to overwinter in a frost-free greenhouse or an unheated conservatory.

Category:

Vegetable garden