My son, 5, discovered my small pruner while watching me use it last weekend. I let him cut a few things down, like old flower stocks on the hastas.
Then he became obsessed, and I had to become obsessed about watching him. He used it with two hands, one on each handle. I decided to send him over to the herbs, which needed harvesting anyway. We cut all the nice looking ones down and brought them inside.
For the first time I decided I was actually going to do what I’ve been talking about for years, and that’s dry all the herbs and fill jars to give away at Christmas.
I’ve said it before, but this time I actually bought some jars. I got some super cute ones at Crate and Barrel, with the metal sealing clamp thingy. They weren’t cheap, but I didn’t have to be buy that many.
I also bought some brown lunch bags to store the herbs until they’re dried. I’ll poke some holes in the bags and tuck them into a dry place — where I’ll forget them until Easter.
Just kidding.
I’ll buy some blank, pretty labels, some ribbon, and, well, I hope it’s cool.
Jennie, sounds like a great idea. I just put my basil into a container that I can bring in the house; I’m hoping it will do okay and that I’ll be able to have fresh basil through winter. I have an oregano plant that I’d like to do the same thing.
Good luck with the overwintering thing. My MIL tried that and the plants grew spindly and pale. Maybe because they didn’t have enough sun, or she didn’t feed them. If it works for you, let me know. Also, you might already know this, but you probably need to “harden them off,” by bringing them in a few hours at a time, gradually increasing until they’re used to the different conditions in your house. Plants tend to get cranky when they’re suddenly thrust into a different environment. My mom does that with geraniums, and it works well. She’s had the same ones for 10 years. She also has a spike plant that has grown to 6 feet the same way.