Herbs – Cutting Back

Q: I’ve heard I should cut my herbs back, before they set seeds, but there are so many bees in the flowers. I hate to take away the attraction. Is there a happy medium?

A: Herbs such as mint, oregano, basil and thyme are fabulously attractive to pollinators. What about some form of sharing the wealth? Consider leaving half of the flower spikes uncut, for the insects, and clipping the flowers from the other plants, so you’ll have tasty cooking ingredients.