Now that autumn is here (shorter days, cooler nights) it’s time to think about moving some herbs indoors. Even just a little bit of fresh flavor added to a dish in the dead of winter can make a gardeners heart soar. My herbs are mostly on our desk in planters, but I noticed a couple volunteer plants in the flower beds below, a solitary parsley plant and one of oregano. I transplanted both of those into my little clay pots, and did a couple pots of chives as well, putting them all under my grow lights. Chives, as I have eluted to before, are both my favorite herb as well as my biggest invasive pest in the garden. My transplants came from the edge of my fall snap pea bed, beautiful little chive plants that shouldn’t have been there. I don’t really understand a given plant’s internal clock, but I’m assuming that a seedling in a rich growing medium with plenty of light and water will thrive, even if it ‘s snowing outside. We shall see. The basil and cilantro started from seed under the lights have been doing great, but they have never known anything but bagged potting soil. The transplants from outdoors could potentially bring insects with them, and infect all the herbs. How does one purify outside dirt without killing the plant growing in it?