I would wait as long as possible. Winter is long. Give them as much real sun for as long as possible. You can also day time them outdoors and bring them in at night after you start to get frosts as long as the days are still warm enough - just don't forget them. ;)

I live in Western NY State. We get lots of cold and snow and much more harsh weather than NYC. My thyme and sage survive the winter here outdoors, but I do have them in the ground not pots. I'm sure they can winter outdoors in your location if in the ground in a well-drained location. If not, do you have an unheated porch? Something with windows and no heat? That would be my next choice for the sage and thyme. Rosemary too. If not......maybe the kitchen with plant lighting. I cook a lot and the kitchen is one of the most moist locations in the house. If you don't do much cooking, then try something else.

FataMorgana

Tx for your reply. I have no option to put these plants in the ground.

I only have an open 4th floor balcony (very windy).

I'd actually PREFER to bring my herbs indoors so I can use them. I get what you say about leaving them outdoors for as long as possible, and then for just during the day when temps aren't at frost levels.

But after that, when it's time to really start bringing them in, WILL these survive ok indoors by a window? (I'm not going to buy plant lighting....)

And what about the rosemary in particular....I heard that needs very special conditions for surviving indoors over the Winter. How can I accomplish that...adding humidity for the rosemary? Would misting and then covering the top of the plant with a loose, clear plastic bag work?

Tx!

You will find that none of your herbs are going to be happy when brought inside. Some herbs can languish on sunny window sills if raised there permanently, but if allowed to live outside herbs find it difficult to make transition.

I don't believe that rosemary is any more difficult than any of the others....just more apt to develop a raging case of spider mites inside. The low humidity of the typical indoor environment in the winter is going to be one of the limiting factors for all of the plants.

ok so sounds like i should keep them all outside over the winter and hope they all survive? Or are some of them only considered annuals here?

I know I definitely heard something about keeping the rosemary outdoors over the winter...that it almost never survives and that for this reason people take it indoors over the winter. So I guess then I need to know what people do that's special once they DO bring their rosemary indoors....

Rosemary is hardy in the Metro NYC/NJ Area in the ground, but containerized plants will need protection (a cool, humid room is useful here). The plants in the photo are about three feet tall and wide-sprawling.
I have not had success with them personally as containerized plants-- not saying it can't be done. If I had to do it in my current situation, I would move a potted rosemary into my sunny garage or attic. Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful:

Creating a humid environment for Rosemary won't be easy. Misting helps but maybe not enough. Haven't tried it yet but have read about keeping a tray underneath the container filled with pebbles and rocks.

I've tried moving potted rosemary indoors before and I haven't succeeded yet. Building a humidity dome might work. Maybe reusing some large plastic container might work such as a gallon container with the pouring side cut off.

This year I'm going with taking numerous cuttings off of my rosemary plants. So far all 12 are looking good about 15 days in.

I had rosemary overwinter indoors once (and only once!) and that was in a well-used and lit kitchen - right next to the sink in fact. It wasn't happy by spring time, but it had limped along and survived. Left in the winter outdoors even the hardiest of rosemaries ("Arp") doesn't survive here. I've actually stopped even trying to grow rosemary or the more tender thymes like "lemon" because they just don't make it through the winter.

FataMorgana

Thanks Gicore. I DO have a bell jar....maybe I can put that over the plant...that should work as the bell jar already does wonders for one of my ferns (that is easily replaceable and I don't care so much about like I do my thriving rosemary plant...) ;-)

I don't know if I could recommend growing them under a bell jar--rosemary is really Mediterranean, not a tropical. They just seem to really enjoy fresh air and seem to really resent indoor conditions. I don't think they will appreciate the conditons under a bell jar.