6 Easy Herbs To Grow For Your Winter Garden
As we cozy into the fall months and winter approaches, gardening is not always at the top of everyone’s mind. We tend to let things taper off this time of year, assuming that the season of planting is past, but this is not necessarily so!
If you love the thought of preparing your Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts with fresh grown herbs, you’re in luck as many delicious staples will overwinter.
Some herbs can be left to grow in the ground and others, with a little TLC, will thrive in an indoor kitchen garden until spring. Allow me to introduce a few of my favorite winter hardy culinary herbs that will have your taste buds celebrating all year.
Hardy Winter Herbs
Sage:
The velvety grey-green leaves of sage not only add a pop of beauty and life to a fall and winter garden, but also a pop of flavor to any root vegetable dish. Sage is quite cold hardy on its own, toughing it out to as low as 15 degrees F, but giving it a little boost of bone meal at the end of summer and a bit of protection from frigid winter winds will help bolster it through the cold months. This is not a terribly picky plant though and I have found if left to its own devices it springs back to life each spring with no effort from me.
Oregano:
The petite, aromatic leaves of oregano are a delicious addition to hardy dishes such as chicken and vegetables, giving any meal a true Mediterranean flavor. As well as adding flavor to savory dishes it may also have health benefits due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. If planted in a sunny location you can count on your oregano surviving the harshness of winter with ease. If you prefer to have fresh oregano all through winter, you can easily take cuttings to grow on in a sunny windowsill or simply bring the plant indoors through the winter months if you’ve chosen to pot it.
Marjoram:
Native to the Mediterranean, this warm herb is the perfect pair for dishes such as beef and roasted beets, adding an earthy, woodsy flavor. Find the recipe for one of my favorite cozy winter dishes with marjoram here. Marjoram is known as a tender perennial which means it will survive frost but in harsh winter conditions it may die back if not provided some shelter, so may be best brought indoors if you’d like to enjoy it year round. If you choose to leave it to its own devices, not to worry! It readily self seeds and will regrow come spring.
Mint:
It may come as no surprise that this tough and invasive (as some consider it) plant will stand the test of winter with ease. Mint will tolerate as low as -20 degrees F but will begin to die back once hit with frost and will regrow come spring. If fresh mint jelly for lamb paired with a red Bordeaux speaks to your winter aesthetic then you may want to bring your mint in to keep it growing through the winter. Fortunately, due to its invasive nature, many gardeners choose to plant mint in a pot which is then either planted in the ground or simply left to grow in the pot, so is generally easily moveable between indoors and out.
Rosemary:
Rosemary is a versatile, aromatic herb with a long life span reaching 15 – 25 years with proper care. Though they are said to be cold hardy to 10 degrees F it is worth noting that they do not like extended periods of cold and will be grateful to you for a little protection. If you’re worried about your rosemary in ground, frost blankets serve as sufficient protection from blustery wind gusts. Providing mulch such as dead leaves around the base of the plant will also serve to keep the roots warm through winter. You may also choose to take cuttings that can easily be rooted in water and planted on in widow sills to last through the winter months and give you a few new plants to add to your garden come spring.
Lemon balm:
A member of the mint family, lemon balm adds a fresh infusion to Thanksgiving stuffing recipes, teas, and vegetables. Cold hardy up to -20 degrees F, you don’t need to worry much for this plant returning year after year with little effort. It is important to be sure that your lemon balm plant does not receive too much water in the winter months if left outside, as this can cause root rot which will kill the plant. If planted out in a place in your garden that has a lovely patch of sun that does not get bogged down in the rain, you can count on this plant to provide seasoning for many delicious meals to come.
We hope these herbs keep you and your favorite comfort foods warm all winter long. Let us know some of your favorite winter dishes in the comments!
Happy growing!
You May Also Like
Native Plants: What They Are and Why You Should Grow Them
Don’t Give Up on Your Garden Yet: Why Late-Summer Gardening is the Hero of a Thriving Fall (and Beyond)
