The 5 Best Winter Herbs to Grow

In this article, we will introduce home gardening enthusiasts to 5 of the best winter herbs you can grow when it’s cold. So, get your gardening tools ready…

Who doesn’t like homegrown, fresh herbs in every season? These herbs are not just fancy plants for your home but also a necessity for our dishes, salads, or teas. These herbs take your next dish up a notch.

With a bit of effort, you can have organic and fresh herbs at your disposal all year round. And the fact that these herbs do not require rigorous care while growing at home is just a cherry on top.

So, we compiled a list of some of the herbs that you can quickly grow in your indoors during the winter.

*The use of an hydroponic system like an Aerogarden can let you grow even more herbs!

In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.

Albert Camus

It has several varieties, all with distinctive fragrances. These varieties include shiny, fuzzy, bright green, crinkled or smooth, and variegated.

These beautiful herbs require little care and thrive well in sunlight as well as shade. Mint plants usually prefer a well-drained, moist soil similar to the area along the banks of streams, i.e., the native habitat of mint.

Mint is considered a vigorous invader and quickly grows into the area. Therefore, you need to contain it; otherwise, the runners and underground rhizomes take up space. It is better to plant mint in 10-inch pots with drainage holes. Later, you can place the pot in the soil.

People commonly use mint leaves to enhance the taste of salads, drinks, teas, and desserts. 

Mint is heavily used during the winter in drinks, teas, and desserts. Who doesn’t love a warm peppermint mocha, or piece of peppermint bark.

Once you grow your mint you can use it to make it into a simple syrup or extract.And you can even get a little creative for your feline friend and plant catmint.

These daisy-like plants have bright foliage and flowers with a sweet fragrance. You can easily grow the chamomile plant outdoors (during the warm months) as well as indoors during winter.

It does not require much care as long as you place it in a south-facing spot and the plants get at least 4 hours of sunlight every day.

Chamomile seeds can be sown directly into the soil.But if you prefer a pot, you should use a container that has at least a 30 cm diameter with drainage holes.

The seeds require moist soil and sunlight to germinate and show optimum germination at 20^o C. You can harvest chamomile plants after 60 to 90 days.

These perennial herbs are wonderful companion plants and ward off insects and pests. In addition, chives are tolerant to cold and grow better when planted early to mid-summer. 

But you can grow them indoor during those chilly months. A simple pot can produce all the chives you will need during the winter.

Now, chives tend to be invasive if you let the flowers grow entirely, as the flowers further spread seeds. Therefore, you have to be mindful of your garden space or pots before planting chive seeds. You will want them to have their own space.

For good growth of chives in the winter, grow the seeds indoors for 6-8 weeks. Then, transfer the plants to your garden once the danger of frost has passed.

Chive seeds germinate best at temperatures between 15^o C to 21ºC (59 -70 Fahrenheit). Chive seeds grow better in sunlight but a light shade and prefer moist, well-draining, and fertile soil. You can even try growing them in a vertical planter.

Indoor lavender plants grow best when you place them in a sunny, south-facing spot. For optimum growth of lavender, a maximum of three to four hours of sunlight per day is enough.

During spring–midfall growth, indoor lavender plants require a temperature of 70^oF during the day and 50-55^oF at night. During winter, lavender plants require a cooler temperature. A temperature of 60-65^o during the day and 45-50^o F during the night is suitable for proper growth.

You can move the lavender plants outdoors once the threat of frost has passed. While watering, drench the soil thoroughly and then let the soil dry for a bit before watering again. During spring, outdoor lavender plants require more water.

People use lavender in dishes in their fresh form. People also use lavender in aromatherapy owing to its pleasant and soothing fragrance.

It has a woody stem and long, thin leaves with pointed ends. People use both the dried leaves and flowery tops to give a tangy taste to the dishes. 

Culinary tarragon has a strong aroma that resembles licorice and is a star ingredient in the culinary department. It is used in both fresh and dried form in most French dishes and is referred to as the “king of herbs” by the French.

Tarragon is commonly incorporated into vegetable and potato salads, as well as chicken. It is also an herb of choice for making flavored vinegar.

Generally, tarragon is available in the form of potted plants and is not grown from seeds. These plants grow well in sunlight or partial shade and require average garden soil with a pH of 6.2-8.0. 

Tarragon can tolerate arid conditions due to its vigorous root system. However, if you want to contain it, the root system runs deep into the soil, so it is best to plant it in a container.

Some food items that go best with tarragon are fish, stews, omelets, chicken, sauces, cheese, pickles, and tomatoes.

My Final Thoughts on Herbs in the Winter…

If you are looking for perennial winter shrubs to add to your garden, the herbs mentioned above are perfect.

These herbs instantly enhance the taste and aroma of your foods and add to the aesthetics of your garden. In addition to that, these herbs are low-maintenance and do not require much effort. And remember growing indoors opens the possibilities endlessly.

These herbs are also self-pollinating, i.e., flowers spread the seeds, so you do not have to worry about replanting them every season. Therefore, we are affirmative that these herbs will be well worth your money and time.