Winter Flavoring with Herbs

Growing herbs inside during the wintertime is a great way to keep fresh flavor at your fingertips.

  • Topic: Edible Gardens
  • Keywords: herbs, indoor plants, Planting Techniques
  • Date: January 2002

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Growing herbs inside during the wintertime is a great way to keep fresh flavor at your fingertips. And nothing could be easier—it’s simply a matter of choosing plants that will do well inside the house. So here’s an herb primer for your winter windowsill.

Tender Perennials:

In general, the best herbs for winter growing are the tender perennials. Though commonly grown in colder areas as annuals, these plants would be evergreen in more temperate climates. Although the growth won’t be as rapid as you would see during long summertime days, these plants continue to thrive during the low light of winter. For tender perennials (bay laurel, cardamom, Mexican or perennial coriander, rosemary and many varieties of lavender, sage and thyme), additional artificial light is not a necessity, though no plant would turn it down. If you are inclined to pamper, a light set-up like that suggested for annuals would ensure robust growth.

Come spring, let these tender perennial herbs outside to play in the sun. Remember: never take a plant that is accustomed to your house or greenhouse directly into the full sun—you can harden it off by taking it outside for a couple of hours of morning sun, or making sure it’s in a sheltered area before putting it in its final spot. If they start getting too big for their pots or your house, just take cuttings from the mother plant and root them up for a more manageable plant. Treat these plants right and you’ll get a bumper crop of fresh herbs every winter.

Annuals:

Annual herbs like basil or cilantro can also be grown inside during the winter, but have more rigid light requirements. In order to get a healthy plant growing, you’ll need to augment the natural light source with artificial lights. This need not be complicated. A simple fluorescent fixture 4-6 inches above the plants with one cool white tube and one warm white tube is a perfect low-energy solution. The lights should be left on from 12-18 hours for vigorous plant growth. (You can use a similar set-up to grow on your seedlings soon.) At this time of the winter, it’s probably best to purchase transplants. But remember to start annual herbs from seed next November for a full winter’s crop.

Hardy Perennials:

For the most part, the hardy perennials that winter over in your yard are not the best choice for indoor gardening. The adaptations they have developed to respond to cold temperatures result in them sending energy into their roots and going dormant for a long winter’s nap. Low light levels and chillier weather are the triggers for this process, so bringing a plant indoors that’s already started to respond to nature’s sleeping pill will stress the plant out—and its production both during the winter and the following year will suffer.

Harvesting:

One of the great things about herbs is that they love to be harvested. The act of picking off the ends of the stems creates fuller, bushier growth, which naturally gives you more to cook with. This means that even if you’re not using a plant regularly, continuing to pinch off the ends will result in a healthier, happier plant.

If you need more inspiration, page through a cookbook and imagine rosemary potatoes, basil and cilantro pesto or sage polenta on your table—all made from fresh February herbs. Can you smell it? Now put the water on.