If you love gardening, it doesn’t have to stop in the wintertime. Your prized tomato and zucchini crops might have to wait until summer, but that doesn’t mean you can’t grow anything. Winter herbs are a great choice for your garden (especially a windowsill garden), and best of all, you’ll have plenty of fresh seasonings for all your wintertime meals.
While you’ll need to be careful how much you harvest (and while the plants may not grow as heartily as they would in the warmer months), a winter herb garden can be your kitchen’s MVP.
Here’s a closer look at what to grow in the winter if you’re trying to successfully grow your own herbs:
- Rosemary: Rosemary is a sturdy perennial herb, which makes it strong enough to stand up to icy temperatures. Rosemary oil has long been used to treat memory problems, digestive issues and migraines, but it’s also a strong herb that can stand up to heavy flavors like garlic, beef, lamb, blue cheese and more. Rosemary is also fairly inexpensive, so if your experiments don’t survive the winter, it won’t be too difficult to replace it.
- Parsley: Parsley can hide during colder winters, but it will still grow, even in frosty temperatures. Move your plants indoors to enjoy fresh parsley year-round. It’s self-seeding, so even if you stop planting it, it will continue to grow. This herb is easy to grow and will add a fresh kick to any dish.
- Thyme: Thyme is another sturdy herb that grows year-round. It’s great alongside many hearty winter dishes, especially those using sage or pork. These plants may not grow much during the winter, and you’ll need to be careful while harvesting, but thyme’s potential anti-inflammatory properties make it both a tasty and healthy herb.
- Mint: Some people say that when the apocalypse comes, all that will be left are cockroaches and mint—and they’re not far off. This extremely hardy plant is resilient as well as full of vitamin C and iron. It has a soothing effect on the digestive system and is nearly impossible to kill.
- Winter savory: Winter savory is similar in flavor to thyme, with more of a tang. It’s sturdy and grows well in winter; use it in hearty dishes with pork, beef or poultry. It stands up well to strong flavors and heavy meals.
- Basil: Finally, basil is an herb full of vitamin A, vitamin K, potassium and calcium. It’s used in a variety of cuisines, from Italian to Thai, and grows well in the winter. It also has antioxidant and antibacterial properties.
Now that you know what to grow in the winter, which winter herbs will you pick? Even the blackest of thumbs can have success with these sturdy plants.
If you’re not quite ready to start a winter herb garden, no need to worry—you can still pick up these herbs and related supplements at Bee Hive Natural Foods. Call or stop by today to learn more about our selection.