Being able to pick fresh Herbs in winter to enhance the taste of your dishes surely sounds appealing. Trust us, no matter how you grow the winter herbs, they taste incredible! If you don’t have a winter garden yet, now is the right time to build one. The best part? You can easily establish it indoors and have fresh herbs at hand whenever you need some.  

To help you in this venture, we will share a few tips on how to grow herbs in winter to enjoy their freshness in tea, cooking and more.

• Choosing the right location

Some of the herbs grow really well when they are potted indoors. For example- basil, parsley, and mint do nicely with bright indirect light, making them ideal for winter gardening. Also, remember that direct sunlight is not a must for growing most of the herbs. Placing them close to windows would be enough, especially if you set them up on a counter or a small table away from the glass. Keep in mind to choose the location wisely and don’t limit yourself to the kitchen.

• Pot & Soil

Once you have determined the location, it’s time to pot the herbs. You must choose high-quality potted soil, which should be moist and loose. Poor-quality soil can compact quickly and become like concrete around plants, making it difficult to grow herbs in winter. 

Therefore, ensure to check the soil quality before starting the process. Also, it could be difficult to start with the seeds indoors. Therefore, we would recommend beginning with starter herb plants. You can choose to grow herb plants in clay pottery or ceramic pots, but stay away from plastic pots as they tend to hold water longer, making it hard to know exactly when to water your plant. 

Tip- Look for pots with holes in the bottom to allow any excess water to drain through. Overwatering the plant is a big problem as it often leads to root rot. 

• Watering plants regularly and carefully

Learning how to water herbs is what takes the most practice but is essential for successful winter gardening. You would need soil that stays evenly moist and not dry. How quickly the soil dries out depends on the location and conditions you provide, especially when furnaces are circulating warm air indoors. Check your herbs regularly until you determine the right watering schedule. In general, you should water plants every three to five days.

• Using organic fertiliser

We always recommend gardeners use organic fertiliser once a month, especially for herbs. It will help improve the soil texture, thereby allowing it to hold water for longer. So, it would not just assist your plants but soil, too. Avoid synthetic fertilisers as they deplete the soil of nutrients, making it unproductive.

• Preventing pests around plants

When you are attempting to grow herbs in winter in indoor conditions, you might have to deal with plenty of insects. You can easily prevent this by removing the dead and decaying matter of the plant, as it acts as the perfect habitat for insects. If you notice a few pests, you should immediately take action by spraying with neem oil-based plant products. The procedure is safe, so you can treat the plants once a week to catch all insects and eliminate the issue.

• Mulch generously

If you are planting herbs outdoors, apply three to four inches of a deep layer of mulch. It will help them during winter by providing extra insulation to protect roots from freezing and warming the soil. Just be sure to leave little space around the stem where the mulch doesn’t touch it.

• Harvesting

Finally, make sure to harvest your plant regularly because herbs respond well to frequent harvesting. Picking a couple of inches of growth of the herb plant helps it stay bushy and healthy and removes foliage from plants, triggering new growth. It will be perfect for cooking, making tea, or adding a few leaves to your bath. And if you pick more than you can immediately use, just dry or freeze it for later use. 

A few other tips to keep in mind:

• Harvest during the morning hours, if possible, using clean, sharp scissors.
• Do not leave a stub of the stem on the plant.
• Make sure to pinch off the branch tips to encourage plant growth periodically.
  If the plant is overgrown, you can do more severe harvesting starting from the top of the plant and ensuring not to remove no more than two-thirds of the plant at any given time.
• To enjoy the best flavour, harvest before planting flowers. And if they do flower, ensure to remove flowers and wait to harvest for a few days.

Growing herbs in winter may take a little discipline, but trust us; it is easy. Now, if you are convinced to grow your herbs during the winter, start with the following ones, as they thrive easily as indoor houseplants:

• Bay
• Chervil
• Chives
• Oregano
• Parsley
• Thyme
• Rosemary

Winter Gardening Tips

• Don’t forget to add a layer of mulch around the herbs. You must also cover the soil around the herbs with mulch to keep them insulated during winter.
• Prefer an indoor herb garden during winters using potting soil with neutral pH levels and placing them near a south-facing, sunny window.
• Store the fresh herbs properly. After harvesting them, dry them thoroughly by hanging them in a bunch for several days. Once dry, you can place them in an airtight container in your refrigerator.

Lastly, the best thing you can do is maintain the health of herbs throughout the year. You should look for the right fertiliser, water them regularly and prune them to promote dense and bushy growth. 

Growing herbs in winter is one of the best ways of having a year-long fresh supply. So why not get started today? With the right techniques and necessary growing conditions, you will quickly be on your way to a new adventure in gardening. 

We hope our article proves to be helpful in improving your knowledge of growing winter herbs. Also, if you wish to learn more gardening tips, don’t forget to read through our blogs!

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