Winter can be tough, and not just because of the weather. Depending on where you live, you might be dealing with limp lettuces, tasteless tomatoes, and maybe even dried herbs.
It doesn’t have to be this way though. There’s light at the end of this tunnel, and if you’ve got some on your windowsill then why not make use of it to grow some hardy winter herb varieties that pair well with winter cooking? Here are some of our fave winter-hardy herbs to grow indoors so you can start your own indoor winter herb garden now.
What Herbs Can Be Grown Indoors In Winter?
Rosemary
This herb, which is one of the best indoor herbs to grow during winter, has a woody stem and thick leaves that stand up well year-round. In addition to being able to tolerate winter’s cooler temperatures, rosemary also pairs well with hearty root vegetables, roasts, and warming flavors like garlic. Rosemary has long been hailed for its medicinal properties. Rosemary was traditionally used to help alleviate muscle pain, improve memory, boost the immune and circulatory systems, and promote hair growth.
Growing Tip: Rosemary prefers drier conditions – so we recommend you use soil for this one and not a bottle garden.
Thyme
In the kitchen, thyme is most commonly used for soups and sauces. With its slightly citrus flavor, it does a great job of breaking up starch-heavy foods like potato, rice, and even fresh bread. It also goes well with most root vegetables and roasts. Thyme is believed to lower blood pressure, stop coughing and boost immunity.
Parsley
Parsley has two main types, flat-leaves and curly. Of the two, flat-leaf has the more robust flavor, and curly is considered more decorative – though both look great as a garnish. Parsley pairs well with pasta, pizza, some salads, and a lot of cooked breakfast foods.
Cooking Tip: Whenever you’re using leafy herbs like parsley, basil, and cilantro in cooking you want to avoid subjecting them to too much heat.
Chives
Chives are a cold-tolerant perennial herb, and among the best herbs to grow inside in winter/early spring as they do like full sun. It likes fertile, rich, well-draining soil, and if left to flower will spread quickly. Chives are related to onions and leeks, and you’ll notice this association in their taste.
Oregano
Some might call it “the pizza herb” – and although it does have a much wider range of uses, this herb does have one of the boldest and most distinctive flavor profiles of all the herbs we’ve listed here. It will overpower light delicate dishes and is better suited to pairing with more wholesome meals. A little oregano goes a long way! Its most common culinary pairings are grilled, fried, or roasted vegetables as well as meats and fish. Unlike leafy green herbs (as mentioned above) oregano is one that you can afford to subject to some heat in cooking – doing so will release some of its essential oils and soften the flavor though, so don’t go overboard.
Growing Tips: like the other Mediterranean herbs on this list, oregano is sensitive to overwatering.
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