Winter Herbs

By Lyn Hayes, Forsyth Co. Master Gardener

TownLoafer Magazine, November 2006

Growing your own herbs can be such a fun and satisfying experience. They are easy to grow and can be used to zip up any dish you may be preparing in your kitchen. You can plant them in the spring and enjoy them throughout the summer for the barbecue and summer salads. In fall, cut them back for transplanting and bring them inside to enjoy during the winter months.

Most herbs are perennial and will come back for you year after year, so dividing them in the fall to bring inside will not hurt the mother plant. If you want to start an inside herb garden now, my recommendation would be to purchase plants in 4” pots for instant satisfaction versus nurturing them from seeds. They are inexpensive and you will have a variety to choose from. The secret to having a beautiful herb garden is to place them in a sunny spot with well drained soil. You can plant your herb garden for winter, enjoy it for the season, and then transplant your beautiful plants to an appropriate area outside in the spring. Remember, if you want to use them in your cooking, it would make sense to plant them near your kitchen. The aroma from the herbs can be a welcome addition to any patio area.

It is important to note that when choosing your herbs, read the information tag and make sure it is an herb for culinary use. Ornamental herbs are cultivated for their appearance and not for their flavor. An example of this is Basil known as ‘Dark Opal’ or ‘Purple Ruffles’: this variety is used more as a bedding plant than in the kitchen.

When planting herbs in a small pot, the recommendation is 1 part sand to 3 parts organic potting soil. Herbs can prosper with slight neglect versus heavy fertilization. The over use of liquid fertilizer can rob the herb of its essential oils. Go easy on the fertilizer and apply an organic slow release type. They require only 1 inch of water a week with the exception of mint, so avoid over watering them.

During the planting process, mint should always be contained. It is an aggressive grower and will soon take over any garden. It requires a bit more water than other herbs.

All herbs require a good deal of sunlight, so when growing them indoors you will need to find a nice sunny spot. Some herbs can get tall and lanky. As your plant grows, pinch it back to give it more of a bushy look.

For more specific information on each individual herb and its culinary use, refer to the “Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Book” by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing or obtain information from your local extension office.

Common Herbs
Sweet Basil Ocimum basilicum - annual
Dill Anethum graveolens - annual
Tarragon Tagetes lucida - biennial
Parsley Petroselinum - biennial
Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis - perennial
Italian Oregano Origanum x Majoricum - perennial
Lemon Thyme Thymus x citriodorus - perennial
Dutch Lavender Lavender x intermedia - perennial
Lemon Balm Melissa officinalis - perennial
Spearmint Mentha spicata - perennial
Turkish Oregano Origanum vulgare - perennial