Herbs That Grow All Year Round
Having your own garden of herbs offers a few advantages. For one, you are assured that the herbs you use for cooking are guaranteed fresh. You can grow your herbs the way you want to, perhaps with minimal use of chemicals. Furthermore, you can save a few dollars.
The key to having a thriving garden of herbs and having access to fresh ingredients all year long is knowing which ones thrive indoors and outdoors and knowing how to take care of these.
Growing herbs outdoors
Is it possible to grow herbs outdoors, even during winter time?
It is.
Some gardeners transplant their crop of herbs into pots during summer and put these inside their homes to shield these from winter.
However, if you wish to avoid this hassle, you can construct a tunnel which will protect your herbs planted outdoors. This tunnel utilises hoops made out of CPVC pipes which are stuck into the ground. The pipes will serve as a framework of the tunnel and can be supported by sticks and bricks. Once the framework has been constructed, you can now cover it with plastic sheeting.
As much as possible, stick to herbs that are cold-hardy. These include parsley, marjoram, thyme, sorrel, and garlic chives. Herbs like sage and dill may survive outdoor conditions for a few weeks under the protection of a low tunnel.
Growing herbs indoors
Some herbs simply cannot survive outdoor winter conditions, even with the use of a low tunnel. In fact, some herbs will fare better indoors, with minimal care and fuss. Additionally, bringing your garden of herbs indoors can help improve indoor air quality.
Basil is best placed in a south-facing window as this herb requires lots of warmth and sunlight. Bay, on the other hand, should be placed in an east- or west-facing window. However, you have to make sure that it gets enough air circulation and avoid placing it on a window crowded with other herbs and plants.
Chervil requires a minimal amount of light. However, it needs to be placed in an area with adequate warmth.
You can grow Oregano indoors by cutting a tip off an outdoor plant. You can place that tip in a pot which should be placed in a south-facing window.
Parsley is one of the easiest herbs to grow indoors. Although the herb prefers lots of sun, it can grow well, albeit slowly, in an east- or west-facing window.
You can grow Rosemary by starting with a cutting placed in a moist, soil-less mix. You can then transplant the cutting once the roots appear and place its container in a south-facing window.
Sage can thrive in an indoor environment, provided that there is ample sunlight. Tarragon usually grows dormant during the cooler seasons. You can bring these herbs inside in a location with lots of sunlight.
Although thyme prefers lots of sunlight, it can grow in east- or west-facing windows. For more garden and landscaping tips, tune in for more Jim’s Mowing NZ blogs.
