As the dreary and gray days of winter set in and the outdoor vegetable gardens await the return of spring, it seems you will have to wait too. However, you can still grow some things inside in the winter. Fresh herbs are easy to grow with limited space and are a great way to enhance any dish. There are many varieties to choose from – basil, parsley, cilantro, thyme, oregano and many more. Here is a quick and easy guide to growing an indoor herb garden in the winter.
Getting Started
- Seeds: Online retailers and garden supply stores offer seeds for varieties that you can not find in your local supermarket or that you can’t find out of season. Once you have the seeds you would like to grow, check the instructions for the right depth they should be sowed in the soil and how their germination is activated. Some seeds need sunlight to germinate while some need water.
- Find Good Light: Your herb plants will do best if they are placed near a bright window that gets as much sun as possible. A window facing south will get the most light in the winter
- Encourage Drainage: Use containers that have good drainage. Use a plate or saucer underneath to catch water runoff.
- Select High Performing Soil: When planting inside soil matters. Use a good potting mix that is composed of organic matter with good drainage to promote growth.
- Water: Water your herbs, but not too much. Let the soil dry before watering again. Overwatering may cause rotting roots.
- Prune: Depending on what you grow, you may have to trim parts of the plant to remove dead parts and promote the plant’s health
Culinary Tips for Fresh Herbs
When cooking with fresh herbs it’s important to consider the texture and cooking methods for best use of their flavor.
- Cutting Technique: Always use a sharp knife to cut fresh herbs to limit bruising and avoid oxidation which will degrade the flavor. Also, for most herbs it’s best not to cut them too finely. This will help them maintain their texture and keep them from becoming mushy during cooking.
- Delicate Herbs: Add basil, cilantro, parsley, dill, and tarragon at the very end of cooking or as a garnish. Heat quickly destroys their volatile oils and bright color.
- Robust Herbs: Add rosemary, thyme, sage, and oregano earlier in the cooking process (e.g., during the last 20 minutes). Their woody structure allows them to withstand heat and infuse deep flavor into stews or roasts.
Other Uses & Techniques for Fresh Herbs
- Butters, Pickles and Oils: A great way to use fresh herbs is by adding them to sauces and other common ingredients for later use. You can add basil or rosemary to extra virgin olive oil for use as a salad dressing, or melt butter and then add the chopped herbs to the butter as it cools and resolidifies, or add them to a brine of vinegar and cucumbers for a flavorful quick pickle.
- Drinks: With the Holiday Season in full swing another fun technique is to put herbs in an ice cube tray with water and let it freeze with the herbs inside. Once it’s frozen you will have a flavor and decorative ice cube for your favorite cocktail.
- Edible Decoration One of the easiest ways to use fresh herbs is to add a sprig of your favorite herb to any dish as an aesthetic decoration that can also enhance the flavor of your cooking.
I personally like to throw some fresh thai basil into a stir fry for some extra earthy complexity, or add some rosemary butter to a steak in a pan to contrast the richness of the steak and butter. Growing herbs indoors is easy, fun and a great way to spice up your dishes this winter.
Let us know if you have any tips for growing an herb garden indoors or any of your favorite recipes that make use of fresh herbs.
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