Herbs to Plant in Winter for a Year-Round Harvest

For gardeners who want to enjoy fresh herbs all year long, winter doesn’t have to limit your harvest. Many herb varieties actually thrive in cool weather and can be grown successfully through the winter months. With a little planning and protection, you can have homegrown herbs to flavor your cooking even when snow is on the ground.

Why Grow Herbs in Winter?

Fresh herbs make all the difference in cooking, providing aromatic flavor that dried herbs simply can’t match. Growing cold hardy herbs allows you to have fresh parsley, thyme, oregano, chives and more to harvest on a daily basis. Plus, actively growing herbs can add life and greenery to your winter garden landscape.

Herbs grown in winter tend to be slower growing but more intensely flavored. The cool temperatures encourage plants to produce more essential oils resulting in very flavorful leaves and stems.

Extending the herb growing season into winter means you don’t have to rely on pricier supermarket herbs or flavorless dried herbs in your winter meals. Plus you can use fresh herbs to make fragrant teas, herbed vinegars, flavored oils pestos and more to enjoy year round.

Best Herbs for Winter Growing

Many of the most popular culinary herbs are actually perennials or biennials that are quite cold hardy. These plants can withstand freezing nights and even snow cover in winter. Here are some of the best options for growing herbs in winter:

Thyme

A cold hardy, Mediterranean herb, thyme thrives in winter weather. The tiny leaves remain evergreen through winter in most climates. For winter harvest, thyme does best if protected under a cloche, cold frame or low tunnel. The essential oils become more concentrated in winter, making thyme extremely flavorful for seasoning meats, vegetables and more.

Chives

No herb garden is complete without chives. This easy to grow perennial produces grassy leaves year round in most regions. Chives add a light onion flavor to soups, salads, baked potatoes and more. To keep harvesting chives in winter, plant some in a cold frame or polytunnel for protection.

Parsley

Parsley is a biennial herb that tastes best when grown in cooler weather. The flat leafed Italian parsley and curly parsley both make excellent winter herbs. Parsley has high levels of vitamin C and vitamin K. Use it generously in pasta dishes, salads, sauces and as a garnish all winter long. Protect plants under a cloche or row cover.

Oregano

Greek and Italian oregano varieties are perennial in zones 5 to 9. They die back some after frost but lower growth near the base of the plant continues into winter. Shelter oregano under a cloche or cover with evergreen branches for winter harvesting. The leaves have a robust, pizza-seasoning flavor all winter.

Sage

A staple for seasoning poultry and sausages, common sage is a short-lived perennial in zones 5 to 8. Give plants winter protection with a cloche or heavy mulch. The leaves have high essential oil content in cooler weather. Pineapple sage and other herbaceous sage plants are tender perennials best grown as annuals in cold climates.

Rosemary

In zones 7 and up, rosemary will overwinter in protected spots, especially near foundations or walls. Mulch heavily around plants to insulate roots. Shelter from wind with burlap screens. ‘Arp’ is the most cold hardy variety. Rosemary has a piney flavor perfect for seasoning meats and vegetables.

Mint

Dried mint loses much of its flavor. For the best tasting mint, grow cold hardy varieties like peppermint and spearmint in winter. Plant mint in containers so it doesn’t spread rampantly. Sink pots in the ground or shelter in a cold frame or tunnel. Use fresh mint in teas, baked goods, jellies, etc.

Chervil

A delicate herb related to parsley, chervil imparts a subtle anise flavor. It grows quickly in cool weather with dappled shade. Direct sow in late summer for fall and winter harvests. Use young leaves in salad mixes or to season mild flavored fish or chicken.

Cilantro

Cilantro bolts and becomes bitter tasting when temperatures rise above 80°F. For the best flavor, make succession plantings in late summer through early fall to enjoy cilantro in cool weather. Shelter fall planted cilantro under cloches or row covers to extend the harvest.

Dill

Dill is another cool weather loving herb. Direct sow dill in early fall in Zone 3 to 5 for leaves to use through winter. Shelter plants to prevent frost damage. Use young leaves to flavor fish, soups, potatoes and pickled vegetables.

Fennel

The crisp anise-flavored bulb and feathery foliage of fennel are perfect for fall and winter dishes. Direct sow in mid to late summer for a fall crop. Fennel bulbs tolerate light frosts but not heavy freezes. Mulch heavily for winter bulb production in zones 6 and up.

Garlic Chives

Garlic chives have flat leaves and a delicate garlic flavor. The plants remain evergreen well into winter in most climates. For a winter long harvest, plant some garlic chives in a pot and sink into a cold frame or tunnel. Use leaves to flavor stir fries, soups and more.

Lavender

English lavender varieties like Munstead are cold hardy perennials in zones 5 to 8. Prune back leggy growth in late fall. Mulch heavily around the base of plants. Shelter from excessive winter moisture. The winter foliage is still aromatic and flowers can be used in sachets.

Thyme

Lemon thyme, silver thyme, English thyme and French thyme are all hardy perennial herbs for the winter garden. The tiny fragrant leaves stay evergreen in zones 5 and up. Use sprigs and leaves to season roasted vegetables, pan sauces, meat dishes and more all winter.

Growing Herbs in Winter

While many herbs are cold hardy, they do appreciate some protection from harsh winter weather. Bitter winds, dramatic temperature fluctuations, ice storms and heavy snow can damage even hardy herb plants.

Here are some tips to help overwinter herbs for winter harvests:

• Choose the right location. Herbs for winter harvest do best in full sun (at least 6 hours per day) and shelter from strong winds. Near the warm, south facing foundation of a home is often ideal.

• Improve drainage. Make sure your winter herb garden has excellent drainage. Heavy clay soils retain moisture which can damage roots during freeze-thaw cycles. Incorporate compost to improve drainage before planting. Raised beds also improve drainage.

• Mulch well. Apply a deep layer of shredded leaves, straw or other organic mulch around herbs after the ground freezes. Mulching insulates plant roots and prevents frost heaving.

• Use row covers. Floating row covers over herbs adds a few degrees of protection from hard freezes. Use the heavyweight style and allow for ventilation during sunny days.

• Try cloches. Bell cloches, tunnels from milk jugs and other DIY cloches cover individual herb plants. This traps heat around the plants and shelters them from wind.

• Use cold frames. Sink pots of herbs or do direct planting in a cold frame or unheated greenhouse. Keep the lid closed at night and vent during the day to prevent overheating.

• Overwinter in tunnels. In colder zones, try overwintering potted rosemary, sage and other non-hardy herbs in an unheated tunnel or hoop house for winter harvests.

• Pick often. Regular harvesting encourages tender new growth and prevents plants from succumbing to winter dieback.

• Weed diligently. Weeds compete for nutrients and water even in winter. Clear beds of weeds and keep mulched to reduce competition.

• Water when needed. Herbs planted in open ground or containers may need occasional water during dry spells. Use frost covers to protect new growth after watering.

• Fertilize in fall. Apply balanced organic fertilizer or rich compost around herb plants in early fall. This gives roots nutrients going into winter dormancy. Avoid high nitrogen fertilizers that spur tender growth.

• Prune strategically. Trim back lemon verbena, mints and other herb plants by one-third to one-half in fall. This prevents excessive dieback over winter. Avoid cutting evergreen herbs like thyme and oregano in fall.

• Propagate new plants. Take cuttings of tender perennial herbs like scented geraniums and pineapple sage in fall to propagate new plants for setting out the following spring.

• Move to shelter. Pot up basil, dill and other frost tender annual herbs in fall. Maintain plants in a sunny window indoors over winter to harvest leaves.

• Consider microgreens. Grow cold tolerant herbs like parsley, cilantro, arugula and chervil as microgreens under grow lights for winter harvesting.

Ideas for Using Winter Herbs

Don’t let a bounty of fresh herbs go to waste. Here are some ideas for preserving and cooking with herbs harvested throughout the winter:

• Make herb butters. Blend chopped chives, parsley, dill and other herbs into softened butter. Form into a log, wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.

• Whip up pesto. Toss basil, oregano, thyme and other herbs in the food processor with olive oil, nuts and cheese for instant green sauce all winter.

• Mix flavorful oils. Steep chopped herbs like rosemary, thyme and sage in olive oil. Strain and store in the fridge for seasoning meats, pastas and vegetables.

• Create herbal vinegars. Use flavored vinegar seasoned with herbs to make salad dressings, marinades and sauces.

• Craft herb salads. Toss tender herb leaves like chervil, chives, cilantro and parsley into green salads, pasta salads, potato salads and coleslaws.

• Brew herb tea. Use fresh mint, lemon balm, pineapple sage and other herbs to make soothing herbal tea blends to enjoy all winter.

• Bake savory tarts. Mix chopped thyme, oregano, rosemary and parsley into tart dough or sprinkled over vegetable tart fillings.

• Season soups and stews. Add woody herbs like thyme, sage and rosemary early in the cooking process so they have time to infuse the broth.

• Enhance oven roasts. Rub chopped garlic, rosemary, sage and thyme over meats and vegetables before roasting for incredible flavor.

• Marinate meats. Use lemony herbs like lemon thyme and lemon balm along with garlic, oil and acid in marinades for chicken, pork and beef.

• Stuff poultry. Craft herb blends with parsley, sage, thyme and oregano to use as aromatic stuffing for whole chickens and turkeys.

• Perk up grains. Before serving, stir chopped herbs like dill, cilantro, chives, parsley into cooked grains like rice, farro and barley.

• Finish dishes with flair. Just before serving, sprinkle tender herb leaves over completed soups, stews, pastas, pizza, omelets and more.

With the right herb choices and a little winter protection, you can enjoy homegrown flavor all year round. Plant some cold hardy herbs this fall and see just how abundant the winter harvest can be!

Perennial herbs are those that come back year after year without needing to be replanted.