Gardening in Winter with Container Herbs

As the cold weather sets in and turns your once lush green garden a shade of brown, most of us are done with any sort of gardening until next season. While autumn isn't prime time for planting most things outdoors, it's a perfect time to plant a container garden. Bringing some fresh herbs inside over winter will nurture your green thumb and make your house smell amazing. You could even bring in some of the things that you've planted outside that you just don't want to give up on yet. Imagine fresh Chives on a baked potato, or fresh Rosemary in a stew. If you enjoy herbs, you'll love access to fresh herbs. Perhaps best of all, with the herbs right there in the house, you're more likely to use them.

Most of the culinary herbs are deceptively simple to grow, and require surprisingly little care. Most herbs even tolerate not being watered regularly, matter of fact, most herbs prefer to dry out slightly between watering. All you'll need to get started is some soil, containers and seed. Fancy containers need not apply, but certainly can be used if you desire. In the shortest days of winter you may need to provide some supplemental lighting, but the rewards are worth the effort. Depending on the location in your home, sufficient additional light may be provided by your day to day activities. Obviously a south facing window will be the best place for your little culinary delights.

The herbs mentioned here are primarily culinary, but don't forget the aromatic herbs, or those suited to making tea.

Basil is a tender annual that is known as the King of Herbs. It grows one to two feet in height. Basil comes in many colors and fragrances. For traditional Basil, grow Genovese (Ocimum Basilicum 'Genovese'). For something unique, try Anise Basil, or Cinnamon Basil.

• To Harvest - Cut as needed from tops. This encourages branching and slows flower growth.
• Eating Ideas - Leaves are delightful in a salad. Basil pairs well with meat, fish, poultry, egg, and vegetables. Tomatoes in particular work well with the addition of Basil. Basil is also the basis for traditional Pesto.

Chives are a perennial member of the onion family, with a growth habit reminiscent of grass, reaching about a foot in height. For traditional Chives grow Allium Schoenoprasum, for something unique try Garlic Chives (Allium Tuberosum).

• To Harvest - Simply cut as needed
• Eating Ideas - Chopped chives work well in salads, soups and stews. Chives pair well with eggs and vegetables, particularly potatoes. Chives also work well in an entree that features cheese.

Cilantro and Coriander are a two for one herb. Cilantro is the name for the fresh leaves, while Coriander is the name for the seed. Coriander (Cilantro) is an annual that grows about one foot in height.

• To Harvest - For Cilantro simply cut as needed. For Coriander you will need to wait until the herb goes to seed. Once the seeds have dried they can be ground and used as a seasoning.
• Eating Ideas - The leaves have a citrusy flavor and aroma, which is essential in salsa and Mexican cooking. Coriander seed is a main ingredient in chili sauces and curries. The seeds add a spicy flavor to soups and stews.

Fennel is a perennial with an appearance and size similar to celery, with a flavor reminiscent of anise.

• To Harvest - Pinch leaves as needed, harvest stalks when bulb is approximately three inches in diameter.
• Eating Ideas - Fennel is a standard in Italian dishes. Leaves are used in soups, stews, sauces and salads. Stalks may be used in the same way as celery.

Marjoram is a tender perennial that grows to just over a foot in height.

• To Harvest - Pinch as needed.
• Eating Ideas - Add to casseroles, soups, stews, meats and egg. Also enhances and adds flavor to sausage and meatloaf.

Oregano is an attractive perennial, that reaches about two feet in height.

• To Harvest - Cut as needed from top, this will encourage branching.
• Eating Ideas - A standard herb in Italian (the pizza herb), Spanish and Mexican dishes. Excellent in tomato dishes. Works well with beef, lamb and pork, also great in stews, soups, salads and casseroles.

Parsley is a biennial with a grown habit about one foot in height. One of the most popular herbs.

• To Harvest - Cut outside leaves all the way down to base.
• Eating Ideas - Probably the most versatile herb in the kitchen. Common in Italian cooking. Compliments many dishes.

Rosemary is an evergreen perennial. This fragrant herb can get quite tall.

• To Harvest - Cut leaves and sprigs as needed.
• Eating Ideas - As my personal favorite culinary herb, I use Rosemary frequently. The aroma when added to soups and stews is incredible. Beef, chicken and pork pair well with Rosemary. Sprigs of the herb make wonderful skewers for making kabobs.

Sage is a hardy perennial shrub that grows to about a foot in height.

• To Harvest - Cut as needed being careful not to remove more than half of the plant.
• Eating Ideas - Excellent for making stuffing and flavoring strong meats. Wonderful addition to sausage, egg, cheese and beans.

Thyme is a small perennial evergreen shrub that reaches about a foot in height.

• To Harvest - Cut as needed.
• Eating Ideas - Excellent addition to soups, stews and salads. Also delicious with poultry, especially chicken.

Having fresh herbs available in the kitchen allows some really wonderful things to happen in the food you cook. Not only will having herbs growing in your house satisfy your inner gardener over the cold winter months, it just might make you look like a gourmet chef. And maybe best of all, when spring rolls around some of those container plants will be ready for transplant outside. Herbs can really make all the difference in the kitchen. What have you got to lose? Plant a few in your home.