Hi All,
Can anyone toss out some pointers for bringing in our herbs inside for the winter and keeping them alive and healthy so we can have them year round?
And is it possible to even grow herb indoors from seed suring the winter?
Will any specific ones do better than others?
Thanks,
CaptK
Good questions! I want to know this as well 
This is my first winter coming up (I was born and raised in FL) and herbs are also on my list of "plants to try to keep around." (I have a thread on other plants in the General Topics section).
I'm running all kinds of experiments - I know mint will do just fine indoors, I grow it inside and outside anyway. Mint is a pretty easy-care plant anyway. On my list to try are basil, oregeno, thyme and I have a few smaller sage and parsley plants that I will take in small pots as well. My SW and NW windows will be a little crowded, but I think that may work.
I have always started my herbs from seed indoors and had little trouble. Do plant several, not all the seeds usually come up for me so I just increase my chances a little by planting 10 seeds of each, even if I only want a couple of plants (I can always give some away, or use more, right?).
The ones I have problems getting to germinate indoors are usually oregeno and thyme. I found that so long as the window gets good sun (morning or afternoon) half the day, herbs have no troubles germinating. I believe I have found morning sun works fastest for germinating, once they are up and about an inch tall I put them in an afternoon window. Those little peat seeding pellets work fine at first, but once they have two true leaves I put them in smaller pots of potting soil if not into the garden.
This is my first winter coming up (I was born and raised in FL) and herbs are also on my list of "plants to try to keep around." (I have a thread on other plants in the General Topics section).
I'm running all kinds of experiments - I know mint will do just fine indoors, I grow it inside and outside anyway. Mint is a pretty easy-care plant anyway. On my list to try are basil, oregeno, thyme and I have a few smaller sage and parsley plants that I will take in small pots as well. My SW and NW windows will be a little crowded, but I think that may work.
I have always started my herbs from seed indoors and had little trouble. Do plant several, not all the seeds usually come up for me so I just increase my chances a little by planting 10 seeds of each, even if I only want a couple of plants (I can always give some away, or use more, right?).
The ones I have problems getting to germinate indoors are usually oregeno and thyme. I found that so long as the window gets good sun (morning or afternoon) half the day, herbs have no troubles germinating. I believe I have found morning sun works fastest for germinating, once they are up and about an inch tall I put them in an afternoon window. Those little peat seeding pellets work fine at first, but once they have two true leaves I put them in smaller pots of potting soil if not into the garden.
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opabinia51
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A lot of herbs can be grown as perennials and harvest all year long. Rosemary, Sage, Oregano, and others come to mind.
If you want to plant annuals from seed it is really quite simple. I used to do that all the time (before I planted my perennial herb garden). You can start plants from seed any time of the year indoors. Just do as you would in the spring or summer. Sometimes a grow light will help your plants to get the full spectrum of electromagnetic radiation that they would normally get in the summer but, I never bothered with that and did just fine.
Keep them at a window but, not right next to the window because the changes in temperature (from warm to frigid) may kill the plants. Keep the soil moist and use an organic fertilizer. I used to get this stuff that was in solid form. (No smell)
If you have any questions, be sure ask.
If you want to plant annuals from seed it is really quite simple. I used to do that all the time (before I planted my perennial herb garden). You can start plants from seed any time of the year indoors. Just do as you would in the spring or summer. Sometimes a grow light will help your plants to get the full spectrum of electromagnetic radiation that they would normally get in the summer but, I never bothered with that and did just fine.
Keep them at a window but, not right next to the window because the changes in temperature (from warm to frigid) may kill the plants. Keep the soil moist and use an organic fertilizer. I used to get this stuff that was in solid form. (No smell)
If you have any questions, be sure ask.
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The Helpful Gardener
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Some of those perennial herbs can get tough with time; an indoor herb box is a good way to get fresh starts for the coming year. Those ones Opa mentioned are all good suggestions (Sage is probably fine in the ground ad infinitum). Rosemary won't come through a winter in our neighborhood and gets dragged inside every year. Lemongrass and other exotics are a good bet for a full sized houseplant container. Just be sure that like goes with like; thyme and organo like dry well drained; that's okay. Rosemary likes dry and parsley likes wet; not okay...
HG
HG
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opabinia51
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My mother gave my grandmother a little her garden (what?) .... 4 or 5 years ago. My grandmother takes it with her when her and my grandfather go camping every summer and then, my grandmother brings it inside for the fall and winter.
She still has the same herbs that Mom and I planted all those (all 5) years ago. I don't know how she's done it, but she's done it. (Parsely, thyme, oregano and chives)
My outdoor parsley goes to seed everyyear and acts more as an Annual than a perennial so, I have no idea how she can have the same plant in that little herb garden after 5 years.
She still has the same herbs that Mom and I planted all those (all 5) years ago. I don't know how she's done it, but she's done it. (Parsely, thyme, oregano and chives)
My outdoor parsley goes to seed everyyear and acts more as an Annual than a perennial so, I have no idea how she can have the same plant in that little herb garden after 5 years.
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The Helpful Gardener
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opabinia51
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If you saw my Grandmother, you'd never call her Granny. Wow, she looks like a 50 year old and she's in her mid 70's.
I don't know what she does with it. I've never actually tried the parsley myself. She just told me a week ago when I was talking with her that it was the same parsley plant. Search me, cause I don't know.
Actually, a lot of plants (at least winter hardy plants) tend to get sweeter when the weather cools down. The perpetual spinach that I planted for my landlord/lady is now really sweet and the temp has only dipped to .... (mental calculation from metric)......60 degrees.
I don't know about parsley, I haven't actually bitten any off to compare but, I would assume that it would have the same effect.
I don't know what she does with it. I've never actually tried the parsley myself. She just told me a week ago when I was talking with her that it was the same parsley plant. Search me, cause I don't know.
Actually, a lot of plants (at least winter hardy plants) tend to get sweeter when the weather cools down. The perpetual spinach that I planted for my landlord/lady is now really sweet and the temp has only dipped to .... (mental calculation from metric)......60 degrees.
I don't know about parsley, I haven't actually bitten any off to compare but, I would assume that it would have the same effect.
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opabinia51
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I have to speak french, as I live in a totally french speaking area. No-one here speaks english. Also my quebecoise wife despite living in England for 6 years, never really got to grips with the langauge. I can read and speak french but not really write it, as I never concentrated during school french lessons. Little did I know that I was going to be dependant on it!
Do you think that a domestic style fan on a time switch and an open door to the rest of the very large cellar will be sufficient?
Do you think that a domestic style fan on a time switch and an open door to the rest of the very large cellar will be sufficient?
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The Helpful Gardener
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That's a good start anyway. Just keep an eye on relative humidity (can get very low indoors, even in a cellar) and keep your lighting timed to around the outdoor light conditions until closer to spring, when you can start to add a little to those outside hours (Add more in the evening to move things along)
HG
HG
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The Helpful Gardener
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You can grow anything anywhere if you figure out hopw to get around the specific issues. F'rinstance, rosemary could probably stay out side in my neighborhood if I cut it back hard and put a rose cone over it (I may just try that!) Lemongrass would not do that well, but indoors with humidity and good light it would be fine. General rules of thumb only get generalized results; figure out what you want to grow and find out what it's specific needs are (or ask us) and then figure out how to cut the corners (or ask us). But generalization is not going to be successful overall; herbs are fairly specialized in needs...
You tell me what you want to grow and I will figure out how to do it, howzat?
Scott
You tell me what you want to grow and I will figure out how to do it, howzat?
Scott
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opabinia51
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By the way, with regard to subzero temperatures in the winter;
Most likely in regions of these subzero temperatures, there is a lot of snow. And in such cases snow actually acts as an insulator for the plants ensuring that they are not damaged by the frigid temperatures.
The specific heat of ice is about 2.03 Joules per gram degrees celcius. This means that it takes 2.03 Joules of energy to heat 1 gram of ice by a degree celcius.
Anyway, the short of the long is that if you plant your seeds in August, your plants will be just fine (more or less) for harvesting in the winter. Give it a try! Nothing nicer than pulling some kale out from a pile of snow.
Most likely in regions of these subzero temperatures, there is a lot of snow. And in such cases snow actually acts as an insulator for the plants ensuring that they are not damaged by the frigid temperatures.
The specific heat of ice is about 2.03 Joules per gram degrees celcius. This means that it takes 2.03 Joules of energy to heat 1 gram of ice by a degree celcius.
Anyway, the short of the long is that if you plant your seeds in August, your plants will be just fine (more or less) for harvesting in the winter. Give it a try! Nothing nicer than pulling some kale out from a pile of snow.