Herbs are traditionally grown outside, often in a dedicated herb garden, but are also commonly used as part of beds and borders or as edging plants around paths or decks. Many herbs are grown as annuals, while perennial herbs tend to go dormant in the winter and then begin growing again in the spring.
But what if you want fresh herbs throughout the fall and winter months? There are two options. You can grow herbs indoors on a windowsill, or if you have a greenhouse, you can bring herbs indoors in the fall to continue growing and provide a harvest during the cooler months.
If you want to include herbs as part of your greenhouse ideas this fall, we’ll take a look at 6 of the best herbs to bring into your backyard greenhouse to continue growing and give you crops of delicious leaves.
Growing herbs in the greenhouse: 6 higher plants
Greenhouses are great for extending harvest seasons
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1. Chives
Chive bunches can easily be divided and replanted
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Chives are known for their mild onion flavor and edible purple flowers. These perennial grasses are really easy to care for but will go into a period of dormancy when temperatures drop toward freezing.
If you have clumps of chives growing outside, the sections can be dug up and divided. Plant some small sections in pots to continue growing in the greenhouse and cut the foliage. Potting your chives and moving them indoors will encourage new shoots and the plants will quickly sprout new leaves.
If you are growing chives in pots or herb planters, they can simply be covered and cut back to encourage new shoots. You will then be able to harvest chives throughout the fall and winter to satisfy all your culinary desires.
Buy chive seeds and plants from Burpee
2. Parsley
Parsley has a somewhat bitter taste that often divides opinion
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Parsley comes in flat or curly varieties and is a biennial plant that is usually grown as an annual. While they can happily grow outside in a sunny spot in the herb garden during the summer months, they benefit from being brought indoors to grow during the fall and winter.
When it comes to growing parsley indoors, established plants can be brought in or young seedlings can be planted to give you a parsley crop in the fall and winter. Care must be taken when digging and transporting parsley as it can be difficult due to the large root of the plant.
Keep a close eye on aphids when growing herbs like parsley indoors — fortunately, a simple way to get rid of aphids is to spray them with an insecticidal soap, like Captain Jack’s Super Insecticidal Soap available at Walmart.
3. Mint
Mint can spread quickly if not contained or maintained properly
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Mint is a great choice for potted herbs for preservation, due to its reputation for being easy to spread. Wherever you grow mint, you must preserve it somehow otherwise it can spread quickly.
Mint is a perennial that dies in the winter but pots of this aromatic herb can continue to grow indoors and provide leaves for cooking, tea or even cocktails. There are hundreds of species of mint available that can thrive in a greenhouse in containers filled with good herb growing soil, which is fertile and well-drained. An example of an ideal potting soil for herbs is Burpee Premium Organic Potting Soil, available from Burpee.
Growing mint in a greenhouse also provides additional benefits because it is a fly repellent plant and produces a scent that ants hate – so it can help keep these pests out of your growing space.
Buy peppermint seeds and plants from Burpee
4. Coriander
Coriander has an aromatic taste, but its taste is milder when dried
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Coriander tends to grow as an annual herb but can be grown in a greenhouse if you can replicate the conditions you want.
It doesn’t want the temperature to be too cold or too hot, so planting it in spring and fall is ideal to prevent bolting. When growing cilantro, you want temperatures to range between 60-80 degrees Fahrenheit – if you can keep your greenhouse cool and frost-free, winter cilantro may be possible.
It is a plant that gives you two possible crops. You can harvest coriander leaves, and if the plant is established and producing flowers, you can also harvest coriander seeds to use either in cooking or to grow new plants. Planting cilantro in early fall will be able to provide you with fresh leaves throughout the winter months.
Buy coriander seeds from True Leaf Market
5. Dill
Dill repels brassica pests, so it’s a great companion plant for these vegetables
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Dill is another cool-season crop that likes the cooler temperatures of spring and fall, rather than the summer heat that will cause it to die. When you plant dill, it is best to plant the herb directly where it grows because it does not like the root disturbance that occurs when transplanting seedlings.
Dill grows about three feet tall and is known for its feathery leaves that have an anise flavor. The crop can be planted in early fall to grow incognito and give you a dill crop throughout the following months. It is also possible to grow dill from cuttings, but this is not the traditional method of propagating the herb.
Dill can be a useful companion planting herb, but if you also grow carrots in your greenhouse in the fall, do not use it for companion planting because the grass is actually cross-pollinating with the carrots.
Purchase dill seeds from True Leaf Market
6. Thyme
Thyme is a popular ornamental plant thanks to its purple or white flowers
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Thyme is an easy-to-grow Mediterranean plant and is another plant that goes dormant during the winter. If you want to continue growing thyme indoors over the winter, you can dig up the clumps to replant.
Make sure to plant thyme in well-drained soil as it does not like to sit with wet roots. Lack of drainage is a common herb gardening mistake to avoid, so consider adding some gravel to your potting mix if you are planting thyme in containers in the fall.
When transplanting thyme to grow in a greenhouse, prune the plant when potted and it should quickly begin producing new growth which can be great for cooking during the winter months.
Buy thyme seeds and plants from Burpee
common questions
Do herbs grow better in a greenhouse?
Herbs can benefit from the protected environment of a greenhouse and some tender annual herbs will really thrive in a greenhouse, for example when growing basil. Many herbs can grow in a greenhouse year-round, but they are also well suited for growing outdoors. It is often more efficient to devote valuable indoor space to more tender, heat-loving crops. Additionally, the likes of coriander, dill and parsley are more likely to go to seed if grown in a greenhouse over the summer.
If you’re planning to start an herb garden, there is a wide range of herbs you can choose from. So why not extend the season for many of these herbs by moving them indoors and making sure to take this into account when planning this year’s greenhouse.