Hello, I have an outdoor window box that faces east in Vancouver. Are there any culinary herbs that can grow outside over winter? Thank you!
Outside in Vancouver needs cold boxes if you are to grow. You can grow indoors in small containers, pots at window seals. This will offer many varieties. Herbs are not as demanding as vegetables for sunlight and heat. Holleyberry has much indoor success; but if you want the outdoors, greenhouses, or coldhouses for winter.
Some of the woody herbs, rosemary, thyme, oregano and sage will overwinter. Parsley usually seems to overwinter in my garden as well. You don't get fresh growth, but they hold leaves for harvest through the winter. I usually find mint to harvest in the winter as well. A small coldframe like Acoma suggested will get you all kinds of eats, including greens. I think you would need to have plants established by now, seedlings won't work this late.
Eric, your Oregano overwinters? I could see the others you list. This is great news. I personally pull up all my herbs in late fall, dry them out, and create long lasting blended varietes. I will try to overwinter next year as well. Acoma
The oregano doesn't put out new growth in the winter, but the leaves remain harvestable for most of the winter and it grows again in spring. I am gardening in a protected spot on the Sunshine Coast (Zone 8) though.
Just a note that oregano is a variable genus, with types all the way down to zone 5. Not sure how to make certain which you're getting, but I've seen them with different variety names like "greek oregano" and "russian oregano" so that's probably some indication. For sure it tends to remain evergreen around here, not sure about Reno! (Wish the related and better flavored marjoram wasn't so tender, sigh...)
