I'm on the hunt for some great books about growing herbs specifically for the Pacific Northwest. Currently, my oregano made it through the winter thanks to mulching, which I'm thrilled about! I'm also eager to make some pesto, but I'm curious if there's a basil variety that can survive the winter like my oregano did. On another note, I'm struggling with dill—I keep killing it, unfortunately. I've just started some thyme, so I'm hoping to see how that goes too.
2 Answers
With basil, it's best to treat it like an annual. I tried to keep mine alive through the winter once, but it was a real challenge, especially with bolting! I ended up just starting fresh every season. Thyme should be okay to overwinter, similar to your oregano. For dill, honestly, you're probably better off planting new seeds each year.
Oregano, sage, and thyme can usually survive winters in many areas, so you're on the right track! Basil and dill are considered annuals, but if you have a nice sunny windowsill, you could attempt to grow basil indoors over the winter. As for dill, it actually self-seeds quite well, so you might not need to replant it every single year.
What about lemon balm and cilantro? ?