Chumasande MatiwaneHerbs are the quickest, simplest, and tastiest way to elevate your dinners from ordinary to mind-blowing. These herbs are even more vital when the weather begins to cool down, and the wind starts being cold.
Unfortunately, as gardeners know, few plants grow well in areas with cold South African winters, but luckily, these herbs do well in the South African cooler seasons.
Thyme
There are many thyme fragrances to choose from, including lemon-scented thyme, which is perfect for the autumn-winter cold-fighting season. As a Mediterranean plant, it flourishes in full sun and high heat but can withstand cooler seasons with some protection from frost. If growing it outside, just place a frost cover over the plant to keep it from frostbite. Be sure not to harvest more than one-third of the plant, and it will be able to grow back again come springtime.
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Rosemary
Like thyme, rosemary is a cool/cold-weather kitchen staple. Its savoury aroma is synonymous with cold weather – just the sight of rosemary is likely to trigger memories of traditional winter roasts and flickering fires.
The rosemary herbs can withstand cold weather with some protection provided, if they remain in a full-sun position throughout the day. Although frost-hardy, it doesn’t grow as vigorously in colder weather as it does in spring.
Parsley
For herb plants with delicate-looking leaves, parsley is surprisingly tough. They leave gardeners amazed at how they make it through frost.
Like kale, parsley is biennial, which means they don’t go to seed until it’s been in the garden for at least two years. This is great news for us gardeners because it means the parsley will stay in the garden as long as possible. They resist dying from frost, heat, and thirst.
Mint
Mint is known for being aggressive. With the right care, it will continue that trend even in cold weather. While the tops of the herb will eventually die back in very cold weather, in most regions of the country, it will hold out, and you can continue your harvest all year long.
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