"They may not grow as fast but sure they will be healthy and green all winter". I would query that statement cyrus. I don't question your experience in GA but true chives(Allium schoenoprasum) die down to their roots in cold winters and grow again in the spring. This is my experience and we have few freezes here. Parsley will decrease to a few green shoots and then regrow and flower in its second year. If the pots are not very large and the temperatures drop significantly it might be a good idea to wrap them to prevent the soil from freezing right through for an extended period. But I would agree they will be happier outdoors.

Flora, I said:
" That is what we get here in this part of GA."

And "adeleg" seemed to be worried about 30F low of the night."..I think it will be to low 30s..."

Sure! I have lived in places where frost line could be 18 inches deep some winters. No "herb" can stay green and lush in that kind of cold.

I was just surprised that you said chives would stay green at 30F and that they 'love' this kind of weather. In my garden 30f would be a very cold winter temp ... and the chives always die back to the ground. In fact they've already done so this year and we haven't had any freezes at all yet. My flat leaf parsley is still looking good though. Perhaps we are talking about different chives??? Do you mean garlic chives perhaps?

Chives are a wonderful winter survivor. I'm sure if I go out to the garden now I could still find some green in my chives but they are closing up shop for the winter. They will die back to the ground and sprout up (at least in NY State where I live) when the dandelion are blooming in early spring. Chives will bloom shortly there after.

Mint, thyme, and chives all survive my winter conditions quite nicely. Parsley will survive it too but it is a biennial - it will bloom and go to seed in the second year. Parsley is generally treated as an annual. Rosemary is rather difficult to overwinter outdoors here. I'm sure the winter conditions and temperatures in Manhattan are much more mild than Western NY State. It may survive your winter outdoors.

FataMorgana

to flora & Fatamorgana,

I know for sure that the garlics that I have planted, starting from early September, will stay live and geen all winter.I have flat onion chives and leeks(same close family) that I have planted in the spring. They are still live and well. I have planted onions from seeds, they are growing. I have planted shallots(a month ago) from store bough shallot that are growing. I have planted onions from sets (from pearl onions to be exact) and they are growing as well.
Of course, we have not yet seen a frost although there have been lows in mid 30sF few times so far.

All along, I have been talking about the vegies in the garden not in the pots. Ground is a low heat source in the winter.So garden veggies roots won't get as cold in the garden as it does in the pots. Again, I am talking about my climat, wher temps can dip to mid teens-F.
I also lightly mulch them (with oak leaves that will not soak up too muh water and will not rot or get compacted as fast).This is an extra blanket.
I will report about my chives in a month or so.
Until then happy wintering your veggies(Grin).

Cyrus, you say, "I have flat onion chives and leeks(same close family)" Yes, exactly, they WILL stay green but they are not chives i.e. Allium schoenoprasum. Leeks are Allium porrum and are a well known winter vegetable. Garlic is also a winter survivor. I plant mine in November. Onions and shallots are also well known to be cold hardy. But none of these Alliums are chives which is what the OP is asking about. I don't know what your flat onion chives are. Perhaps they are Allium tuberosum, Chinese or garlic chives. However, they are not true chives, Allium schoenoprasum, which has cylindrical leaves. I am not saying chives will die out completely in winter, only that the leaves will die down to the root and they will reappear in spring. My chive plants are several years old now but they definitely disappear in the winter. In my climate none of the herbs mentioned by the OP, including rosemary, needs any protection in the winter ..... but the chives still die down.

Thanks Flora,

Commonly they are also called chives. Asian markets sell flat Garlic variety and they call it chives. What do you call them? I mean common name.
Mine are similar to Chinese Garlic variety but they have definitely onion flavor not garlic. I think these are Middle Eastern variety. I will let some of them go for seed next year.
I know those tubular chives die out in the winter. If left unharvested will have small globe like flowers, like onions but purplish. Over here they are called flowering chives, not to be mistaken by Chinese flowering chives which are yet another kind, not hollow tubular and not flat either.

Just to be clear, in my post I'm talking about Allium schoenoprasum or as most folks call them, chives. It is the plant with round leaves and lavender-colored blossoms. They are great sprinkled on all manner of foods (baked potatoes, scrambled eggs, salads, etc.) for a mild onion flavor.

For some pictures and info on different "chives" varieties, see the Richers chives page linked in below.

FataMorgana

Here is a link that might be useful: Richters - chives

So, I was right calling the flat-leaved ones "chives".
Mine look exactly like garlic chives but the flavor is not garlicy at all, but onion like. In a way, they are like miniture leeks. As they age, second or third year they can have leaves as wide as quarter of an inch.

Most folks call them "garlic chives" and not just "chives." Otherwise it would all just be too confusing. Of course botanical names solve all mystery and confusion - garlic chives are also Allium tuberosum. I've gotten to like and depend upon the botanical names so much, I don't order much from seed & plant catalogs that don't specify it.

As far as flavor, who knows? Plants have lots of variation depending upon growing conditions and just the inherent genetic differences that living things have. Maybe your taste buds are a little different too. ;)

FataMorgana

Thank you for all of your input...however I'm still not clear on mint and thyme. Those two seems to be doing pretty poorly outside right now. The mint leaves in fact are turning brown and I'm not sure if this is frost or what? The pot has been outside so its not that I took it out suddently and I havent watered it in a couple of days so its not overwatered. Could it be the wind? Its been quite windy today and probably around 40-45 all day.

Mint will die back to the ground for winter. It will sprout new growth in the spring.

Was your thyme the "normal" thyme, Thymus vulgaris?

FataMorgana