The Flower Lady

You've nourished your herbs and lovingly watched as they developed from seeds and grew into beautiful plants. Your herbs have been a joy to grow and now your efforts will be rewarded by their many exceptional uses. Yes, your home herb garden has been a little work but it has been well worth it.

Now it's time to harvest and recognizing when your herbs are ready is a very big key to maximizing their benefits. Elements such as the heat and the wind can rob important herb oils. So try to select a midsummer morning that is dry and calm to collect your bounty. Herbs do not produce as much oil on days that are very wet. On the harvesting morning wait till the dew dries from the herb leaves, and just prior to its flowers opening, to harvest your herbs. By the way, we're not talking about digging up the whole plant at this stage. We just want to take the amount of herb leaves that we need, either for present use or to preserve them for a later use. It's important to not remove greater than a third of the leaves during a single harvest. Your plants will continue their growth better by taking no more foliage than this. Also, before harvesting, be sure and check for insects and injured leaves prior to harvesting.

Generally, folks preserve their herbs in three ways: a salt or vinegar preservation medium, freezing, or drying.

Preserving Herbs Using a Medium

Herbs like basil, chopped mint, or tarragon can be preserved for several months just by covering with vinegar. You can also alternate layers of fresh herbs and flavored salt to preserve herbs. Once they're totally dry, divide the herbs from the salt and place in an airtight container. Certainly, herbs are most frequently used fresh out of the garden. Just be sure to clean the herbs prior to use in your favorite recipes. A great way to clean herbs fresh from the garden is to put them in a sink or bowl containing cool water. The sink is definitely the way to go if you are cleaning a fair amount of herbs. You'll also want to add about two tablespoons of salt into the water. This will drive away any insects without harming the herbs. Now you can dry your herbs in a salad spinner or a method of your choosing.

Freezing Herbs - A pretty easy process of preserving.

1. Cut into quarter inch sections.

2. Place them on a wax paper lined baking sheet.

3. Put them in the freezer

4. Once frozen, put the herbs in a freezer bag and return them to the freezer till needed.

Easy Steps for Drying Herbs

1. Take 6 -12 stems and group them together. Check the base of the stems and remove any foliage.

2. Tie the bundle with a string

3. Then hang them in a cool place apart from sunlight.

Drying Individual Leaves

1. Use a rack or screen to place the leaves on

2. Flip the leaves often so that they dry correctly

You can also use an appliance like a dehydrator, microwave, or oven for the drying process but many people have found this method to be less satisfying.

Freezing Herbs - A simple process for preserving.

1. Cut into quarter inch sections.

2. Place them on a wax paper lined baking sheet.

3. Put them in the freezer

4. Once frozen, put the herbs in a freezer bag and return them to the freezer till needed.

Remember, each herb is unique in its uses. Each herb has its own instructions in using, harvesting, and chopping as well. Learning about the herbs you are growing will help you to use them correctly and enjoy the maximum benefits your home herb garden is sure to provide.

Carl Olsen growing and teaching about herbs. For more great information on growing your own , visit .