Harvesting and Preserving Herbs

by Dee Bibb

You’ve worked hard building and nurturing your herb garden. Now, it’s time to enjoy the harvest and provide your family and friends with your bounty throughout the winter season.

There are several methods for processing and preserving your herbs. But, the decision of which method to use is ultimately an individual one, depending on your likes and dislikes, the capacity of you storage facilities and the particular herb(s) in question.

The herb itself best determines its harvest time, rather than a specific date or month. Most herbs are ready for harvesting just as the flower bud appears, but before it opens. This is when the leaves will contain the largest concentration of oils, giving you the greatest flavor and aroma to your finished product.

I personally try to harvest my herbs in the morning after the dew has dried from the leaves, but before the sun is beating down. I find the flavor is much more intense, and the aroma much more pungent from the herbs gathered at this time.

I was asked recently, how much to cut from the plant when harvesting. As a general rule of thumb, you can begin to harvest the herb when the plant has enough foliage to maintain growth and you can harvest up to 75% of the current season’s growth at any one time. Lemon balm and comfrey grow so fast, you can practically cut them to the ground and they will grow back quite fast. Just remember, use sharp shears or pruners when harvesting your herbs to avoid damaging the plant.

Many herbs have a wonderful aroma and flavor when dried. But, some herbs like cilantro and lemon balm lose much of their aroma when dried. Many fleshy-leafed herbs will mildew instead of drying properly and must be discarded. In these instances, freezing is sometimes the best way to preserve your herbs. Freezing will preserve the essential oils that provide the flavor and aroma of the herbs.

Drying is the preferred method of preservation. If your herbs are clean, do not wet them. Otherwise, rinse the dust and dirt form the leaves and shake off the excess water then spread the herbs on clean cloths to dry. When the surface moisture is gone, remove any dead or damaged leaves. Tie your stems into small bundles with string or twine and hang upside down in a warm, dry, airy place out of the sun. Make sure your bundles are small and loosely tied to promote good air circulation for drying.

An alternative to hanging your herbs to dry is to use drying racks. Some people will tell you to use old window screens. Please don’t do this! Use a fine mesh cloth as metal and plastic can affect the flavor of your herbs. When using this method, be sure to turn your leaves often to ensure even drying.

Your herbs are sufficiently dry when they are brittle and crumble easily. When the leaves are dry, separate leaves from stems and package the leaves in a bottles or jars with a tight-fitting lids. To preserve the full flavor, avoid crushing the leaves until you are ready to use them. Store all your herbs in a cool, dry place away from sunlight.

Here are some examples for preserving certain herbs:

Good For Drying: basil, dill, fennel, mint, oregano, parsley, hot peppers, rosemary, sage, savory, scented geraniums, tarragon and thyme.

Good For Freezing: basil, chervil, chives, cilantro, dill, lemon balm, parsley, hot peppers, sorrel, sweet cicely and tarragon.

Other Methods: Consider pastes, herb sugars, herb vinegars, herb salts, preserves, herb cheeses and butters.

As you can see from these small lists, many herbs lend themselves well to either method of preservation. So, that means the decision is totally up to you.

HAPPY HARVESTING!!
 

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Dee Bibb © Copyright

Article courtesy of Alternative-Beauty.com. 

A free resource for alternative beauty solutions- both inside and out!

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