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 Harvest herbs whenever you need them for cooking
or garnishing a favorite dish. Adjust the quantity of herbs used to
allow for variations in flavor intensity and your family’s
preference.
In general, you will need two to three times more fresh than dried
herbs. So, if the recipe calls for one teaspoon of dried parsley use
one tablespoon (three teaspoons) of fresh parsley leaves.
Use a pair of garden scissors or pruners for harvesting. Make your
cuts above a set of healthy leaves. The wound will close faster, and
the remaining plant will look better. Rinse off the clippings and
remove tough stems and any discolored or damaged leaves and start
cooking.
Store the extra, unwashed leafy herbs in a vase of water and loosely
cover with a plastic bag. Keep basil on the kitchen counter and
cold-tolerant herbs like parsley and cilantro in the refrigerator.
Wrap thicker-leafed herbs like sage and thyme in a paper towel, set
inside a plastic bag and place in a warmer section of the fridge.
Don’t be afraid to keep harvesting. Regular picking encourages new
growth for future harvests. Just be sure to leave enough foliage to
maintain plant growth. You can harvest as much as 50 to 75% from
established annual herbs and one third of perennial herbs at one
time.
Clip off leaves and stems before the plant begins flowering to
encourage more tender growth. You’ll get the greatest concentration
of flavor when the plant has formed buds, but before they open.
However, don’t discard the flowers if you’ve waited too long. Enjoy
the beauty and added flavor of basil, lavender, lovage, monarda,
oregano, Rosemary, sage, sweet marjoram and thyme blossoms in
salads, soups and other beverages.
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As the season winds down, consider preserving some of
your favorite herbs to use all winter long and to give as gifts.
Drying is one of the easiest ways to preserve your herbal harvest.
Collect large amounts of basil, rosemary, marjoram and sage just
prior to flowering. Cut the plants back about halfway in the morning
after the dew has just dried off the leaves. Rinse – do not soak –
the clippings and then remove any damaged or dried leaves.
Gather the herbs into small bundles and secure with a rubber band.
As the stems shrink, so does the rubber band. Use a spring-type
clothespin to hang the bundles from a clothesline or hanger.
Store the bundled herbs in a warm, dry, airy place out of direct
sunlight for drying. Some gardeners cover the drying herbs with a
paper bag to keep them clean.
You can also dry herbs in the microwave. Remove the leaves from
freshly harvested herbs. Evenly spread two cups of washed herb
leaves on a double thickness of paper towel. Microwave on high for
four to six minutes, depending on your microwave.
Fully dried herbs will be brittle and rattle when stirred. Store
dried herbs in an airtight container for later use. Label the
container with the name of the herb and date preserved.
Then add these flavorful additions to your meals throughout the
winter. You’re sure to savor the flavor and memories these homegrown
preserved herbs add to every meal.
[Photo credit: Gardener’s Supply Company]
Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books,
including Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to
Grow Anything” DVD series and the nationally-syndicated Melinda’s
Garden Moment TV & radio segments. Myers is a columnist and
contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine. Myers’ website,
www.Melinda Myers.com ,
features gardening videos, podcasts and tips. |
