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 Canning jars, freezer containers, spice cubes and
airtight bottles for canning, freezing, and storing dehydrated herbs
and vegetables are always welcome gifts. These supplies come in
handy throughout the harvest season and are often in short supply
when food preservation is at its peak.
Most gardeners grow their own fresh herbs and drying is the easiest
way to preserve the harvest. Simply gather stems, secure with a
rubber band, and suspend in a warm, dry location. As the stems dry
and shrink, the rubber band does as well, keeping the stems secure.
Use a spring clothespin to secure the herb bundles to wires or other
support. Create your own drying set up or invest in one of the
commercial herb drying racks.
If space is limited, your gift recipient will appreciate a system
like the Stack-it Herb Drying Rack (gardeners.com) that allows them
to dry lots of herbs in a very small footprint. The drying system
you purchase or create should provide the needed space for the
harvest and allow sufficient air circulation for fast drying.
Herbs with high moisture content like basil, oregano, lemon balm and
mints will mold if not dried quickly. If this has been a problem in
the past, try placing a small bunch in a paper bag with holes in the
side and stems outside the bag. Hang these from a drying rack or
speed up the process by using a microwave or food dehydrator.
Many gardeners grow onions, garlic, and potatoes for long-term
storage. All three of these vegetables prefer cool, dark storage
locations with good air circulation. Separate potatoes from onions
that give off pungent gases that can taint the potatoes’ flavor.
Avoid plastic bags that retain moisture and can
shorten these vegetables storage life. Breathable potato and onion
storage baskets have been used by gardeners for centuries. Boost the
style and space savings with the Stackable Bamboo Harvest Storage
Basket with Lid. Just stack as needed and place on the rolling base
for easy storage and accessibility.
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Help your gift recipient turn their harvest into
something delicious. Fermentation is a relatively easy preservation
technique that has been used for thousands of years. Preserve some
of your cucumbers as pickles, cabbage as sauerkraut, and berries as
preserves with fermentation.
For most projects you just need the fruit or vegetables, water,
salt, and spices. The desired ingredients are placed in a covered
vessel like a Stoneware Pickling Crock. Weights are used to keep the
fruit and vegetables submerged in water throughout the fermentation
process.
Consider smaller fermentation kits for those with limited space. A
three-liter glass jar with an air-lock lid and ceramic weights will
allow you to ferment small quantities of vegetables.
Reduce the workload and boost the enjoyment for those making tomato
juice, sauces, and soups. Hand crank and electric tomato presses,
strainers and sauce makers allow gardeners to separate the skins and
seeds from the tomato meat for quicker and easier processing.
Giving a gift that helps preserve flavors from the recipient’s
garden will be useful and remembered for seasons to come.
Melinda Myers is the author of more than 20 gardening books,
including Small Space Gardening and Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd
Edition. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” DVD
series and the Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio program. Myers is
a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and
was commissioned by Gardener’s Supply for her expertise to write
this article. Her web site is www.MelindaMyers.com.
[Photo courtesy of Gardener’s Supply
Company/gardeners.com]
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