Growing Herbs With
Culinary Intentions

No doubt you have been growing herbs with the idea that you will use them in the kitchen to create all the culinary masterpieces that you can think of. You've watched the plants develop and now they are flourishing, so how are you going to start using the herbs, and what about the excees?

Now you need to harvest them and there are a couple of things you need to know in order to get it right. First of all the time to pick is rather important. The essential oils can be broken up through heat and wind so pick a dry and calm time, morning is best and around mid-summer, to harvest. When it is really wet the herbs produce much less oil. The word harvest does not mean taking the complete plant. To promote the continued growth of the herbs it’s best to remove about one-third this will leave the plant with enough foliage in order to re-grow. If you have picked more than you need you can freeze or preserve what is left over to use at a later time. Just before you do harvest it is a really good time to check the overall plant for insects and for any damage that may have happened.

Using herbs straight out of the garden is just delicious. However, you will need to make sure they are clean first. A good trick is to use cool water – a bowl or the sink depending on the amount of herbs to be washed – by placing a couple of tablespoons of salt in the water this will get rid of any insects that happen to be loitering and won’t damage the foliage. Once clean, remove and either use a salad spinner or paper towel to dry them.

For preserving your herbs here are three different ways:

Dried Herbs: A very satisfying way to keep herbs is by drying them. After harvesting, remove the leaves from the lower part of the stalk then take six to twelve stems and bundle them together. Hang them in a cool, dark place (no sunlight). If you want to dry just the leaves then place them on a rack making sure that you turn them regularly. There are other alternatives, however, not so successful, and these are by way of the oven, a microwave or a dehydrator.

Freezing Herbs: This is a very simple way to keep herbs. You will need to have a baking tray with wax paper and the herbs need to be cut into 1/4 inch pieces. Put them into the freezer and once frozen they can then be bagged and labeled. You will then be able to use just the amount you want.

Preserving Herbs: Two ways to do this is by either vinegar or salt. The vinegar method will last for quite a few months. All you need to do is cover the herbs with vinegar. You can chop herbs such as mint, tarragon or basil. Using salt is slightly more tricky. Make layers of herbs and salt (using a salt that is flavored is nice). Once the herbs have dried pick them out from the salt and store them in an airtight container.

All herbs are different and each type has their own way of harvesting and chopping or shredding. Before harvest time make sure you have found out how to use the herb correctly that way it will give you its full benefit.