Today I have a collection of herbs tidbits on harvesting
and caring for your herbs.
CUTTING BACK HERBS
Some herbs need to be cut back to keep them from looking
wild. I know some people don't like growing herbs because
of this. But if you cut back and harvest as you should they
look great! Thymes, sage, hyssop and lavenders should be
cut back to allow for new growth. Cut out any dead stems.
I always trim my sage to keep it from getting too large. Any
of the thyme plants need to be trimmed on a regular basis
unless you are growing some as a ground cover. When you
harvest your chives cut those back as much as 3 inches to
the ground. They will grow right back!
HARVESTING TIPS
Harvest herbs in the morning after the dew has dried for the
best flavor. Some herbs, like oregano, thyme and sage, should
be harvested from the side. Parsley should be clipped from the
center of the plant for the best results, and basil should be cut
from the center and top to keep it from flowering. Chives can
be snipped straight across. You want to go with the natural
look of the plant.
To dry most herbs you can gather stems and tie in bundles, then
hang upside down in a warm, dry, ventilated area. For quick drying,
place the herb leaves on a tray lined with parchment paper and
"bake" them at 100 to 110 degrees F. (or the warm setting). Watch
carefully because some leaves only take a few minutes. Store the
dried leaves whole in sealed containers or crumble the leaves into
small glass jars. Keep them away from light and heat.
HERB OILS
I haven't written that much on herb oils, partly because there is
so much controversy over the safest way to make and store the
oil. It's probably better to be safe and store it in the refrigerator
from the start, and use it within the week. Here is one method
I ran across but there are many of them:
Basil Olive Oil
Ingredients:
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1 cup olive oil, good quality-any type
Blanch the basil leaves for 2 minutes in boiling water Remove
and squeeze the leaves dry in a clean towel. Place the leaves
and 1/2 of the olive oil in a blender. Process until smooth. Slowly
add the remainder of the oil. Pour into a glass jar and steep in
the refrigerator for a day for the flavors to blend. You can use
this as you would pesto or other herb oil.
COMPOSTING HERBS
One fascinating piece of information about herbs is that they help
make a better compost! The herbs aid in the decomposition and
they also provide minerals, which makes them very beneficial. Be
sure to compost all of your herb clippings, stems or anything that
you clean from your herb garden. Chamomile, comfrey, tansy,
dandelions, valerian, and yarrow are especially good for compost!
WASTE NOT
When chopping herbs like lovage, celery, cilantro, or parsley save
the stems and place them in a resealable plastic freezer bag. Next
time you make stock with any type of meat, throw the stems in the
pot while it's cooking and strain out before using. This makes a
great addition to stock!
MORE ON HARVESTING HERBS:
More tips on harvesting herbs as well as recipes:
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