Preserving Your Crop From a Home Herb Garden
Posted: Thursday, January 21, 2010
by Sarah Phillips
HerbGardeningCentral.com
Your herbs are mature after you have nurtured them with water and care from seedlings or seed. Congratulations. The harvest time has arrived and it is time to put your herbs to the use they are intended. A few more steps and you will be cooking with fresh herbs in no time.
First, you must harvest your herbs before you use them. The timing of your harvest is important. Too hot or windy and the essential oils will disperse. Too wet from rain means that less oil is produced in the plant. One of the best times to harvest is on a calm, dry morning during midsummer.
While it is likely you will use plenty of your herbs fresh it is not required. There are simple ways to preserve herbs for future use. One more point about harvesting; it is important to remember not to take more than one-third of the foliage or plant at any one time. Taking this precaution will ensure your herb will continue to produce new growth. Also check the plants for disease or insect damage before you harvest.
You have three simple methods of preserving herbs; drying, freezing, and using a medium like salt or vinegar.
Drying herbs is simply allowing the herbs to hang in a cool, dry place out of the sun. Create a small bundle of six to twelve herb twigs, removing any leaves near the base. Tie the bundle with string and hang. If you have individual leaves to dry try using a rack (if the leaves are large enough) or a screen. Some people use mechanical heat, like dehydrators, ovens, or even microwaves. These methods work but damage the herbs with the heat, so you with caution.
An easy preservation method is freezing. Line a baking sheet with wax paper and place cut herbs onto the paper. Simply slide the baking sheet into the freezer. Once the herbs are frozen transfer the herbs to a plastic freezer bag. Write the name of the herb on the outside of the zipper bag for future reference.
The third way to preserve herbs is to use a medium such as vinegar or salt. Place your cut herbs into a sealable jar or bottle and cover with vinegar. This will keep for several months. You can make a flavored salt the preserves the herbs; simple alternate layers of fresh herbs between salt. Once the herbs are thoroughly dry separate the herb from the flavored salt and store in an airtight container.
Harvest time is the time to enjoy your fresh herbs. These herbs should be cleaned before use. Place the fresh herbs in a bowl with cool water stirring in two tablespoons of salt. The salt will drive away any insects without any damage to your herbs. Take the herbs from the water and spin in a salad spinner or lightly pat between two dish towels.
Knowledge is the key to success. Each herb is unique in how to harvest, chop, store, and use. Discover the key points about the particular herb you plan to grow and use.
Sarah Phillips is an herb gardening enthusiast, and enjoys helping others get started in this wonderful hobby.
Discover the bounty of herbs your can get from your own home herb garden click here.
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