Harvesting And Drying Herbs

No plant is as versatile as the herb, with uses ranging from cooking to healing to crafts. All summer you can pick fresh sprigs to season food or create flower arrangements—and if you don’t grow your own, look for fresh herbs at the supermarket or a local farmers’ market. What you can’t use immediately may be dried to use in recipes, vinegars, oils, potpourri, sachets, and crafts.

Harvest varies, depending on the herb. Initial cutting from an annual such as basil is best done before the plant flowers. Remove the flower heads during the season to promote more growth. Cut the entire plant before the first killing frost.

Leaves should be harvested in early morning when they are at their peak of flavor. Lavender, harvested for its flowers, should have its stalks cut before the flower head opens. Dill and fennel stalks should be cut before the desired seeds break through the flower head. The ideal time to harvest any part of an herb is on a dry, sunny day.

Drying methods vary. If you want to preserve only a few leaves, cut the stems in early morning and place in a single layer on a cookie sheet covered with paper towels, then put in a well-ventilated room. Turn the stems every so often until leaves are crispy. For larger harvests, create bundles by tying the stems with string and placing them upside down into a brown bag, closing the bag with a rubber band, leaving some of the stems exposed. Hang your bundles by the stems in a warm, dark, ventilated area until dry.

Use your microwave for drying by placing herbs between two layers of paper towel and setting on low for two to three minutes; continue microwaving until all moisture is gone. Or freeze herbs by puréeing with water and pouring into labeled ice cube trays for single usage.

Storing dried herbs in glass canning jars is better than plastic, because plastic lends itself to moisture buildup. Check the jars every couple of days during the first week for any signs of moisture. If any appears, you must start over.

Uses for herbs are endless. Vinegars, oils, potpourris, and sachets are common, as are wreaths and flower arrangements. Combine white or red wine vinegar with blends of herbs such as basil/chervil or mint/rosemary to make flavorful vinegars.

Combine herbs like marjoram, rosemary, and thyme; add nasturtiums and calendula to create a fragrant colorful potpourri. Store your potpourri in a sealed container. Make an herbal footbath bag by combining lavender, comfrey leaves, pennyroyal, rosemary, and sage. Use in a soak to revitalize tired feet.

Georgiana Marshen, a freelance garden writer, is a regular contributor to American Profile.

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