Be Silly. Be honest. Be kind.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson
Harvesting Herbs
Herbs are at their peak of flavor when they've just been
harvested. Midmorning, just after the sun has dried the
leaves but before it's too hot, is the best time of day to
harvest. You can cut back as much as 3/4 of the plant
without harming it. If the leaves are dirty, rinse them
quickly in cold water and dry them with paper towels.
The best time of year to harvest is before the flowers
bloom. You can prolong the optimum harvest time by pruning
off the flower buds as they form, but even the most
attentive bud-nipper will find that the harvest season
will eventually come to an end, and it's time to think
about preserving some of your crop.
Freezing or preserving in olive oil are the best ways to
preserve herbs, but many gardeners prefer drying because
it is easy and doesn't require any special storage. Here's
a tip to keep the dust and bugs out of your herbs while
they are drying:
Hang your bundles of herbs in a cool airy place, and place
a paper bag over them. Make sure your herbs are tied in
bundles small enough that they don't touch the sides of
the bag when they are covered, and tie the end of the bag
closed. Check back in about three weeks. When the herbs
are dry they will crumble easily into jars for storage.
