It's Harvest time.
Your garden of herbs has really taken off and grown healthy and strong plants.
Now that you have successfully grown your herbs, what to do with them? Take snippets of fresh herbs as you need them for cooking, adding to salads, pesto and dips.
They taste so good you will wonder how you managed without them.
All herbs must be stored correctly to preserve their color and flavor.
Some can be dried, others kept in oil.
You do not have to harvest the whole plant at once.
Once the plant is big enough just snip enough leaves off as you need them.
Many herbs benefit from a little trim to keep the plant in shape especially the woody bush types, such as rosemary and lavender.
It is best to harvest your herbs in the morning, after the dew has dried on the leaves and before the heat of the day, as the oils that give herbs their wonderful aroma and flavor are stronger then.
Flowers are more likely to keep their shape and petals when they are picked in the cool of the morning.
Herbscan be kept in the fridge, in a plastic bag for a few days.
It is best to wash your herbs just before using to avoid them going moldy if kept damp.
A bunch of cut parsley can be placed in a glass of water on your windowsill, where it will keep well for a few days.
As it is not only the leaves that can be used, but also the flowers, roots, stems, or even the bark of different herbs, though you will need to find out how to harvest them.
Seeds need to ripen on the plant to retain their full flavor.
You will know when they are ready as the seed pods plump up and turn brown.
Some may split open so you need to regularly check your plants.
Once the herb seeds are ripe, bend the stalk towards the ground, or pick the whole stalk and shake into a paper bag to catch the seeds.
As well as drying herbs you can also freeze them for later use.
Especially good when you have a surplus in summer and know that frozen herbs make a good addition to soup stocks and hearty casseroles in the winter.
Healthy Herbs are great Grow them in your garden And pile them on your plate.
Your garden of herbs has really taken off and grown healthy and strong plants.
Now that you have successfully grown your herbs, what to do with them? Take snippets of fresh herbs as you need them for cooking, adding to salads, pesto and dips.
They taste so good you will wonder how you managed without them.
All herbs must be stored correctly to preserve their color and flavor.
Some can be dried, others kept in oil.
You do not have to harvest the whole plant at once.
Once the plant is big enough just snip enough leaves off as you need them.
Many herbs benefit from a little trim to keep the plant in shape especially the woody bush types, such as rosemary and lavender.
It is best to harvest your herbs in the morning, after the dew has dried on the leaves and before the heat of the day, as the oils that give herbs their wonderful aroma and flavor are stronger then.
Flowers are more likely to keep their shape and petals when they are picked in the cool of the morning.
Herbscan be kept in the fridge, in a plastic bag for a few days.
It is best to wash your herbs just before using to avoid them going moldy if kept damp.
A bunch of cut parsley can be placed in a glass of water on your windowsill, where it will keep well for a few days.
As it is not only the leaves that can be used, but also the flowers, roots, stems, or even the bark of different herbs, though you will need to find out how to harvest them.
Seeds need to ripen on the plant to retain their full flavor.
You will know when they are ready as the seed pods plump up and turn brown.
Some may split open so you need to regularly check your plants.
Once the herb seeds are ripe, bend the stalk towards the ground, or pick the whole stalk and shake into a paper bag to catch the seeds.
As well as drying herbs you can also freeze them for later use.
Especially good when you have a surplus in summer and know that frozen herbs make a good addition to soup stocks and hearty casseroles in the winter.
Healthy Herbs are great Grow them in your garden And pile them on your plate.
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