It is that time of year: the leaves start to change, pumpkin and pumpkin are scraping boards and gardens are abundant. It is also the time when many start to think about how they can harvest and store many of the herbs that they have to grow in their gardens or near their houses. You may have enjoyed the abundance of fresh herbs all summer, both culinary and medicinal, but now the nights are getting colder, what do you do with all that premium? With a few simple techniques you can continue to enjoy your herbs to the cold winter months.
Harvest
Whether you are culinary or medicinal, you want to keep a few things in mind when harvesting your herbs. First make sure you harvest the plants that look the healthiest. At this time of the year, some will already go beyond the ideal moment to harvest. So go ahead and leave it behind and wait until next year to get them at their peak. Peak times for harvest and harvesting techniques will be plant-specific. But there are some general guidelines for when the best time is to harvest certain planting parts:
To leaf through
These can be harvested during the growing season, but are often the best from spring to late summer or before a plant goes to seed.
Flowers
Are harvested when they are in bloom, usually from spring to late summer. Some flowers, such as lavender, are traditionally picked in the budding stage. Roses can be harvested in the budding stage for the entire flower or when only in bloom for the petals.
Seed
The timing from when a plant goes to seed differs from plant to plant. However, seeds for most plants can best be picked in the late summer or fall. Make sure you don’t pick them too early when they are “green”. Some signs that seeds are ready to be harvested, they are brown, feel dry and some plants can be heard when they are shaken.
Carrots
These are traditionally harvested in the fall. But that does not mean that you cannot harvest them earlier, especially for plants that you might raise, such as dandelion. If your plant is biennial (only two years old), such as Burdock (Arctium Lappa), you want to harvest the root of the fall of the first year. Second year carrots on these plants are usually more shriveled.
If you harvest wanted edible or medicinal plants, make sure that you harvest pesticides in areas and are not referred to as nature conservation areas. Always follow ethical techniques for wild crafting. This includes taking just what you need and harvesting in a way that is beneficial for plant populations, such as helping to sow seed heads and only harvest roots or to have part of the root propagated where possible.
Saving and storing your herbs
Now that you have harvested your herbs, how do you make them the last? Drying is the easiest way to keep your herbs. Drogen maintains the taste and qualities of herbs, but removes the water from the plant. Depending on the climate in which you live, it is easy to do and it takes very little time.
As soon as you have harvested the part of the plant you want to maintain, you follow these simple steps:
Clean them
For some, this can be as easy as brushing the excess dirt; For others you might have to rinse them with water. It is always best to prevent the moisture from adding to the herbs, so don’t rinse them unless absolutely necessary. Unless they are very muddy, you can usually get the most herbs clean by brushing and shaking. If you harvest carrots to dry, you want to scrub them with water to remove dirt. You can do this with your hands or with a small brush or old toothbrush.
Lay down
As soon as they are clean, you want to put your herbs out so that they are evenly exposed to air. You can use flat baskets for this, old windows screens or even the mesh dry racks that are sometimes used for delicate clothing. What is important is that the air is able to circulate around the herbs. It is best to throw or turn the herbs from time to time to even help facilitate drying.
If you live in a dry climate, leafy parts of plants will dry with this method in days. Roots can last a week or two. If you dry roots, you must cut them into the desired size before you dry. For leaf parts, some prefer to precede them at the size they want and others prefer to crumble/cut them as soon as they are dried. Both are fine.
If you live in a damp environment, your fungus must be more careful. Another trick that works great for damp climates is to place your herbs in a paper bag and roll the top closed. Store the herbs of 1-2 weeks in this way (or longer if necessary) until it is completely dry. Shake the bag daily to circulate the herbs and even help to make drying drying. The paper helps to absorb excess moisture, preventing mold.
You know that your herbs are completely dry if you can crush leaf parts and the roots are difficult. Do not store your herbs until they are completely dry or they will form.
Sunlight? It is somewhat against intuitive that I know, but it is best to dry your herbs in a dark place or at least from direct sunlight. Drying herbs directly in the sun can exhaust the ingredients and make them less effective if they are medicinal or less tasteful if they are culinary.
Herb Once your herbs are dried, it’s time to save them. It is best to save your herbs in an airtight container to retain voters. Mason pots or other glass containers work best.
If you have to keep them in bags, it is best to store them in paper bags instead of plastic, because it enables the herbs to breathe and keep excess moisture out of the environment (important if you live in a damp environment).
Don’t forget to keep them out of the sun. Dried leaf herbs can last 1-2 years in this way. Roots last longer. The exact length depends on the root. Some last 2-4 years and others with a highly essential oil content, such as Osha (Ligusticum porterii), can last much longer. Learn to know what your herbs look like and smell when you are freshly dried. When they start losing their color and scent, they are too old and the best composted.
Happy Harvest!
** Stay informed to learn how to store your herbs by making herb vinegar and other herbal creations.
Erin Smith has been working with plants for 25 years and is a medical herbalist and ethnobotanist. She is the maker of Plant Passionate Living, an interactive program designed to help people find more health and vitality through a deeper relationship with plants. Erin is the founder and director of the Center for Integrative Botanical Studies.
Only for educational purposes. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent a disease or to sell a product.
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