Harvesting Herbs

How To Harvest- Best time to in the mid-morning after the dew dries.

1. Select healthy branches from your to cut from your herb plants. Remove any dry or diseased leaves. Yellowed leaves and leaves spotted by disease are not worth drying. Their flavor has already been diminished by the stress of the season.
2. If you've picked your herbs while the plants are dry, you should be able to simply shake off any excess soil. But if necessary, rinse with cool water and pat dry with paper towels. Give them plenty of air circulation, so they can dry out quickly. Wet herbs will mold and rot.
3. Remove the lower leaves along the bottom inch or so of the stem.
4. Bundle 4 - 6 stems together and tie as a bunch. You can use string or a rubber band. The bundles will shrink as they dry &  rubber band will loosen, so check periodically that the bundle is not       

How To Store Herbs-Make Your own Teas & Cooking Spice Blends.

1. Store your dried herbs in airtight containers. Zippered plastic bags will do, or small canning jars work nicely as well.
2. Be sure to label and date your containers.
3. Your herbs will retain more flavor if you store the leaves whole and crush them when you are ready to use them.
4. Discard any dried herbs that show the slightest sign of mold.
5. Place containers in a cool, dry place away from sunlight.
6. Dried herbs are best used within a year. As your herbs lose their color, they are also losing their flavor.