Monday, June 17, 2013

Harvesting Herbs (How to)



Many people grow herbs in gardens both indoors and outdoors. These herbs are grown for their ornamental properties and for culinary and medicinal usage.  If you enjoy using herbs for your recipes then they should be harvested throughout the growing season.



Learn the parts of the herb plant that are needed for usage; tea, cooking, soaps, potpourri or sachets to name a few uses for herbs.  The herb leaves and stems are used for cooking and for crafts. For medicinal usage you would harvest the seed, flowers and roots.

Harvest your herbs in the morning.  I prefer to pick the leaves and flowers when the dew is still noticeable on the leaves.  I use my herb scissor to cut herb springs two inches above the soil line or I will remove the leaves from the sprig.   When you harvest the herbs in the morning the oil in the leaves is more concentrated and thus your recipes will be more flavorful and if you are making wreaths or potpourri with the herb flowers then they will be more aromatic.

View this video for tips on harvesting indoor herbs:


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