Hello World! Welcome Friends! For many home gardeners, growing and harvesting their own herbs is a source of pride. Indeed, the act of harvesting is one of the main reasons people begin gardening in the first place. This pride point is as true of those who grow herbs as those who grow fruits and vegetables.
Herbs, however, are so often grown for specific use in cooking. And harvesting and processing them at just the right time and the right way can make all the difference.
Harvesting At the Right Time
There is an ideal time to harvest for maximum flavor in cooking with each herb. For most herbs, that point is right before they begin to flower. This point is when essential oils are at their highest and, therefore, most flavorful.
To harvest correctly, the right tools are necessary. Scissors, sharp pruners, or a specially designed herb trimmer like this one from GardenTap (https://gardentap.com/), are all good options to help properly harvest herbs, especially in large quantities.
For gardeners who feel they may harvest and process a large number of herbs, the herb trimmer can be especially beneficial as it allows for a higher number of herbs harvested. If using scissors or prunes, be sure they’re properly cleaned and sharpened.
Harvesting At the Right Time of Day
When harvesting herbs, something else to consider is the time of day when you harvest. Typically, the best time of day to pick is early in the morning, after the morning dew has dried, but before the heat of the day. By harvesting at this time, you can be confident the oils have not dissipated in the hot sun.
Drying and Processing Herbs
After harvesting, there are several different methods of drying and processing herbs, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. Be sure to wash and dry the herbs before you begin processing them. Read up on gardening tips and tricks to get the best out of your dried herbs.
Hang Drying
Like it sounds, this method involves tying up bunches of herbs and letting them hang to dry. The benefits here, they can be used as decoration and make your home smell nice. The downside is that it can take up to a month or longer for them to dry completely.
Tray Drying
This method works well for short-trimmed herbs. Begin by pulling leaves from the stems and spreading them in an even layer in a tray. Set somewhere dark and out of direct sunlight. To ensure they’re drying out evenly, there may be a need to turn the leaves over from time to time.
Using a Food Dehydrator
Unlike the last two methods, this method of drying herbs is much quicker. It will be essential to refer to the individual manual for your particular food dehydrator. Still, it’s an excellent option for people eager to use their herbs sooner rather than later.
Wrap Up
Growing and harvesting your own food and herbs is wonderfully fulfilling and a source of pride for many gardeners, as it should be.
With these tips and tools, herb harvesting can become a natural part of your gardening routine and perhaps part of your cooking routine as well.
Click the links below for any posts you have missed:
Tips for Renovating Your House for the First Time
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Tips for Designing Better Kids’ Rooms
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