Drying Herbs

Now is the perfect time to harvest most herbs for fresh use as well as drying for winter use. This is extremely easy to do and quite a simple task. Select plants that are just ready to bloom as this is when the leaves contain the highest amounts of flavour. It is a really good idea to forcefully spray the plants daily with water to knock off any insects and clean the leaves of garden dirt or insect detritus. Never spray with chemicals before harvest.

Cut off the stems early in the morning before the leaves start growing (and releasing their oils naturally) to obtain the best flavours. Each plant can have up to one half of their leaves removed (cut the stems down by half). This pruning will give you ample herb leaves as well as stimulate the plant to produce more leaves. Naturally, this means youll be able to get a second harvest later in the season.

I generally put all my stalks together and tie them with a shoelace or bit of string. Mine are all hung upside down from the ceiling in a warm spot (not over the air conditioning) so the leaves will dry without mildewing. Good air circulation is essential.

It may take several weeks and each herbs drying time will vary but the leaves will eventually become dry and crumbly to the touch. I generally put the herbs in a bag and knock them about to separate the leaves from the stems. Then I put the leaves in old glass sealer jars and store them in cool, dry spots while discarding the stems. You can get even more information about drying herbs right here.

Next winter, let me suggest you consider adding mint leaves to hot apple juice to get a pleasant reminder of summer flavours and fragrances.

Doug Green, award winning garden author of 7 published books answers gardening questions in his free newsletter at http://www.beginner-gardening.com/gardeningflowertips.html Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Doug_Green

Related Links:

What is herbal medicine?

An approach to healing which uses plant or plant-derived preparations to treat, prevent, or cure various health conditions and ailments. This approach is incorporated into various medical systems. Although herbal medicine does not have a specific point of conception, at present an estimated 80% of the world’s population rely on medicinal plant preparations for their primary healthcare needs, according to the World Health Organization. ...
Herbal medicine involves the use of any or all of the different parts of plants (roots, leaves, stems and seeds) to treat illnesses and maintain health. Medicines are given to improve the body’s natural functions and to restore a natural balance of health. Herbal medicines can be given in many forms, such as liquids, infusions, tablets, creams and ointments.
Herbs are used in both Eastern and Western medicine. The aim is to use all parts of the herb and particular emphasis is laid on the energetic content of the herbs and its ability to stimulate healing. Thus the method of picking the herb and the time of day can affect the potency. The whole herb has a wider healing potential than the single active agent used by the pharmaceutical industry.