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Index : Herb Gardening
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- 3. Harvesting Herbs - Top
Herbs can be cut fresh and used throughout the year. Snipping off leaves and stems on a regular basis will help stimulate new growth for later use. At some time in the season herbs will begin to flower. Just prior to flowering is when the essential oils and flavor of most herbs are at their peak. At this time leafy annual herbs like Basil, Sweet Marjoram, and Summer Savoy cut back to within 4 to 6 inches of the ground. The herbs can then be dried for later use.
Some annual herbs such as Anise and Dill are grown for their seed. These plants are allowed to mature and flower. Seed heads will form and are harvested when they turn brown. They can be cut from the plant and placed in a paper bag. As seeds fall from the seed heads into the bag, they can be collected and dried by spreading them out on a fine-mesh screen.
Perennial herbs such as Sage, Oregano and Thyme should also be harvested just prior to flowering. But unlike leafy annuals, these perennials should not be cut back as severely. Remove only one-third of the top growth at a time. In the case of Rosemary, only remove the outermost tender stems and leaves.
The best time of day to harvest herbs is in the early morning. This is when the essential oils are at there most concentrated levels. When cutting stems use a sharp knife, or better, a pruning shears. Keep a bucket of cool water on hand and place the stems in the water immediately after cutting. This will keep the stems and leaves from wilting.
There are several methods used to dry herbs. The easiest is air drying. For whole branches or stems, first wash with cold running water and lay them on paper towels. When dry, gather 4 or 5 stems together and tie them in a bundle. Place them upside down in a brown paper bag, with the stems extending out of the bag. Then hang the bag in a dark, warm (70 F - 80 F) location for 2 to 4 weeks until the herbs are thoroughly dried.
The best way to dry short-stemmed herbs and individual herb leaves is on a screen. An old window screen will do, or you can make our own drying screen by stapling window screening to a frame made with 2 x 2 inch lumber. Herb leaves and stems should be spread out over the screen to allow for good air circulation. In addition, screens can be stacked by placing spacers at the bottom of each tray. Keep the screen trays in a warm, dark location until they are fully dried.
Herbs may also be dried in conventional ovens and microwaves. The advantage over air-drying is that it can be done quickly, in a matter of minutes or hours vs. weeks.
When using a gas or electric oven, set a temperature no higher than 180 F. If the oven is too hot, the herbs will dry too quickly causing them to loose favor, oils, and color. Place the herbs on a cookie sheet or shallow pan. Heat at 180 F for 3 or 4 hours. When the herbs are ready, the leaves and stem will crumble.
For small amounts of herbs, microwave drying works well. Place cleaned and dried leaves between two sheets of paper toweling in the microwave and turn it on high power for 1 to 2 minutes. Drying will vary with the moisture content of the herb and the wattage of the microwave oven. Let the leaves cool. If they are not brittle, reheat for 30 seconds and retest. Repeat as needed. Thick-leaved herbs may need to be air-dried for several days prior to micro-waving.
After drying, separate the leaves from the stems. Place the leaves in air-tight containers made of glass or hard plastic. Heavy plastic zip-lock bags can also be used. Store the containers in a cool, dry place away from sunlight, moisture and heat. Many herbs can be kept for up to a year if stored properly.
Written by John Begeman, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the University of Arizona, 520-626-5161
- Updated: August 31, 2003
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