How to Harvest Herbs

When your plants have been in the ground for several weeks, they usually have grown big enough for you to harvest leaves. Using sharp scissors like pruning snips, cut herbs at the top, no more than two to three inches. Leave enough of the plant so that it continues growing. This type of trimming is healthy for the plant. It keeps the herb from growing leggy and promotes a bushy growth. It also keeps it from going to seed, which prolongs the life of the plant.

At the end of the growing season, but before the first frost, you'll want to harvest any remaining herbs in your garden.
This is when you can harvest the entire plant.

There are several ways to preserve herbs so that you can enjoy them throughout the year:

Dry:

• Bind small bundles of rosemary, thyme, oregano and other herbs and hang in a warm place out of direct sunlight.
• After a few days, place herbs on a cookie sheet in a 150 degree Fahrenheit oven for an hour.
• To dry a few sprigs at a time, place them between paper towels in your microwave. Zap for 30 seconds, wait a few minutes, then zap again and repeat until the herbs are dry.
• Use a dehydrator for crisp-dry herbs in three hours or less.

Freeze:

• Lightly coat clean, dry herbs such as basil and parsley with olive oil and freeze on cookie sheets.
• Or, place herbs in ice cube trays filled with water, juice or olive oil. For a pesto-like paste, blend herbs with olive oil before freezing.
• Once frozen, store in freezer-safe containers.

Infuse:

• Place 1/2 cup of washed, dry herbs such as dill, basil, tarragon or thyme in a clean pint glass jar and fill with oil or vinegar.
• Place in refrigerator and let steep for up to two weeks.
• Strain into a clean jar or decorative bottle. Add a fresh herb sprig. Close tightly. Store in refrigerator and use within a few weeks.