Benefits of using herbs from a home herb garden
Planting your herbs and watching them grow is only the beginning of herb gardening. Unlike other garden plants, herbs are useful away from the garden in many ways. To harvest and preserve your herbs for use, you will need to do some work first.
Time your harvest properly. The essential oils in herbs are what you want to get the most of when harvesting. Wind and heat cause the oils to dissipate. Herbs produce less oil on rainy days. Choose a dry, windless morning after flowering has begun for the season; midsummer is often best. Harvest after the dew dries but before that day’s blossoms open.
Harvesting home herbs means taking a small amount of the plant for use, not uprooting the entire plant. Try to remove no more than one third of the total plant when harvesting. Pruning prompts new growth, but remaining leaves will need to make food for the whole plant in the meantime. Inspect the plant for any damage from insects or disease prior to harvesting.
Herbs from a home herb garden do not need to be used immediately. This is good news if you have a large harvest. You want to retain the oils in the plant while avoiding rot. Preserve them for later use in one of three ways: dried, frozen, or pickled in salt or vinegar.
Drying herbs is a simple method of preservation. Individual leaves can be dried by laying flat on a screen or rack. You must turn the leaves often for even drying. You can use an appliance such as a dehydrator or oven but will not achieve results as satisfactory as air drying. To dry herbs on the stem, bundle stems in groups of up to a dozen, tying defoliated stem ends with string. Hang the bundles upside-down in a cool, dry, windowless space.
Herbs can be frozen to lock in their essential oils. Prepare a baking sheet by lining with wax paper. Chop herbs into pieces about 1/4 inch in size. Place herbs on the baking sheet in a single layer and freeze. Once frozen, the herbs can be collected in a container and stored in the freezer for later use.
Herbs from a home herb garden can be pickled to preserve their flavor. Pickling is a very old preservation method involving salt or vinegar. Drop fresh herbs like basil, tarragon or mint into vinegar to keep the flavor for several months. Herb leaves can be dried and preserved by sandwiching them with salt. Once the salt has dehydrated the leaves, remove the browned herbs from the salt and keep them in an airtight container.
Using herbs from a home herb garden includes using them freshly picked. To use them fresh, wash the herbs gently by floating them in a bowl of cool water. If you have a lot of herbs to wash at once, use the sink basin. Add two tablespoons of salt to the bowl to chase away insects. The salt will not alter the flavor of the herb. Lift the herbs from the water and dry in a salad spinner.
Herbs have as many uses as there are varieties. Research the proper way to harvest each herb for specific instructions. Become familiar with the uses of all the herbs you grow and how to preserve each for best flavor, aroma or color.
About the Author
To find out many more excellent tips on how to begin and maintain a healthy and diverse home herb garden including culinary, medicinal and aromatic herbs, visit SuccessfulHerbGardeningSecrets.com to get on the list for free herb gardening mini-course.
How to cook Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb – Gordon Ramsay Recipe -cookery show – Easy to cook
|
|
Nesco/American Harvest FD-80 Square-Shaped Dehydrator $59.94 Easy-to-use dehydrator for drying fruit, vegetables, herbs and jerky. Lay out jerky strips with ease. Includes spices and cure packets. U.S.A. Shape: Square, Watts: 700, Top Mount Fan: Yes, Tray included: 4, Adjustable Thermostat: Yes, Handle Type: Bale, Exterior Color: White, Dimensions L x W x H (in.): 14 1/2 x 14 1/2 x 10… |
|
|
Spectrum Wall-Mountable Black Scroll Spice Rack $14.99 Store all your spices in one easily-viewable place. The Scroll Wall Mounted Spice Rack takes all your spices out of the cupboard and off the shelves, storing them all in this stylish three tiered rack. It can also be used to store other small bottles or containers. The beautiful scroll design adds a traditional touch to your room, while perfectly complementing any decor Made of durable metal, this… |
|
|
Nesco American Harvest Clean-A-Screen Tray $3.95 These 12-3/4-inch screens (a set of two) can be inserted into the trays of Nesco American Harvest’s FD-27 and FD-50 food dehydrators to prevent foods such as sugary fruits from sticking during the drying process. The fine-mesh screens are flexible, so they can be curled and foods simply peeled off. The screens are also useful for preventing small items such as herbs and spices from falling through… |
|
|
Murder in the First (Snap Case Packaging) $4.99 A convict on trial for murdering another inmate is represented by a dedicated public defender who brings down the sadistic warden of Alcatraz Prison.Genre: Feature Film-DramaRating: RRelease Date: 8-FEB-2005Media Type: DVD… |
|
|
Shea Butter Bar Soap by Mercola – 3 oz. $5.97 Once ready, botanical concentrates and organic herbs are added. The soap is then poured into wooden molds and kept warm for three days.As the soap hardens, alkali salts begin to rise to the top like cream. Around the fourth day, the blocks of soap are removed from the molds, skimmed of all alkali salts, and wire cut into individual bars.The bars are then placed on custom made oak and stainless ste… |
|
|
Self Adhesive Spice Label Set – 48 pc,(Frontier) $1.95 Brand: AccessoriesContent Description: Includes 36 printed and 12 blankBar Code: 0-30734-05166-5… |
|
|
Strauss Empty Wooden Display Rack- Brand: Strauss Herb Company Strauss Herb Company Brand…. |
|
|
Travel Spice Kit by Grapevine Trading $27.95 Take great taste wherever you go with our convenient pocket size (7.5″ x 4.5″ x 1″) Travel Spice Kit full of the flavors you crave while far a field. The assortment of 15 different herbs and spices includes the most popular blends and basics to enhance cuisines from around the globe. A perfect gift for adventurous epicures and a must for boats, RV’s, back packs, or stashed in a suitcase for a visi… |
|
|
Travel Spice Kit $24.00 Travel Spice Kit by Grapevine Trading is the perfect way to enhance your favorite dishes while you’re on the road. Each Kit contains 15 savory herbs and spices from around the globe nicely packaged in a compact metal tin that easily fits in a tote or purse…. |
|
|
Carrot & Herb Treat 1.25 Oz $1.40 SUNATURALS SUN SNACKS CARROT & HERB 1.25OZ… |
Tags: food, herb, herb rack, herb rack of lamb, herb rack of lamb recipe, herb racks and spices, herb racks john lewis, lamb, rack, recipe