You have planted your herbs, watched them grow and flourish, now it is time to put your herb garden to good use.

It is time to harvest your herb garden!

But, using herbs requires a little bit or work first.  First, you should inspect the plant for insects and damaged leaves and take appropriate steps.

Timing is the main factor here.  Wind and heat can disperse the essential oils of the herbs.  You should choose a calm and dry morning during midsummer to harvest your herbs.  (Fewer oils are produced by the herb on extremely wet days.)  Harvest the herbs just after the dew has dried form the leaves right before the flowers open.  Harvesting the herb does not mean removing the entire plant.  You are just taking a certain amount of growth for use, being careful not to take more than one third of the plant’s foliage at a time.    You do not need to use the herbs that you are harvesting at the time that you pick them; you can preserve them for later.  The plant will need a good amount of foliage to re-grow well.… Continue reading →