How To Grow and Use Herbs

Harvesting

Most herbs grown for their leaves should be harvested before flowering. Harvest in the morning after the dew has dried but before the sun gets hot. Rinse with cool water and and use fresh, or freeze, or dry as soon as possible. Some can be stored in the refrigerator for a time. When harvesting herbs for medicinal use read a reliable book for the age and process of harvesting.

Pineapple Sage - Salvia elegans

Preserving Herbs

Most herbs may be used fresh, dried, or frozen - some herbs such as basil may turn dark when frozen but are still usable. There are many good cookbooks for using and preserving fresh herbs.

Drying Herbs

Low temperature helps preserve flavor. Use a dehydrator on the lowest setting, hang upside down out of sunlight preferably in a paper bag to keep them dust free, or set on non rusting screening or dehydrator trays without turning on the dehydrator.

Freezing Herbs

Use freezer containers or freezer bags. Cut into usable size pieces and remove as much water as possible before freezing so the desired amount can be easily removed from the container and used in recipes. Blend with liquid and freeze in ice cube trays and toss desired number of "ice cubes" into recipe. Freeze in recipes - spaghetti sauce, pestos, soups, stews.

Using Herbs in Cooking

Less salt and fat may be needed. Use in salads, soups, sauces, breads. Use to garnish food and drinks. Fresh herbs have better flavor than dried. When substituing fresh for dried in recipes use 2 - 3 times more fresh than dried. Pesto is traditionally made with basil but other herbs can be used. Pesto can be tossed with pasta or added to soups, salads or sauces, put on pizza, or frozen for later use. Ice cube trays work well for freezing pesto. Add garlic to pesto after thawing and just before using to avoid bitterness.

Herb Books

Eyewitness Handbooks: Herbs
Herbs in the Kitchen by Carolyn Dille and Susan Belsinger
Glorious Garlic by Charlene A. Braida
Flowers in the Kitchen by Susan Belsinger
Herbs for Health by Steven Foster
The Complete Medicinal Herbal by Penelope Ody
Growing and Using Herbs Successfully by Betty E. M. Jacobs
See also books by: Thomas DeBaggio, Jim Long, Sharon Lovejoy, Bertha Reppert, Phyllis A. Balch, Phyllis Shaudys

Potpourri and Sachets

The best kinds are made with real herbs and essential oils
Keep out of reach of children and pets
For longer lasting scent keep in closed container when not in use
Potpourri: occasionally stir ingredients to release more scent
Sachets: These little bags of scent have many uses: in clothing or linen drawers, in unused suitcases to prevent musty smell, under sofa cushions so scent is released when the sofa is sat upon, in purses, in diaper bags (keep out of reach of children), in clothes or linen closests, in cars, in the bathroom - the humidity helps release the scent, under pillows - may help induce relaxation and sleep

More herb information continued below

Tips

Mark plants with botanical and common name for easy identification.
Herbs can be easily grown organically. They naturally repel most pests
Enjoy your herbs - use them for cooking, increased health, crafts, and pleasure
If gardening is new to you begin with a few plants and learn as much as you can about growing and using them.

Lemon Verbena - Aloysia triphylla

Be sure the botanical name of the plant is the same as the plant you want to purchase or use. For example: Lemon Mint can be Mentha x aquatica 'citrata' or Monarda citriodora. Marigold is Tagetes or Calendula. They are different plants with very different uses.
To allow more harvesting of leaves from annual or biennial herbs remove flowers before they go to seed.

Names of Herbs - Knowing the botanical name can ensure that you are getting the plant you really want since common names are sometimes used for more than one plant or are a regional name. Botanical names are international.
Common name - Genus
TP - Tender Perennial - will not survive frost. Some make good houseplants.
P - Perennial - lives two or more years.
A - Annual - lives one year or less.
B - Biennial - lives two years, usually producing seed the second year.

Aloe - Aloe TP Hyssop - Hyssopus P
Anise - Pimpinella A Lady's Mantle - Alchemilla P
Anise Hyssop - Agastache P Lamb's Ear - Stachys P
Bachelor's Button - Centaurea A Lavendar - Lavendula TP, P
Basil - Ocimum A Lemon Balm - Melissa P
Bay - Laurus TP Lemongrass - Cymbopogon TP
Bee Balm - Monarda P Lovage - Levisticum P
Borage - Borago A Marjoram - Origanum A
Calendula - Calendula A Marshmallow - Althea P
Caraway - Carum A Mint - Mentha P
Carnation - Dianthus A, B, P Nasturtium - Tropaeolum A
Catnip - Nepeta P Oregano - Origanum TP, P
Chamomile - Chamoemelum A, P Oregon Grape - Mahonia P
Chervil - Anthriscus A Orris Root - Iris P
Chives - Allium P Parsley - Petroselinum B
Cilantro - Coriandrum A Pineapple Sage - Salvia TP
Clary Sage - Salvia B Rose - Rosa P
Comfrey - Symphytum P Rosemary - Rosmarinus TP
Coriander - Coriandrum A Russian Sage - Perovskia P
Dill - Anethum A Sage - Salvia P
Echinacea - Echinacea P Sagebrush - Artemisia P
English Lavendar - Lavendula P Salad Burnett - Poterium P
Epazote - Chenopodium A Santolina - Santolina P
Fennel - Foenlculum P Scented Geranium - Pelargonium TP
Feverfew - Tanacetum P Sorrel - Rumex P
French Tarragon - Artemisia P Summer Savory-Satureja A
Garlic - Allium P Sweet Woodruff -Galium P
Germander - Teucrium P Sweet Grass - Hierochloe P
Ginger - Zingiber TP Tarragon - Artemisia P
Hollyhock - Alcea P Thyme - Thymus P
Hops - Humulus P Vetiver - Vetiveria TP
Horehound - Marrubium P Violet - Viola P
Yarrow - Achillea P

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