Harvesting Herbs

When harvesting the best time to do so is during mid-morning, after the night  dampness has evaporated and before the heat of the day settles in. Always seek permission if you are going to harvest herbs from the wild. Dont harvest herbs  from roadsides because they could be affected by pollution by traffic fumes. Only harvest what u need, using good implements such as sharp scissors, pruning shears or a knife, this will prevent any possible damage to the plant.

Harvesting herbs usually occurs from mid-summer onward. Seeds are harvested when they are almost ripe, before they fall from the plant. Cut the whole stem and hang upside-down and place a paper bag over the head of seeds, as this will catch the seeds once released from the pods. Whole plant is also known as the aerial parts, which means the parts that are growing above the soil. Roots are usually lifted in Autumn. Foliage is usually picked before the flowering begins because this is when the oil content is high.

Washing the herbs is not necessary, particularly if mulched, if really dirty rinse them briefly then make sure they are dry before tying them into bunches. Roots are usually washed to remove any access dirt, drain off the water then slice into manageable pieces.

Bunch up the harvested herbs and hang in a warm place to  dry. You can also place the herbs on drying trays, in a well ventilated, dark room or garden shed. If you wish for them to be dried quickly place the herbs on a drying rack in a very cool oven with the door open. The  temperature for the oven should be 50-60 degrees C (120-140 degrees F). This may take a few hours depending on the quantity.

The following is a guide for harvesting herbs.

Aloes
Aloe vera Leaves When necessary Sap used dried or fresh, evaporate for: creams, decoction, tincture.

Angelica
Angelica.achangelica Leaves, stems, root, stems Root lifted in Autumn. Leaves harvest before flowering. Seeds when ripe. Stems cut early Summer. Dried  for decoction

Angelica.(Shinyleaf)
Angelica pachucarpa Leaves, stems, root, stems Root lifted in Autumn.  Leaves hervest before flowering. Seeds when ripe. Stems cut early Summer. Dried  for Decoction

Balm (Lemon)
Melissa officinalis Whole plant, leaves, oil. Cut plant as flowering starts. Fresh/Dried for infusions, liquid extracts, tinctures, oil.

Basil (Sweet)
Ociumum Basilicum Whole plant, leaves, seed, oil Cut plant when owering starts. Leaves picked when necessary Leaves: for juice/cooking. Dried  for  infusion. Seeds dried for decoction.

Bay (Tree)
Laurus nobilis Leaves, oil Leaves collected in Summer Dried whole for  infusions, powders, oil.

Borage
Borago officinalis Leaves, flowers, seeds, oil Leaves gathered in Spring/Summer when flowering starts. Flowers harvest when open. Leaves used  fresh/dried for infusions, liquid extraction. Flowers used for syrup, candying.

Burdock
Arctium lappa Stems, root, seeds. Cut young leaf stalks in Spring. Roots lifted in Autumn. Collect seeds when ripe. Leafs used as vegetable. Roots -  fresh: vegetable. dried - decoction, liquid extraction, tablets, tinctures.

Burgamot
Monarda didyma Whole plant, leaves, flowers. Harvest plant when flowering. Leaves before flowering. Fresh/dried for infusions.

Calamint
Calamintha sylvatica Whole plant, leaves. Harvest when plant is flowering.  Leaves in Summer. Fresh/dried for infusions.

Cat Mint
Nepeta x faassinii Whole plant, leaves Harvest plant when flowers in bud. Pick leaves when young. Dried for infusions.

Celeriac
Apium.graveolens.rapaccum Whole plant, root, seed, oil. Harvest whole plant when fruiting. Roots lifted in Autumn. Seeds collected when ripe in Autumn. Roots dried/fresh for tinctures. Seeds dried for infusions, powders, oil, liquid extract.

Chamomile (Dyers)
Anthemis tinctoria Flowers, oil. Flowers gathered in Summer. Dried for  infusions, creams. Distilled for oil.

Chamomile.(Flowering)
Anthemis nobilis Flowers, oil. Flowers gathered in Summer. Dried for infusions, creams. Distilled for oil.

Chamomile Montana
Anthemis montana Flowers, oil. Flowers gathered in Summer. Dried for infusions, creams. Distilled for oil.

Chervil
Anthriscus cerefolium Leaves. Leaves cut before flowering. Fresh. Store frozen.

Chilli Red
Capsicum minimum Fruits. Unripe picked when necessary. Ripe in Summer. Ripe for decoctions, ointments, tinctures, powders.

Comfrey
Symphytum officinale Leaves, root. Leaves picked in early Summer pre-flowering. Roots lifted during dormancy. Leaves dried for infusions, liquid extract, poultices. Roots dried for decoctions, liquid extract, ointments.

Curry
Helichrysum angustifolium Leaves. Picked when necessary. Use fresh.

Delphinium
Delphinium consolida Seeds. Collect when ripe. Seeds for lotions, ointments.

Echinacea
Echinacea angustifolia Roots, rhizomes. Roots and rhizones lifted in Autumn. Dried for decoctions, infusions, powders, tinctures.

Elder
Sambucus canadensis nigra Leaves, bark, flowers, fruit. Leaves picked in Summer. Bark stripped in late winter, before new leaves appear or in Autumn. Collect flowers when fully opened and dried whole. Fruits gathered when ripe. Leaves used fresh. Bark dried for decoctions. Dried flowers used for  infusions, liquid extraction, ointment, tinctures.

Elecampane
Inula helenium Roots, flowers, oil. Roots lifted in Autumn. Flowers picked when fully open. Distill roots for oil. Fresh for extracts, syrups. Dried for powders. Flowers dired whole for decoctions, infusions, powders.

Evening primrose
Oenothera biennis Seeds. Collected when ripe. Press seeds for oil.

Fennel
Foeniculum vulgare Leaves, stems, root, seeds, oil. Leaves picked when necessary. Leaf base in Spring. Roots lifted in Autumn. Unripe seeds collected  in Summer. Ripe seeds collected when they fall. Roots dried for decoctions.

Feverfew
Tanacetum parthenium Whole plant, leaves. Whole plant cut when flowering.  Leaves when necessary. Fresh/dried for infusions, liquid extraction, powders, tinctures.

Foxglove
Digitalis purpurea Leaves. Picked pre flowering. extraction of alkaloids.

French Sorrell
Rumex scutatus Leaves. Picked pre flowering. Used fresh.

Grape (Wine)
Vitis vinifera Leaves, stems, fruit. Collect leaves and stems early Summer. Fruit when ripe. Dried for decoctions, liquid extraction, tinctures.

Hawthorn
Crataegus oxyacanthoides Fruits. Collect when ripe. Use raw/dried for decoctions, tinctures.

Holly
Ilex aquifolium Leaves. Pick early Summer. Dried for infusions, liquid extraction.

Horseradish
Cochleria armoracia Leaves, root. Pick leaves in Spring. Roots lifted in Autumn. Fresh leaves.

Horsetail
Equisetum arvense Stems. Cut when necessary. Decoctions, infusions, liquid extraction, powders.

Hyssop
Hyssopus officinalis Whole plant, leaves, flowers. Leaves and flowering tops pick when bulbs open. Dried for infusions, syrups, tinctures, oil.

Ivy (Ground)
Nepeta hederacea Whole plant. When flowering. Dried for infusions, liquid extraction.

Jacob's Ladder
Polemonium caeruleum Whole plant. Cut in Summer. For infusions.

Jasmine
Jasminum polyanthum Flowers, oil. Flowers pick after opening. Oil extraction. Dried for infusions, paste, powders.

Juniper
Juniperus communis Fruits, oil. Harvest when ripe. Oil extraction. Dried for infusions, tablets, tinctures.

Lavenders
Flowers, oil. Pick flowers as they begin to open. Fresh for oil extraction. Dried for infusions, spirits, tinctures.

Lemon Verbena
Aloysia triphylla Leaves, oil. Leaves picked in Summer. Oil extraction. Dried for infusions.

Lily of the Valley
Convallaria majalis Whole plant, leaves, flowers, oil. Pick leaves flowers in spring. Fresh/dried for liquid extraction, tinctures.

Liquorice
Glycyrrhiza galbra Roots, stolons. Lifted early Autumn. (3-4 yr old plant) Dried for decoctions, liquid extractions, lozengers, powders.

Lovage
Levisticum officinale Leaves, stems, root, seeds, oil. Leaves picked before flowering. Stems before Spring. Roots lifted in the 3rd yr. Seeds collected when ripe. Leaves oil extraction. Dried for infusions. Roots - dried/fresh for decoctions, tinctures, oil. Seeds dried for decoctions.

Majoram
Origanum majorana Whole plant, leaves, seeds, oil. Cut plant when flowering begins. Leaves harvest when necessary. Distill fresh leaves. Dried for infusions.

Marshmallow
Althaea officinalis Leaves, roots. Leaves gathered in Summer. Roots lifted in Autumn. (2yr old plant) Leaves dried for infusions, ointment. Roots dried for liquid extraction, ointments, syrups.

Meadowsweet
Filipendula ulmaria Whole plant, flowers. Harvest plant when flowering begins.  Dried for tablets, infusions, tinctures. Flowers for infusions.

Mint
Whole plant, leaves. Harvest plantr when flowering begins. Leaves when necessary. Fresh/dried for infusions, liquid extraction, powders, spirits.

Morning Glory
Ipomea purpurea linnaeus Tuber, resin. Roots lifted in Autumn. Dried for powders, tinctures, resin extraction.

Motherwort
Leonurus cardiaca Whole plant. Cut when flowering before seeds are set. Dried  for infusions, liquid extraction, tinctures.

Mustard
Artemisia vugaris + Brassica nigra Leaves, flowers, seeds, oil. Leaves and  flowers picked when young. Pods harvest as they change colour. Pods dried.

Nutmeg
Pelagonium Pelagonium fragrant Leaves. Harvest when necessary.

Oregano
Oregonium vulgare Whole plant. Harvest when flowering begins. Leaves when necessary.

Parsley
Petroselinum + Petroselinum crispum Leaves, roots, seeds, oil. Leaves before  flowering. Roots lifted late Autumn (1st yr) or Spring for (2nd yr). Seeds when ripe. Roots dried for decoctions, liquid extraction. Seeds dried for infusions, liquid extraction.

Pennyroyal
Mentha pulegium Whole plant, leaves, oil. Harvest whole plant when flowering begins. Leaves when necessary

Peppermint
Mentha piperita Whole plant, leaves, oil Harvest whole plant when flowering begins. Leaves when necessary Infusions.

Periwinkle
Vinca major linnaeus Whole plant. Harvest when flowering. Dried for infusions, liquid extraction, powders, tinctures.

Primrose
Primula vulgaris Whole plant, leaves, roots, flowers. Harvest whole plant when flowering. Roots lifted in Spring. Dried for infusion.

Pyrethrum
Tanacetum cinerariifolium Flowers. Harvest when flowers open. Dried for powder.

Rosemary
Rosmarinus officinalis Leaves, flowering tops, oil. Leaves and flowers harvest Spring/early Summer. Distilled for oil. Dried for infusions, decoctions, extracts, syrups, tinctures.

Rue
Ruta graveolens Leaves. Harvest Spring/Summer. Dried for infusions, liquid extraction, powders.

Sage
Salvia  Leaves. Harvest for immediate use or before flowering. Dried for infusions, tinctures.

Santolina (Green)
Santolina viridis Leaves, flowers, stems. Harvest leaves when necessary. Flowering stems in Summer. Dried for infusions, powders.

Santolina (White)
Santolina chamaecyparissus Leaves, flowers, stems. Harvest leaves when necessary. Flowering stems in Summer. Dried for infusions, powders

Savary
Satureia hortensis Leaves, flowering tops. Harvest leaves when necessary. Flowering tops in Summer. Dried/Fresh for infusions.

Selfheal
Prunella vulgaris Whole plant, flowers. Harvest plant in Summer when flowering. Flowering spikes in late Autumn. Dried for infusions, ointment,  tinctures. Flowering spikes dried for decoctions.

Skullcap
Scutellaria lateriflora Roots. Lifted in Autumn or Spring (from 3-4 yr old plant) Dried for decoctions.

Soapwort
Saponaria officinalis Leafy stems, rhizomes. Harvest leaves in Summer. Rhizomes in late Autumn. Dried for decoctions.

Solomons Seal
Polygonatum officinale Rhizomes. Lifted in Autumn. Fresh for tinctures, ointment. Dried for decoctions, powders.

Spearmint
Mentha spicata Whole plant, leaves. Harvest when flowering begins. Leaves when necessary. Fresh/Dried for infusions, liquid extraction, powders, spirits.

St Johns Wort
Hypericum perforatum Whole plant. Harvest when flowering begins. Fresh/Dried  for creams, infusions. tinctures.

Swamp Pennywort
Centella cordifolia Whole plant. Harvest when necessary. Fresh/Dried for infusions, decoctions, powders.

Tansy
Tanaceteum vulgare Whole plant. Harvest when flowering. Leaves when necessary. Fresh/Dried for infusions, powders, tinctures.

Thyme
Thymus vulgaris  Whole plant, leaves, flowering tops. Harvest when flowering  begins. Distill for oil. Dried for elixirs, liquid extraction, infusions.

Valerian
Valeriana officinalis Roots, rhizomes. Lifted in 2nd yr after leaves died off. Dried/Fresh for decoctions, infusions, tablets, tinctures.

Vervain
Verbena officinalis Whole plant. Harvest when flowering begins. Dried for  decoctions, infusions, ointment, tinctures.

Wormwood
Artemisia absinthium Whole plant, leaves. Harvest when flowering. Leaves  before flowering. Dried for decoctions, infusions. powders, tablets, tinctures.

Yarrow
Achellea millifolium Whole plant. Harvest when in flower during Summer. Dried for infusions, lotions, tinctures.