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| September 16, 2003
Harvesting Herbs
As the end of summer nears, it's time to harvest and preserve any herbs you've got in the garden, or replant them in pots for indoor use all through the winter months.You can prolong the optimum harvest time by pruning off the flower buds as they form, but even the most attentive bud-nipper will find that the harvest season will eventually come to an end, and it's time to think about preserving some of your crop.
Herbs are at their peak of flavor when they've just been harvested. Try to use them as soon as they're out of the ground for optimal results. If the leaves are dirty, rinse them quickly in cold water and dry them with paper towels.
| Freezing or preserving in olive oil are the best ways to preserve herbs, but many gardeners prefer drying because it's easy and doesn't require any special storage. Here's a tip to keep the dust and bugs out of your herbs while they are drying: Hang your bundles of herbs in a cool airy place, and place a paper bag or some tulle fabric over them. Make sure your herbs are tied in bundles small enough that they don't touch the sides of the bag or fabric when they are covered, and tie the end of the bag closed. Check back in about three weeks. When the herbs are dry they will crumble easily into jars for storage.
And what about transplanting them into pots, and keeping them on a sunny windowsill — for fresh herbs all through the winter months? They make lovely table centerpieces for fall harvest dinners or make them into wreaths for Christmas or Thanksgiving.
Our favourite culinary herb, basil, is wonderful for making into pesto — a versatile condiment you can use to enliven soups, sauces and steamed vegetables, or to serve on pasta. If you haven't got any in your garden, you should be able to get an enormous handful for a couple of bucks at the grocers or a farmers market. Make up a huge batch of pesto and freeze in ice cube trays or small plastic containers for use throughout the winter months. But make sure to have some when it's freshly made too. On homemade potato gnocchi, with a caprese salad on the side, you'll be in late summer herbal heaven.
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