Some herbs are grown simply for their beauty and fragrance in the garden. But once grown, many herbs are harvested for what they were grown for: medicines, seasonings, aromatics and so forth. That requires proper preservation techniques, usually drying.
There are different traditional methods - bag drying, tray drying, air drying and even a few new ones such as microwave drying.
BAG
Many herbs have delightful flowers, some with seeds which are harvested. For those, one of the easiest ways to preserve is simply let the flower dry over a piece of paper, then curl the paper and pour the seeds into a bag. For leaf preservation there are a few extra steps.
Remove the flowers and roots from the stalk and rinse the remainder, leaving the stems in water to soak for a few hours. This will loosen any soil that simple rinsing wasn't able to wash away. Then put them onto a cotton or paper towel and let them air dry.
Put the plant into a small paper bag, with the (now gone) flower end inside and the stalks protruding an inch or two out of the bag. Tie the bag around the stalks and place upside down. Upside down, that is, from the plant's point of view. In other words, put the bag on its base, with the stems up. Oil from the stems will move by capillary action into the leaves, where they become saturated with flavor or aroma.
In about a week or two, if the air is moderately dry, the leaves will become brittle and easy to crumble. Avoid breaking them at this stage, just separate and place in an airtight jar. Then when you want to use them, they can be put into potpourri or crumbled for seasoning.
TRAY
In tray drying, there's no need to keep the stalks, just the leaf stems and leaves. Clean as above and lay them out without overlapping on the tray, then put the tray into a dark, well ventilated area. Remove the tray once per day and flip the leaves over to ensure even drying. In a few days, they'll be ready for use.
MICROWAVE
If you're pressed for time, you can even dry herbs in the microwave oven. Put the herbs onto a paper towel or a paper plate. This helps absorption better than use of a microwave-safe plate. Set for medium power and microwave for a couple of minutes. The exact time will vary depending on the type and amount of herb, but 2-3 minutes is right for most.
Check the degree of dryness by rubbing a leaf between thumb and forefinger. The leaf should be brittle, crumbling without much pressure. If not, try again in 30 second intervals until you've reached the right dryness for your purposes.
Cautions: At a certain point, you're no longer drying. Microwaves operate by agitating water molecules in food, causing it to heat up and evaporate. After the moisture is gone, you're not drying the plant and may be harming your microwave oven. Also, if the power is too high or the timing too long, you can inadvertently cook the herb. Experiment until you find the right adjustments for your circumstances.
Saturday 21 July 2007
Friday 13 July 2007
Herb Gardening - Common Herbs – Chives, Peppermint, Parsley
Creating an herb garden is fun and practical. The aromas are wonderful, the view is beautiful, and many can be used as medicines or for cooking. Growing them is easy. They're hardy and thrive well in all kinds of soils. But for optimal results, it's helpful to keep in mind a few things about each specific one.
In these three we have herbs that smell great and make for an essential addition to any chef's toolkit.
CHIVES
Growing up to a foot, they make for little soldiers all lined up in a row, or a chaotic bunch of radicals. Either way, these beautiful green stalks with their violet-colored flowers are a delightful sight in the garden. A member of the onion family, they also make for a terrific addition to dozens of recipes.
Dried and chopped, the leaves will be delicious in omelettes, fresh salads, and tomato soup. The flowers can also be used for making potpourri where they add a spicy scent.
You can plant seeds or develop them from bulbs. As perennials, they'll come back strong year after year, as they winter over well. They take little care, though you may want to divide the plants every couple of years to avoid overcrowding.
PEPPERMINT
Another perennial, these fragrant herbs can grow up to two feet or more in height. The scent is familiar from Christmas candy, but the plant is a delight in nature as well. Their tiny purple flowers are as beautiful as the leaves are aromatic.
They've been used in cooking and natural medicines for centuries and they make for a useful addition to everything from chewing gum to soap. As a scenting agent for eau de toilette water they're divine. As a spicy addition to tea, they're superb.
They should be grown in soil that is kept moist and you'll need to trim them fairly often. They can grow in sun or shade, but a mixture is best. You may have to renew the beds every few years. All the extra effort is well worth the reward, though.
PARSLEY
Indispensable in the kitchen, these herbs are easy to grow and maintain. A biennial, they'll blossom every two years and they do well in containers or gardens. They sprout into dense mounds, but may reach as high as a foot if kept spaced eight inches or more. One type has mossy leaves, another a flat leaf, but either is great for cooking.
They can be started from seed, but in that case they should be planted indoors before winter ends and allowed to develop at room temperature for a few weeks. They love full sun, but will thrive in partial shade as well.
Their use in cooking is well known and every chef will have his or her favorite way of using them in soups, salads and casseroles. Just dry the leaves in air and crumble according to your favorite recipe.
In these three we have herbs that smell great and make for an essential addition to any chef's toolkit.
CHIVES
Growing up to a foot, they make for little soldiers all lined up in a row, or a chaotic bunch of radicals. Either way, these beautiful green stalks with their violet-colored flowers are a delightful sight in the garden. A member of the onion family, they also make for a terrific addition to dozens of recipes.
Dried and chopped, the leaves will be delicious in omelettes, fresh salads, and tomato soup. The flowers can also be used for making potpourri where they add a spicy scent.
You can plant seeds or develop them from bulbs. As perennials, they'll come back strong year after year, as they winter over well. They take little care, though you may want to divide the plants every couple of years to avoid overcrowding.
PEPPERMINT
Another perennial, these fragrant herbs can grow up to two feet or more in height. The scent is familiar from Christmas candy, but the plant is a delight in nature as well. Their tiny purple flowers are as beautiful as the leaves are aromatic.
They've been used in cooking and natural medicines for centuries and they make for a useful addition to everything from chewing gum to soap. As a scenting agent for eau de toilette water they're divine. As a spicy addition to tea, they're superb.
They should be grown in soil that is kept moist and you'll need to trim them fairly often. They can grow in sun or shade, but a mixture is best. You may have to renew the beds every few years. All the extra effort is well worth the reward, though.
PARSLEY
Indispensable in the kitchen, these herbs are easy to grow and maintain. A biennial, they'll blossom every two years and they do well in containers or gardens. They sprout into dense mounds, but may reach as high as a foot if kept spaced eight inches or more. One type has mossy leaves, another a flat leaf, but either is great for cooking.
They can be started from seed, but in that case they should be planted indoors before winter ends and allowed to develop at room temperature for a few weeks. They love full sun, but will thrive in partial shade as well.
Their use in cooking is well known and every chef will have his or her favorite way of using them in soups, salads and casseroles. Just dry the leaves in air and crumble according to your favorite recipe.
Monday 9 July 2007
Herb Gardening - Container Gardening Tips
Container gardening can have a dozen advantages over ordinary, outdoor gardening. You can bring plants indoors for winter, or grow them in the house all year round. Soil control is surer, since nothing can get in the pot but what you put there. Light control is simpler - you can move a container into shade or put it near a window or under a lamp.
But container gardening can be tricky. Nature does an excellent job of controlling moisture and nutrients, given good soil to begin with. Adjusting these and other factors artificially requires some care. That care starts with selecting the right plants.
Fortunately for anyone interested in container gardening, there are a dozen herbs that will grow in pots of all shapes and sizes. Basil grows fine in an old teapot and rosemary will be quite content in a coffee can. You can put thyme in a simple clay pot only a few inches high. Dill, mint, sage, even lavender can be grown in a container.
Start with good quality seeds - seeds are natural 'food' products, so like any food they can spoil. Air contains airborne spores that can invade them and oxygen reacts with a wide variety of organic compounds. Getting and keeping them fresh is simple, but be sure to observe the dates on packages and discard any that have gotten wet.
Pick appropriate spots for your containers. Some prefer full sun, others thrive in partial shade. Basil loves good warm soil and dry air, but it's sensitive to cold. If you put it near a window to get that sunlight, make sure the area isn't frosty in the winter.
In most populated areas in the Northern Hemisphere, sunlight comes in at an angle more from the south. Try to select areas where sun-loving plants will have southern exposure. Put those that prefer partial shade on the northern side, or in a shady area away from the window.
Prepare the soil properly and maintain it at the right moisture content. Lavender loves sun, but it also needs dry, alkaline soil. Using clay chips in the pot is great for retaining moisture, but it can do the job too well. In a container, clay absorbs and holds water for long periods. Be sure to have a mix of sandy soil and clay soil.
Water correctly. The most common problem for container plants is root rot from excessive moisture. Being wet all the time is okay for some plants, but most herbs want soil a little on the dryer side. For sage dry soil is good, but peppermint likes it moist.
Keep in mind, though, that moist doesn't mean perpetually wet. Press your thumb onto the surface. It should be a little springy for moist soil, harder for dry soil. Then insert a toothpick or, better still, a moisture gauge into the soil. Draw out the toothpick to see whether the soil under the surface is dry or moist. The gauge will give you a more exact and useful reading.
Plan your container garden well and you'll find the plants easy to grow and maintain.
But container gardening can be tricky. Nature does an excellent job of controlling moisture and nutrients, given good soil to begin with. Adjusting these and other factors artificially requires some care. That care starts with selecting the right plants.
Fortunately for anyone interested in container gardening, there are a dozen herbs that will grow in pots of all shapes and sizes. Basil grows fine in an old teapot and rosemary will be quite content in a coffee can. You can put thyme in a simple clay pot only a few inches high. Dill, mint, sage, even lavender can be grown in a container.
Start with good quality seeds - seeds are natural 'food' products, so like any food they can spoil. Air contains airborne spores that can invade them and oxygen reacts with a wide variety of organic compounds. Getting and keeping them fresh is simple, but be sure to observe the dates on packages and discard any that have gotten wet.
Pick appropriate spots for your containers. Some prefer full sun, others thrive in partial shade. Basil loves good warm soil and dry air, but it's sensitive to cold. If you put it near a window to get that sunlight, make sure the area isn't frosty in the winter.
In most populated areas in the Northern Hemisphere, sunlight comes in at an angle more from the south. Try to select areas where sun-loving plants will have southern exposure. Put those that prefer partial shade on the northern side, or in a shady area away from the window.
Prepare the soil properly and maintain it at the right moisture content. Lavender loves sun, but it also needs dry, alkaline soil. Using clay chips in the pot is great for retaining moisture, but it can do the job too well. In a container, clay absorbs and holds water for long periods. Be sure to have a mix of sandy soil and clay soil.
Water correctly. The most common problem for container plants is root rot from excessive moisture. Being wet all the time is okay for some plants, but most herbs want soil a little on the dryer side. For sage dry soil is good, but peppermint likes it moist.
Keep in mind, though, that moist doesn't mean perpetually wet. Press your thumb onto the surface. It should be a little springy for moist soil, harder for dry soil. Then insert a toothpick or, better still, a moisture gauge into the soil. Draw out the toothpick to see whether the soil under the surface is dry or moist. The gauge will give you a more exact and useful reading.
Plan your container garden well and you'll find the plants easy to grow and maintain.
Monday 2 July 2007
Herb Gardening - Common Herbs – Basil, Dill, Lavender
Creating an herb garden is fun and practical.
The aromas are wonderful, the view is beautiful, and many can be used as medicines or for cooking. Growing them is easy. They're hardy and thrive well in all kinds of soils. But for optimal results, it's helpful to keep in mind a few things about each specific one.
BASIL
Commonly grown and greatly appreciated by herb gardeners, this herb loves warm soil and dry air. But it's sensitive to cold, so be sure to wait until spring is well along and no nighttime frosts are still occurring that will damage the plant.
Then, in about six weeks, you can harvest the leaves and dry them for use in casseroles, bread and a wide variety of other recipes. By mid-summer you'll see white flowers on 1-2 foot stalks and the plants will have profuse dark green or purple leaves. Keep them separated by about a foot and this delightful herb will make for an excellent addition to your garden.
DILL
Dill is another great herb for recipes, and very easy to grow. Ultimately reaching 2-4 feet in height, it will produce blue-green feathery leaves with small clusters of yellow flowers. It loves a lot of full sun and the seeds don't require much care at all. Just toss a few dozen out into a small patch of the garden and watch them grow!
You may need to do a bit of thinning in a few weeks. When they've reached a couple of inches high, you want to make sure the growing plants are separated by 8-10 inches (20-25 cm), so each will get its full share of soil nutrients and sunlight.
Collect the flower heads in full bloom and use them to decorate or dry for use in cooking. Or, a couple of weeks after the dill has flowered, you can harvest seeds. Cut the flowers and hang them upside down over paper and collect the seeds as they fall. Then crumble the leaves. Great for chip dips, salads, and many other delicious fresh foods.
LAVENDER
Beautiful, fragrant and great ground cover for an herb or flower garden, these easy to grow perennials are a must. Purple or pink flowers appear on tall stems in mid-summer, surrounded by gray-green leaves. They smell lovely, making them a perfect addition to potpourri.
Growing them from seeds requires a bit more work, so pick up some from your local gardening supply as full plants or root stem cuttings. They love sun and dry, alkaline soil with good drainage. Once established, they will fade in winter, but come back strong year after year.
You can cut the small flowers and decorate around the rim of a vase or add them to a sachet. Either way you'll get a lot of enjoyment out of these easy-to-care-for and delightful herbs.
The aromas are wonderful, the view is beautiful, and many can be used as medicines or for cooking. Growing them is easy. They're hardy and thrive well in all kinds of soils. But for optimal results, it's helpful to keep in mind a few things about each specific one.
BASIL
Commonly grown and greatly appreciated by herb gardeners, this herb loves warm soil and dry air. But it's sensitive to cold, so be sure to wait until spring is well along and no nighttime frosts are still occurring that will damage the plant.
Then, in about six weeks, you can harvest the leaves and dry them for use in casseroles, bread and a wide variety of other recipes. By mid-summer you'll see white flowers on 1-2 foot stalks and the plants will have profuse dark green or purple leaves. Keep them separated by about a foot and this delightful herb will make for an excellent addition to your garden.
DILL
Dill is another great herb for recipes, and very easy to grow. Ultimately reaching 2-4 feet in height, it will produce blue-green feathery leaves with small clusters of yellow flowers. It loves a lot of full sun and the seeds don't require much care at all. Just toss a few dozen out into a small patch of the garden and watch them grow!
You may need to do a bit of thinning in a few weeks. When they've reached a couple of inches high, you want to make sure the growing plants are separated by 8-10 inches (20-25 cm), so each will get its full share of soil nutrients and sunlight.
Collect the flower heads in full bloom and use them to decorate or dry for use in cooking. Or, a couple of weeks after the dill has flowered, you can harvest seeds. Cut the flowers and hang them upside down over paper and collect the seeds as they fall. Then crumble the leaves. Great for chip dips, salads, and many other delicious fresh foods.
LAVENDER
Beautiful, fragrant and great ground cover for an herb or flower garden, these easy to grow perennials are a must. Purple or pink flowers appear on tall stems in mid-summer, surrounded by gray-green leaves. They smell lovely, making them a perfect addition to potpourri.
Growing them from seeds requires a bit more work, so pick up some from your local gardening supply as full plants or root stem cuttings. They love sun and dry, alkaline soil with good drainage. Once established, they will fade in winter, but come back strong year after year.
You can cut the small flowers and decorate around the rim of a vase or add them to a sachet. Either way you'll get a lot of enjoyment out of these easy-to-care-for and delightful herbs.
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