Make it Do with Herbs
I use fresh herbs in recipes all year long. I have even gone out in the middle of Winter to dig through the snow for thyme or parsley. I have a small herb garden right near my kitchen, where I grow all the herbs I love to cook with.
This year for Mother’s Day, we gave my Mom herbs for a pot to put on her patio. Her yard is smaller than mine, and her space is limited. But luckily, it is so easy to grow most herbs in a pot. My Mom loves to cook with fresh basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, cilantro, and Italian parsley.
Since herbs need good drainage, I place pieces of old broken terracotta pots (I never throw the broken pieces away) at the bottom of the pot. Then I fill the pot with good potting soil to a few inches below the brim of the pot. I gently pull the roots of the plants apart a bit before planting them. Arrange the herbs in the pot and fill the rest in with potting soil. Because they are herbs and not flowers, I don’t overload the pot. Water them in well. The herb plants cost $2.50 each. But buying fresh herbs at the store is very expensive. This pot of herbs will really help my Mom to “Make it Do.”
One of my favorite ways to preserve herbs for the Winter months is to freeze them in ice cube trays. I gather my fresh herbs in the morning. Wash them and then chop them up. Place one teaspoon into each cup of an ice cube tray. Fill the cup with water (leaving a bit of room for expansion) and freeze. When they are frozen solid, place the herb ice cubes in a labeled freezer bag. Whenever you need fresh herbs, take out the amount needed. Let it thaw in a bowl and then drain the water. If it is going into a sauce or soup, I just throw the frozen cubes right in. I also dry some of my herbs, another great way to Make it Do.
Great tip for freezing herbs…never would have thought of it. Have a great day!
Great tip for freezing herbs…never would have thought of it. Have a great day!
Oops…forgot to say great post! Looking forward to your next one.
What is the best way to dry your herbs, and how much do you cut off?
Hi Sandy, I have had good luck drying rosemary, thyme, sage and oregano. I gather them into a small bundle, about ten stems or less. Tie a slip knot out of twine around the bundle so that I can tighten it as the herbs dry and shrink. I hang the bundle in a room which is warm and dark. (I use my laundry room which has no windows.) It takes about a week or two for them to be dry. Then I remove the leaves from the stems and store in a spice bottle. I have not had good luck drying basil (it has turned black) or chives so I freeze these herbs in ice cubes. As far as how much to cut, on most plants I cut a stem back to about two inches. In general only harvest about a fifth of the plant at time before it rejuvenates. I harvest herbs through out the season, and most of them seem to be fuller and healthier because of the pruning. I do harvest all my basil before the first frost in the Fall, because it will die once that frost hits. I hope that helps. All the best, Calli
Thank you so much for the help. I have been wondering for a long time how to dry and save my own herbs. They are so pricey in the stores. I will give it a try this summer. By the way, I love your blog. Thanks for sharing all your wonderful ideas.