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HOW TO HARVEST HERBS: HOW AND WHEN TO HARVEST HOMEGROWN HERBS

by Niki JabbourComments (2)

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Growing culinary herbs like basil, thyme, rosemary, and parsley is essential if
you’re a gardener who loves to cook. Most herbs are easy to grow in garden beds
and containers and can be harvested throughout the summer months. Harvesting
herbs isn’t difficult; it’s just a matter of knowing when to harvest to preserve
maximum flavor and how to harvest to encourage fresh growth. Keep reading to
find out more about how to harvest herbs. 


Most culinary herbs are easy to grow and can be gathered throughout summer for
fresh use. Excess herbs can also be dried or frozen for winter use.


TYPES OF CULINARY HERBS

When learning how to harvest herbs it’s important to think about the part of the
plant you’re going to harvest. For culinary herbs, there are typically three
parts we harvest – the leaves, the flowers, or the seeds. Some herbs like
cilantro/coriander and chives are harvested for multiple edible parts.


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 * Leaves – Common herbs harvested for their leaves include types of oregano,
   basil, thyme, parsley, sage, dill, chives, and cilantro.
 * Flowers – Herbs grown for their edible flowers include German chamomile,
   chives, borage, calendula, and lavender.
 * Seeds – There are many herbs grown for their edible seeds. Popular choices
   include coriander, dill, anise, and fennel.

Harvest herbs like Greek oregano and mint before they flower. Cut them back hard
and they’ll reward you with plenty of fresh, flavorful growth.


WHEN TO HARVEST HERBS

To maximize flavor from your herbs, especially if you’re planning to dry or
freeze them you’ll want to harvest when they have the highest levels of
essential oils. This means harvesting at the right time of year and the right
time of day. 

Time of year – When I first started growing herbs like basil and oregano, I
would wait until the end of summer and mass harvest the plants for drying. Now I
know that by the end of summer the plants are tired and most of the flavor is
gone. Instead it’s best to cut herbs when the oils responsible for the flavors
are at their highest levels. For foliage herbs like basil or oregano that’s just
before the plants flower. With flowering herbs like chamomile, that’s when the
blooms just open. Harvest herbs grown for their seeds like coriander, when the
seeds have matured and dried. If you’re not growing herbs to dry or freeze, but
just wish to have a steady supply for summer cooking, it’s fine to harvest
whenever you need a burst of flavor. 

Time of day – It’s not just time of year that you need to consider. It’s also
important to harvest herbs at the right time of day. Herbs have more flavor
early in the day before the heat from the sun dissipates their oils. Plan on
clipping herbs in the morning once the dew has evaporated. This is particularly
important if you plan to dry or dehydrate the leaves, flowers, or seeds. If
you’re just grabbing a handful of basil to sprinkle over your pasta it’s fine to
harvest as needed. 


When harvesting woody herbs like thyme or sage use herb snips or pruning shears.
Trying to break or pull shoots can damage the plant.



TOOLS FOR HARVESTING HERBS

You don’t need special equipment to gather herbs from your gardens and
containers. There are three tools I reach for when it’s time to harvest from my
herbs: my fingertips, herb snips, and hand pruners. 

 * Fingertips – Using your fingers is a handy way to pinch off fresh sprigs of
   herbs like basil, chives, parsley, and cilantro. Don’t try to harvest woody
   herbs with your fingers, however. You can damage the plants if you try to
   break or twist off the strong stems.
 * Herb snips – Herb snips are a compact cutting tool that are perfect for the
   soft herbaceous growth of herbs like basil, dill, and parsley as well as
   slender woody herbs like thyme and oregano. There are different sizes and
   styles of herbs snips with most small enough to fit in a pocket. For a
   slightly larger tool, I also love my garden shears, which have slightly
   larger handles and blades than herb snips.
 * Hand pruners – My Felco 2 pruners are a classic pruning tool and my go-to
   when I need to harvest large amounts of herbs like Greek oregano, chamomile,
   chives, and parsley for drying or freezing. They also make clean cuts when
   harvesting the stems of woody herbs like sage and rosemary.

Always use clean tools to harvest herbs. Wipe the blades in between cutting
different types of herbs and sharpen them regularly. To learn more about caring
for hand pruners, check out this article by Garden Gate magazine.

Note the branching structure of the basil plant. When harvesting, be sure to
pinch or clip back to a fresh set of leaves. This stimulates new growth for
future harvests.


HOW TO HARVEST HERBS FOR LEAVES

The plants of culinary herbs may form branching plants with a main stem and side
branches (basil, oregano) or have leaves that emerge right from the ground
(chives and parsley). To harvest from branching herbs, clip in a way that
simulates new growth. This typically means pinching or cutting back to a fresh
set of leaves. It’s also beneficial to harvest often from branching herbs. New
gardeners may be shy about using their herbs, but regular trimming prevents
leggy growth and encourages well-branched plants.

To harvest from herbs with leaves or stalks that emerge from the centre of the
plant you can snip them down to the soil. Plants that grow straight from the
ground include chives and curly and Italian parsley. If gathering from several
types of herbs or harvesting a large amount of any one herb, I find it helpful
to bring a basket or garden trug into the garden with me.

I also use my fingers or herb snips to pinch off flower buds that appear on
herbs grown for leaf production. This sends a signal to the plant to keep
producing leaves and extends the high-quality harvest season. This works for
herbs like basil, mint, and oregano.

When harvesting flowers like herbs like chamomile use your fingers or herb snips
to harvest the entire flower. Use fresh in tea or dry completely before storing.


HOW TO HARVEST HERBS FOR FLOWERS

Many herbs are harvested for their aromatic or flavorful flowers. My favorites
include German chamomile, chives, borage, calendula, and lavender. The general
rule of thumb when gathering herbs for the flowers is to harvest when the
flowers are almost opened or have just opened, depending on the type of herb.



For lavender, harvest before the blossoms open and cut the stalks where they
emerge from the plant. For flowering herbs like chives, chamomile, or calendula,
pinch or clip off the flowers as they open removing the entire flower head. I
love growing chamomile for fresh and dried tea and when the plants bloom in
early summer I harvest about 90% of the flowers. I leave some of the blooms to
mature on the plant so they can self-sow the following year. 


HOW TO HARVEST HERBS FOR SEEDS

Herbs like coriander, anise, and dill are harvested for their seeds which are
used as spices in the kitchen. They’re gathered when the seed heads have dried
and turned brown, although dill can also be harvested in the green seed stage an
ingredient in pickling. Once the seed heads have turned brown, I use herb snips
or hand pruners to clip them into paper bags. Label the bags and leave them to
dry further in a warm, well-ventilated spot. After seven to ten days the seeds
can be separated from the chaff and stored in glass jars or containers.

Ideally harvest herbs in mid-morning once the dew has dried from the plants but
before the heat of the sun has dissipated the flavorful oils.


HOW TO HARVEST HERBS

Wondering when you can start to harvest from your basil or parsley plants? Check
out this list of 12 essential culinary herbs below for tips on timing and
harvesting.

 1.  Basil – Start pinching basil stems back once the plants are about 8” tall
     with your fingers or herb snips. Always cut back to a fresh set of leaves.
     Basil flavor is most intense before flowering. When flower buds appear,
     pinch them out to simulate new leaf growth.
 2.  Chamomile – Harvest the flowers as they open by pinching individual blooms
     with your fingers or herb snips. You can also cut stems to hang in bunches.
     Once you’ve gathered the flowers, spread them in a single layer to dry.
     Make sure they are completely dry before storing in jars or containers.
 3.  Chives – Start harvesting in spring when the plants are 6” tall. Pick
     individual stems for fresh use or clip bundles of the grassy leaves for
     freezing or drying. Cut plants back to the ground after flowering to
     encourage a flush of tender new leaves.
 4.  Cilantro – Begin to pick cilantro when the stems are 6 to 8” long. Pinch or
     clip individual stems back to the ground. Sadly cilantro is a short-lived
     herb and best harvested before it starts to produce flower stalks. Sow more
     seed every four weeks for a continual crops.
 5.  Coriander – Coriander seeds are the seeds of cilantro plants that were
     allowed to flower. Gather the round seeds when they have turned brown and
     are completely dry.
 6.  Dill – Start harvesting the fresh greens when the plants are 6 to 8” tall.
     You can also harvest the seeds at the green stage for pickles or when fully
     dried for the spice cupboard.
 7.  Lemon balm – I start to harvest about a month after transplanting the
     seedlings into containers. Pluck individual leaves or clip side shoots back
     to a main stem. Use the lemony leaves dry or fresh in teas and fruit
     salads.
 8.  Mint – Once the stems of this perennial herb emerge in spring you can start
     to pick tender leaves for tea. To dry large amounts harvest the stems
     before they flower. Cut the stems back to 3 to 6” above the ground. This
     hard cut in mid-summer generates plenty of flavorful new leaves for late
     summer.
 9.  Oregano – I begin to harvest small amounts in mid spring when the plants
     are just 6” tall. To dry oregano, harvest en masse just before the plants
     flower in early summer. Use garden snips or shears to cut the stems about
     halfway down. After the first cut for drying, let the plants to grow back
     and cut again.
 10. Parsley – Harvest sprigs throughout summer, using your fingers to pinch out
     individual stalks all the way to the base of the plant. You can also cut
     the plants back by half for drying and cut again once they grow back.
 11. Rosemary – Clip sprigs once the plants are 6 to 8” tall and continue
     throughout summer. Use kitchen scissors or herb snips to harvest the woody
     shoots. Strip the leaves from the stem by running your fingers down the
     stem.
 12. Thyme – Harvest anytime for everyday use, but if clipping large amounts for
     drying cut before the plants flower. Thyme is a woody herb and you’ll need
     shears or herb snips to harvest. Don’t try to break off stems with your
     fingers as that may damage the plant.

For herbs like parsley and chives that emerge from the center of the plant pinch
or clip the stems back to the ground.



HOW MUCH TO HARVEST?

Another consideration when learning how to harvest herbs is how much you can
harvest at once. The general rule is to remove no more than one-third of the
plant at any one time. For perennial herbs like oregano and mint I will shear
the plants back hard removing about 50% of the stems just before they flower.
This gives me plenty of leaves to dry for winter but the plants also produce a
flush of fresh, flavorful growth for future harvests.

Gather only healthy, disease-free foliage and flowers. Avoid spraying herbs with
pesticides, organic or inorganic. I also like to give my freshly cut bundles of
herbs a good shake before bringing them indoors. This helps dislodge any insects
that may be on the plants.


WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR HOMEGROWN HERBS

I love using my bounty of homegrown herbs daily from late spring through frost
in my cooking. I pinch and snip stems and sprigs as needed, but I also harvest
large quantities for drying or freezing. You can hang herbs in small bundles to
dry, dry individual leaves (this works well for herbs like mint), or dry the
foliage or flowers in a dehydrator. Herbs like chamomile, mint, Greek oregano,
and thyme respond well to drying.

For herbs like basil, chives, and parsley I prefer to freeze my harvest as it
preserves their flavor better than drying. To freeze rinse and chop the herbs.
Place the chopped herbs in ice cube trays or herb trays. Add a bit of water or
olive oil and freeze. Once frozen, you can pop the herbal ‘ice cubes’ out of the
trays and store in labelled freezer bags. Use them to add a burst of summer
flavor to winter pastas, soups, and other dishes.

For more information on growing and harvesting herbs, be sure to check out the
following articles:

 * How to harvest chives
 * How to harvest lemongrass
 * Learn how to gather lavender
 * 7 excellent herbs for containers
 * How to trim basil for big, bushy plants





Filed Under: Food Gardening Tagged With: Herbs


READER INTERACTIONS




COMMENTS

 1. Jeannie says
    
    April 29, 2022 at 11:38 am
    
    I enjoyed your website! I am new to growing my herb garden so I had many
    questions.
    
    I have Arugula. It wasn’t mentioned. My plant is growing flowers and looks
    healthy. What do I do with it?
    
    Thank you.
    
    Reply
    
    * Niki Jabbour says
      
      April 29, 2022 at 1:10 pm
      
      Great question Jeannie! I looooove arugula, but I usually classify it as a
      veggie, not an herb. Although many people do consider it an herb. I guess
      we eat so much of it, that it’s a veggie to me, ha ha. The leaves of
      arugula are typically harvested when they are between 3 and 8 inches long,
      depending if you want baby or full-sized greens. The plants don’t last
      very long in the garden and start to bolt when the weather warms up.
      Bolting is when they start to flower. The process makes the leaves taste
      very hot and spicy. I usually pull the plants at that point and replant a
      new crop. Arugula flowers are edible, however, if you want to add some to
      salads. And bees like them. But the plants are pretty much finished
      producing new leaves at that point. – Niki
    
      
    




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