| Herb gardening Is one of the most rewarding | | | | • Wash them off with cold water. |
| pastimes you will begin. I say will begin because by | | | | • Tie them with string, binding them quite |
| the time you finish reading this you WILL begin! You | | | | tightly at the end of the stalk. |
| will need some basic information and knowledge | | | | • Place them in a paper bag with the stem |
| about the herbs you choose to use and grow, but | | | | ends at the opening, and then close the bag with a |
| after that the actual process is easy and fast. The | | | | rubber band. |
| best thing is that after you work out what you need | | | | • Then you need to use a paper clip as a |
| to do, it becomes a passion that lasts forever and, | | | | sort of hook through the band and then place the |
| even better, it's a real money saving hobby. | | | | other hooked end over your line where you are |
| What you Need to Know About Herb Gardening | | | | going to hang the herbs to actually dry. |
| Basically you need to work out your seasonal needs. | | | | • Wait for a couple of weeks, to ensure |
| Choose the herbs you like or use most often in your | | | | they have dried out completely. |
| cooking. The easiest way is to go to your kitchen | | | | • Remove them from the paper bags, and |
| shelf and look at what you have accumulated over | | | | then crumble the leaves and place them on a shallow |
| the past and decide which ones you really use. Then, | | | | pan and dry them out in the oven - just make sure |
| look up the growing requirements. You can do this on | | | | that the oven is not set to be too hot, because you |
| the Internet or go to your local nursery for free tips. | | | | can burn them, and you certainly do not want to do |
| Most plants are easy to grow, but will need a little | | | | this. |
| attention and need replanting in spring. | | | | A lot of herb gardening enthusiasts prefer to use the |
| Next you need to learn how to dry your herbs for | | | | open air as their preferred way to dry herbs. This |
| storage and use during those times when fresh | | | | method however can be messy as insects can |
| plants are unavailable. Here are my tips for drying | | | | interfere with the drying plans and get caught up and |
| herbs successfully: | | | | become part of your larder! If you are careful and |
| • Cut off tops of the leafy varieties in | | | | pick them out it may be OK. My view is that open air |
| midsummer. | | | | drying is unnecessary and does not yield better |
| • Hang them up just long enough so that | | | | results at all. |
| the drops of water can evaporate. | | | | |