The Fall Harvest

For me, one of the best things about growing plants is harvesting them. Growing good plants is very important, but if you dry them and store them properly you can enjoy the fruits of your labor for months or more. In some ways you can maximize or even enhance your plants with proper drying. So, as fall approaches I thought for September I’d dabble in how to dry and store herbs, something I’ve been doing for awhile but have no professional training in. Any tips, comments or questions as always are welcome. I appreciate the E-mail questions and comments, keep them coming! Of course you can store fruits and vegetables but this month will be for flower and leaf storage. Maybe later I’ll write about storing other things from your victory garden.

As a grower, you know homegrown will taste better, is healthier and will be cheaper then commercial bought plants. If you have a bounty from the outside garden I suggested you start in April you can store this excess to take you through the winter or until your indoor garden is up and running. Most leafy plants and flowers can be stored for long periods of time. Many herbs like cilantro, basil, parsley, marjoram and others can be preserved and stored through the winter and into the next growing season. Flowers can be dried and stored in a similar manor, but keep in mind it may take longer for big flowers to dry.
The first thing to know is that bruising and mold are the two biggest problems you need to over come when storing long term. I hope to give you some tips to improve or help you start storing your plants for long term use. And, if you did not have an outside garden this year, take my advice and try one next year!

Good Growing.
Dr. E.R. Myers