Herbs for winter flavour in your food can be kept fresh or preserved direct from your garden. Most herbs can be dries and Mint can even be pickled so have a go at herb preservation.

Prolong your Fresh Herbs

Many herbs die down in open ground during winter. It is worthwhile digging up and potting up a clump of herbs for the cool greenhouse or kitchen windowsill. Chives, Parsley, Mint, Marjoram, Basil and Thyme are suitable subjects. Winter herbs need plenty of light, cool conditions, occasional ventilation and regular watering. Remove dead and dying leaves and flowers immediately.

Basil is treated as an annual but leaves can be dried.

Cuttings taken in summer can be used indoors for fresh herbs.

Supermarket herb pots are now a convenient way to enjoy fresh herbs. Look after them as suggested above. Do not subject them to a chill as they will have been grown very tender.

Drying and Preserving Herbs

Sprigs of herbs are easiest to handle when it comes to drying over trays, frames or on paper. Leaves need turning several times in the first couple of days. Microwave ovens are problematic as they can cook rather than dry your herbs (use short settings and test for brittleness as you go). Drying trays can now be bought from good garden centers. For large quantities, artificial heat in a temperature and humidity controlled drying room may be worth the investment.

Stems can be tied and bunches left to hang in a warm airy atmosphere but control is hard and end results are more difficult to predict.

Chamomile can be dried in the plate warming part of your oven (let the moisture escape). Laid sparingly over newspaper, seed heads such as Fennel and Dill can be dried (but fennel itself will flop rather than dry). When dry keep mthe leaves and stems such as Marjoram can be thrown away.

Rubbing down to get the dry leaves should be done with gloves and a smog mask if large quatities are involved. Normally only enough herbs for winter are required so large quantities are not involved. Storing in dark, air-tight containers such as glass jars is best. Dried herbs deteriorate if exposed to light and can easily reabsorb moisture.

Bay is an evergreen plant. The leaves can be used all year round to flavour soups and meat.

Mint can be pickled in vinegar which becomes a popular way to eat the herb.

Photo Credits
Parsley by -Mandie- CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 ‘I picked and dried some of my Parsley this week. This is part of what I’ve left in the front yard, which might make it, considering it’s close to the house, on the south side…..’
Basil – Ocimum basilicum by Jasmine&Roses CC BY-ND 2.0
Our trimmed bay tree by exfordy CC BY 2.0