Reaping What You Sow

Summer is almost over — to that I say a big “HOORAY”! Despite being a most difficult year, I did manage to derive some pleasure from my garden, harvesting a great crop of tomatoes and basil for the pesto and vinegars, and managed to have some beautiful blooms to brighten the inside.

One of the most rewarding aspects of gardening is seeing the beauty created by one tiny seed and help from the elements of Nature. Preserving garden beauty leads us to explore ways to extend that pleasure — but before we can recreate garden magic, we must first know how to correctly harvest and dry what we have grown.

In all of Nature there is a ‘season to sow and a season to reap’. With herbs, flavor and fragrance depend on the strength of the essential oil, so you want to be sure these oils are at their maximum at the time of harvest. Some plants peak just as the flower blooms and for others it is prior to the flowering. So it is important to check each individual plant for their harvest time.

One important rule: always finish the cutting process early enough in the season to allow a re-growth of about one foot prior to the first frost — this will prevent winter killing.

Cut your herbs early in the day after the dew has dried while the sun is out, yet not too strong as this can rob the herb of oils. Cut plants about 2/3 of the way down the stem leaving enough of the plant to yield a second harvest. Keep each group of herbs separate, as once they’ve dried they’ll look different from when they’re fresh.

There are several drying methods. The first requires stripping fresh leaves from the stem and spreading them on a drying screen or cheesecloth — air must circulate above and below. Turn the leaves once a day for approximately 4–5 days. The method I prefer is bundling herbs, tying them, and hanging them upside down in an attic or area with little sunlight and good air flow. This takes about 10–14 days. You will know when completely dried as they will crackle to the touch. Store in clean glass jars with tight fitting lids.

Herbs Good for Harvesting:
Basil, Calendula, Chamomile, Chives, Lavender, Marjoram, Mint, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme.

Dangerous Herbs — Handle With Care:

Despite the many benefits of herbs, some are quite dangerous and in some cases can cause death. The following are considered the most unsafe:

Aconite — Very toxic, can be absorbed through the skin.
Aloe — Taken internally can cause severe vomiting and stomach irritation.
Autumn Crocus — Causes nausea, intestinal pain, vomiting, and at times death.
Bayberry — Causes cancer when ingested.
Blue Cohosh — Toxic to heart muscles. Seeds are extremely poisonous.
Broom — Slows heart rate, causes irregular heartbeat, nausea, convulsions.
Coltsfoot — Used in cough medicines but contains alkaloids that can cause liver cancer.
Foxglove — Nausea, diarrhea, headache, irregular heartbeat.
Hemlock — Paralysis of tongue, central nervous system paralysis.
Lobelia — DEADLY. Overdose will cause depressed breathing and dangerously low blood pressure.
Mistletoe — Causes irregular heartbeat and eventually death.
Pokeweed — No safe beneficial use. Many children have ingested it and died.
Sassafras — As little as a teaspoon can cause liver and kidney degeneration.

Always research herbs thoroughly before internal use and consult your doctor.