Growing and harvesting herbs is probably the easiest and quickest way to get into gardening – whether you have a garden or not.

In the following excerpt from Jane’s Delicious A-Z of Herbs, by South African gardening guru Jane Griffiths, find out how to grow a herb garden on your kitchen doorstep.

Here we learn some tips on harvesting and preserving your herbs, and, as a bonus, scroll to the end for a recipe for herbal infused honey.

Growing herbs in containers

“I have no space” is not an excuse when it comes to growing herbs. Even if you grow only a few pots of herbs on a sunny windowsill you will be saving yourself money and opening a window onto a whole new way of cooking and using edible plants. With containers you can literally have a herb garden on your kitchen doorstep.

My friend Allison collects old biscuit tins as planters for her herbs. Your container garden can be classic (a selection of terracotta pots) or quirky (recycled wheelbarrows and cracked old baths), funky (brightly coloured plastic bowls and jugs) or modern (sleek aluminium containers).

Whatever style you choose, it should fit your budget and style. Be aware that the smaller the container is, the quicker it will dry out.

One advantage of growing herbs in containers is they can be moved around as the seasons change to take advantage of the sun. If the container is large and you do plan to move it, put wheels underneath it before filling it.

Remember that plants benefit from good air circulation, so don’t cram too many containers together. Create varying heights by using different size containers or by raising them up on bricks or blocks of wood.

Harvesting

The efficacy of herbs can be affected if they are not properly harvested. If you are picking a few herbs to make a quick herbal tea or to add to a dish, it doesn’t really matter when you pick them, but if you are going to dry them, it is best to pick on a dry day, after the morning dew has evaporated. Harvest the herbs at their peak of maturity, when the concentration of active ingredients is at its highest.

• Deciduous or annual leaves should be picked just before flowering.
• Evergreen perennial leaves can be picked year round.
• Cut whole flowers when they are fully open.
• If using all the parts of the plant, harvest while it is flowering, picking a mixture of leaves, flowers and seeds.
• Most roots are harvested in autumn, once the plant has died down. (An exception is dandelion – its roots are best harvested in spring.)
• Harvest whole seed heads with some stalk, when they are almost ripe.

Container plants need to be fed more regularly as the nutrients are washed out of the growing medium

Preserving

Drying

Many herbs dry well, retaining their flavour and efficacy. When using herbs you have grown and dried yourself, you can be assured they are 100 % organic without any pesticides.

• Herbs with a lower water content, such as oregano, rosemary and bay, are well suited to drying.
• Dry flowers, seeds and leaves quickly, out of direct sunlight, in a warm, well-aired spot. (The kitchen might seem an obvious spot but is often full of condensation and cooking smells.)
• Shake whole flowers to remove any obvious dirt or insects and dry them whole, spread out evenly on a piece of paper or a wire rack.
• For large-leafed herbs, such as comfrey, pick and dry the leaves individually.
• For small-leafed herbs, leave them on the stem, gather the stems together and tie them in a bunch.
• Tie seed head stems together and pop them in a paper bag with the stems sticking out. Tie the bag closed around the stems and hang it upside down. Once they are fully ripe, shake the seed heads to dislodge them into the bag.
• Wash roots well and chop them while still fresh. Spread them on to paper and dry them in an oven at 100 °C for 2 to 3 hours. Leave them in a warm, dry place until completely dry. Flowers and leaves can also be dried using this method if you want to speed up the process.
• Once they are dry (and make sure they are completely dry otherwise they will go mouldy) store the herbs in an airtight sterilised glass or ceramic container. Either use a dark glass bottle or keep them in a dark cupboard. Most herbs will keep for up to 18 months.

Preserving in salt or sugar

This method of storing herbs and keeping their fresh flavour uses salt and sugar as natural preservatives. Herbs best suited for salt are strongly flavoured culinary herbs such as marjoram, oregano, rosemary, winter savory and thyme. Herbal sugar can be made using fragrant herbs such as lemon verbena, rose-scented pelargonium, anise hyssop, mint and lavender.

To make herbal salts or sugars, pick a colander of herbs, and wash and dry them well using a salad spinner. Strip off the leaves, discarding any woody stems. Using a food processor, chop the herbs until fine. Measure the herbs and for every cup of herbs add two cups of sea salt or sugar. Add half a teaspoon of lime or lemon zest to the salt. Mix together well. Using a blender, finely blend one cup of the mixture at a time until it is smooth and pale green. Store in airtight bottles.

Herbs such as mint dry well, retaining their flavour and efficacy.

Preserving in honey

Making herbal infused honey is a versatile way of preserving and using herbs, often with great medicinal benefits. See below for a description of how to make and use herbal honey.

Preserving in oil

Many herbs store well in oil, with the additional advantage of creating a herb-infused oil. Simply tear up leaves or flowers, layer them in a sterilised bottle and cover with olive oil. Poke with a sterilised spoon to remove any air bubbles. As long as the herbs remain covered with oil, they will last for months.

Freezing

Freezing works well with herbs that have a high water content, such as basil and coriander. To freeze whole leaves, place them in a single layer on paper towel laid on a baking sheet. Pop this into the freezer and when they are completely frozen, store them a zip lock bag. Or blend the herbs with a little olive oil until you form a thick paste. Freeze this in ice trays until solid, remove the blocks and store in zip lock bags. Add whole cubes to soups, or defrost them to use in salad dressings and tea, or to mix into a lotion.

Herbs can be preserved in oil or spread out evenly to dry.

Recipe: Herbal honeys

Herbal infused honey is a versatile way of preserving and using herbs. Because it has antibacterial properties and boosts the immune system, honey increases the medicinal effect of the herb. Herbal honey can be taken internally (a great way to give children a bitter-tasting herb) and it can also be used externally as a poultice to treat burns and infected wounds. Because honey is soothing, it is a good choice to mix with herbs that are being used to treat the throat and respiratory system. Use it as the base for a cough syrup or to make cough sweets.

Making herbal honey

Start with raw honey as it has the most health benefits. If you are using fresh herbs make sure they are as dry as possible to avoid mould forming. (I have never had a problem with mould on my herbal honey when using fresh herbs but in a more humid climate it might be an idea to keep herbal honey in the fridge.) Fill a sterilised bottle with roughly chopped dried or fresh herb. If you are using a woody herb or stems and roots, chop it a bit more finely. Cover with honey, poking with a sterilised spoon to remove any air bubbles, and seal tightly. Leave it to infuse for about six weeks. Strain and reseal. (You might need to warm the honey slightly to pour it but don’t heat it too much.)

Good herbs and spices to use for herbal honey are: cayenne pepper, cinnamon sticks, echinacea (root), elderberry (use cooked berries and mush them before infusing with the honey), fresh ginger root, garlic, lavender, liquorice, lemon balm, lemon grass, lemon verbena, marjoram, onion, oregano, peppermint, rose-scented pelargonium, rose petal, sage, thyme and turmeric (try to get hold of turmeric root rather than powdered). ML

Jane Griffiths is the best-selling author of Jane’s Delicious Garden, which has led to a vegetable revolution in South Africa, with thousands of home growers now following in her green footsteps. Jane’s Delicious A-Z of Herbs: A Guide to Growing Herbs Organically in South Africa is published by Jonathan Ball Publishers (R285).

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