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This summer I grew herbs in two flower boxes hanging from a shelf on our front porch: Parsley, sage, rosemary & thyme - just like the song - and chives. I chose the location to allow easy access even in inclement weather.
But as cold weather approached, I realized I had to think about what would become of the remaining herbs; and the obvious choice was to harvest and dry them for later use in the kitchen - all but the parsley (compost) and chives (vegetable crisper).
Harvesting herbs is an easy task as their root system is pretty shallow. I simply pulled the plants out of the soil and cut off the roots. When I took them in the house, I tied each herbs stems together with colourful twine and hung them to air dry.
The fragrant herbs are now bagged and ready for use in cooking over the long winter months. I anticipate that homegrown will be tastier than dried store-bought; and healthier, too.
As an interesting side-note:
I've learned that herbs are an important garden plant for pollinating insects. They're useful for sustenance as well as pest prevention.So, next spring, I'm planning to plant even more herbs, in the planter boxes and beyond.
