Preserving Flowers and Herbs
The colour and fragrance of your summer garden can be preserved to enjoy all year long. People have always dried flowers and herbs for medicinal and decorative purposes through various traditional methods and today we have even more choices for preserving our best blooms.
Quick Links
Which ones?
Most flowers will air dry. Try anything at first, when you are just
learning. Any of the "everlasting flowers' from the seed catalogues will
dry well. Roses are very good and keep some of their scent. Plants with
more cellulose, sturdier cells, like grains, or strawflowers, will hold
their shape and dry better than soft fleshy ones like begonias or
tulips.
Picking
In general you should pick flowers just before they are fully mature, as
they continue to develop a bit while drying. If the roses are starting
to drop petals when you hang them up, they will continue to drop petals
as they dry and you'll be left with an empty stem. Slightly immature
flowers also have a stronger connection between the petals and the stem
and as they dry this should become more rigid, and stronger, if the
flower is in the right stage of maturity.
Preparing
It is much easier to clean fresh flowers than dried flowers. Before
processing, remove any brown, misshapen or dis-coloured petals and
leaves. It is not usually necessary to remove the leaves from the stems,
except for large plants like sunflowers, where the leaves are large
reservoirs of moisture.
Drying
Best results will be achieved from the fastest drying. The longer it
takes to dry a bundle, the more likely you will lose colour, have damage
from fungus and bacteria, and leaves will turn yellow rather than stay a
fresh green colour.
You will need a warm place, with good ventilation, and no direct
sunlight. The warmth tends to dry the plants faster. The ventilation
carries the water vapour away from the plants and so speeds the drying.
Direct sun, right in the south window, will bleach colours out of leaves
and flowers within two weeks. Indirect light is not so much a problem.
Most plants will take 1 to 2 weeks to dry completely. Small fine
plants, like larkspur will dry more quickly than heavy, large plants
like sunflowers. Over this period, some indirect light will not
seriously affect colour.
Storage
Once the bundles are dry they should be wrapped to prevent damage and
packed away in a closed box. Newspaper works well for wrapping. This
keeps the bundles separate and protected from dust, breaking, and
sunlight. The bundles should be laid down flat in the box, not standing
up. If they are standing up it is easy to break the tips off. Label the
box on the outside so you don't have to open it every time you're
looking for those pink peonies. Usually dating the box is a good idea
too.
Dried leaves of herbs for cooking should be packed in air tight cans
or jars, and kept out of the light too. Labeling is very important
here, it's harder to tell basil from oregano, 6 months later when
they're all crunched down to fine green leaves.
Silica dried and freeze dried flowers should be stored in an air
tight box with some desiccant inside. Use a bit of silica gel in a cloth
bag for desiccant. Even table salt will work - in a pinch. This will
keep moisture from the air from affecting the blooms.
AIR DRYING
The simplest method is just to make your flowers or herbs into bundles
and hang upside down to dry. Use rubber bands to secure the stems. The
stems will shrink as they dry, and string or wire will become too loose
to hold the dried bundles. Hanging upside down keeps the shape of the
flowers looking natural once they are dried. This, of course, does not
apply to flowers like Chinese Lanterns or Love Lies Bleeding that are
supposed to droop downwards normally, these plants you would dry
standing up in a vase.
For large flowers you should stagger the heads so they are not
touching each other. Where the flowers are close together, there's less
air movement so moisture can build up, and fungus can develop.
The bundles should be no more than a handful thick at the stem ends.
If the bundles are too large, the center of the bunch does not dry
properly and mold can grow in the middle. When you open these bundles up
to use them, the inside 40% is spoiled.
Herbs
Herbs can be dried in bundles as well, usually, the bundles are smaller
for quicker drying because you want to preserve the colour as well as
the volatile flavor oils. You can also dry herbs flat on a screen. If
you clean the useful leaves off the stems first and dry only the leaves,
they will be done sooner. Be sure to spread the leaves out well enough
to allow air movement all around and turn or stir the leaves every day
until dry. Most herbs handled this way will dry in 2 - 3 days under good
conditions.
Potpourri
You can also dry individual flowers, petals and leaves for potpourri on
screens this same way. Full flower heads will take longer to dry, and it
is very important to turn these often to prevent misshapen flowers, and
mold growing on the undersides of the flowers. Once dry, these should
be packed in clear plastic bags. You will be able to see easily, what's
in the bag, and the plastic will keep moisture from the air away from
the dried materials. You can find further info and a recipe for
Potpourri here.
Heads up
Certain flowers, peonies and sunflowers, for instance, can be dried
heads up with the stems dropped through a screen made of chicken wire or
metal mesh with 1.5 - 2" squares. For peonies this can give you a
larger, more open flower. Hanging flowers tend to wilt and close up as
they dry so you get a smaller, less full flower. With the screen method,
you can get them to open even more. The problem with this is that not
all of the peonies will open properly on the screen so you must babysit
them as they dry. Take out the odd shaped ones before they're fully dry.
Shake them gently to restore a more normal shape and hang these upside
down to finish drying. The remaining good ones will dry in about 2
weeks.
SILICA GEL DRYING
This method has been used for centuries. The earliest practitioners did
not have silica gel, however, they used clean, fine sand or even salt.
Dustless kitty litter will work and there are some substitutes for
silica on the market as well. Some people use borax.
Silica drying works on all flowers, and extends the range of
materials that can be dried. Lilies, orchids and other flowers that do
not air dry well can be silica dried to give spectacular results.
The best quality silica gel will have very little dust in it and
should have blue indicator crystals. The crystals are blue when the
silica is dry and will gradually lose colour as the silica absorbs
moisture. When they are completely colourless you should put the silica
in a flat pan in the oven at 250°F until the crystals change back to
blue. Store in an air tight container. You can re-use silica gel many
times, for many years. It will eventually break down and get more fine
dust particles, which can affect the quality of the finished flowers so
you may have to replace it at some time.
Silica gel is harmful to your health. The dust particles will cause
irritations of your throat, nose, lungs, eyes, and skin. For best safety
you should wear rubber gloves and avoid inhaling the dust. If you are
doing a large quantity of silica drying you should be wearing a good
quality dust mask as well. Always work in a well ventilated area and
clean up any dust and crystals from the work place when you're finished.
Try working outside.
You will need some air tight plastic containers, ice cream pails
work well, as well as smaller ones. Put a layer of silica on the bottom
of the container, about ½ to 3/4 inch. Place individual flower heads (no
stems) upright on the bed of silica. Take the time now to make sure the
petals are shaped the way you want them to end up. Gently pour more
silica over the flowers so that the crystals fall between the petals and
around the blooms. The crystals will draw the moisture out of the
petals and leave it in the same shape without wrinkling or shrinking.
Don't pour the silica on so roughly that you bend the petals over
sideways or splay out the flowers in an unnatural position. Continue to
add silica until the flowers are completely covered. You can add more
flowers to the container, as long as they don't touch each other. Where
they touch, mold will develop. You can make several vertical layers if
your container is deep enough.
Once full, close the lid on the container and wait. Most flowers
will dry in 2 - 3 days. Larger flowers and full roses should be left 4 -
5 days. You can speed up the process by micro waving the whole
container for 30 second pulses, 2 or 3 times. After micro waving, leave
the flowers in the silica overnight and remove the next day. You can
also put the container in the oven at 200 F for an hour or so. Or warm
the oven and turn it off. Then put the container in over night.
If you remove the flowers right away after heat treating in the
microwave or oven, the silica tends to stick to the petals. Waiting an
extra day reduces this problem.
To take the flowers out of the silica, gently pour the crystals into
another container to reveal the flowers. They may be brittle and
certainly they will be fragile, so handle carefully. If they have been
left in the silica too long, they will be more brittle. As they are
exposed, gently lift them out and put in a secure storage container.
The blooms can be sprayed with a floral preservative, lacquer spray,
or even hair spray to give them a protective coat. If your silica is
dusty you will need to shake or brush some of the dust off the petals.
Pouring the silica back and forth releases lots of dust. Stand back
from the container, don't breathe in the dust, wear a mask, do this
outside, this is the high risk part of the operation.
Silica dried flowers have better colour and very much better form
than air dried flowers. They will retain these qualities only if stored
properly with some desiccant and protected from mechanical damage.
GLYCERINE TREATMENT
Glycerine is a viscous, oily liquid used in hand creams and soaps.
Glycerine treatment leaves the plants supple and soft, less brittle and
less prone to breakage. It is often combined with a dye so the finished
product is softer and coloured as well.
Best results are obtained if the glycerine is drawn up inside the
plant. Plants must be fresh cut and still alive, able to draw water up
the stem.
Mix 1 part glycerine with 3 parts water. More glycerine can be used
on heavier plants like salal and less glycerine on fine plants like
baby's breath. The glycerine is easier to mix if you start with warm
water. Mix well. Add the dye at this time if you are colouring the
plants too. It is a good idea to add some fresh flower preservative to
the water. This will keep the plants healthier and the water cleaner.
Stems should be re-cut under water to make sure there is a good
uptake of solution. Stand the plants upright in the bucket of
glycerine/water and wait. Most plants take almost 2 weeks to fully
absorb the glycerine. You can monitor the progress by the colour change
in the stems, leaves and flowers. You should check the stem ends
regularly and re-cut them a few inches every 2 - 3 days to keep the flow
of glycerine/water going well.
The glycerine is a large molecule. It cannot enter the plant cells
and it does not evaporate with the water from the plant. As it travels
up the plant it moves in the spaces between the plant cells. The water
gradually moves out of the cells and out of the plant completely leaving
more and more glycerine stuck in the tissues. Eventually there is
mostly glycerine and very little water left in the plant.
Take the plants out of the bucket, and hang to dry for a few days,
just to remove the last bit of water. You can re-use the glycerine
solution several times. Filter it and add some fresh flower preservative
to reduce fungal and bacterial growth. Store in a sealed container. You
can feel how slippery the solution is. When it is not slippery any more
the glycerine has been used up and you need to start again with fresh
glycerine.
Straight glycerine is a skin irritant. Wear gloves and avoid contact
with skin, and eyes. Do not ingest. Keep away from animals and small
children. Handle with care. You can buy glycerine at farm supply stores,
it is sold as a treatment for milk cows by the litre or gallon.
DYEING
Dyeing flowers gives you an infinite range of colours not always available in
the natural materials. All plants have a waxy coating on the surface of
leaves, stems and petals. Depending on how thick this layer is, the dye
will attach better or worse to the plant. Heating the plant materials
will thin out the waxy layer and allow the dye to soak in better.
Plants with neutral natural colours, or colours similar to the dye
will give better results than strongly coloured ones. Flowers and plants
with lots of surface area like timothy grass pick up the colour better
than smooth surfaces like poppy pods.
There are powdered dyes and liquid dyes specifically for plants. Any
of these can be applied as a dip for dried flowers or in the water
bucket for fresh flowers to take up through the stem. You can use food
colouring for small quantities. Fabric dyes will work well too, and are
available in a wide range of colours.
It can be useful to dye a variety of materials with the same dye lot
so that you will have matching pieces to use in an arrangement. Also,
the first bundle dipped into the dye will have the darkest colour and
the last bundle will have the lightest colour as the dye gets used up.
This range of shades of the same colour can also be attractive in an
arrangement.
For fresh flowers, just mix the dye in the water bucket and stand
the stems in the mix. Be sure to re-cut the stems regularly. Add some
fresh flower preservative to keep the water clean. You can reuse the
solution as long as it's not contaminated with fungus or bacteria.
For dried flowers dip the bundle, heads down into the dye solution.
Leaving the bundle in longer will give a darker colour as will repeated
dips. Fabric dyes often require hot water and may give better results
with hotter water.
You will need to hang the bundles up to dry after dyeing. This
should take only 2 - 3 days at most for flowers that have been
previously dried.
Colours will change as the plants dry. The liquid mixture is never
the same as the finished product. Successful dyeing requires lots of
experimentation. Try mixing colours to get just the right shade, or
diluting the mix for light shades. Good luck.
It's very easy to paint dried flowers too. You can use craft spray
paint which dries quickly or regular spray paint which takes longer to
dry. Try also mixing latex paint with water, 1 part paint to 2 or 3 or
more parts water, and using this for a dip for the dried flowers. The
advantage of paint is that you can get a very wide range of colours.
FREEZE DRYING
This is a very high tech way to preserve flowers. The freeze dryer
itself is a large machine that looks sort of like one of those really
big washing machines at the laundromat. The flowers are dried under
vacuum, and very low temperatures for about 10 days, depending on the
water content of the starting materials. The machine costs about
$50,000.
This methods gives a very good product however. The flowers have
very good colour and form. They are often sprayed with a
preservative/sealant to prevent moisture from re-entering the flowers
and reducing the quality.
You can freeze dry almost anything, so this greatly increases the
range of possibilities. Most common are roses and lilies, but you will
find orchids, vegetables and fruits.
PRESSED FLOWERS
Delicate flowers can be pressed between the pages of a phone book. If
you add weights to the top of the stack and have at least 20 pages of
phone book between flowers you can get a very nice product. You can fill
the page with flowers as long as they don't touch each other. There are
many flower presses available, using blotter paper and frames with
screws to keep the pressure on.
Pansies, violets, azaleas, any fine textured flower will dry well.
Don't forget to press some leaves too for adding to your pictures and
cards. Stay away from flowers with high water content, fleshy leaves or
bulky form. Large flowers like tulips or lilies won't work as whole
flowers because of the bulky calyx, but you can press individual petals
and reassemble what looks like the whole flower later. The calyx on
roses is too large to press. Again, try individual petals.
The finished flowers can be mounted with a dab of glue to make
pictures, cards and other decoration. Pictures made up and mounted
behind glass are not difficult. Just get a nice frame with a good clear
glass front. Cards must be covered with a layer of clear Mac Tac or
other protective cover. Some people lay the flowers on the top of fancy
wooden boxes and lacquer them in place. You can also put them between
panes of glass for window hangers.
Storage
Dried flowers will absorb water vapor from the air quite easily. On a
rainy day, the petals get softer and contain more moisture than on a dry
day. Each time the flowers absorb this moisture, however, they will
continue to degrade. If they absorb a lot of moisture (if you kept them
in the bathroom for instance) they would eventually lose their colour,
and may even turn brown.
For long term storage you want to keep this moisture away from the
dried materials. The newspaper wrappings on the bundles will absorb most
excess moisture. The desiccant in the box of freeze dried flowers does
the same job. Sealing the rest of the materials in air tight bags, jars
and boxes will keep most flowers and herbs safe for years. Be careful
that the flowers or herbs are completely dry before you pack them away,
however, it's very easy to get mold growing inside the air tight plastic
bag.
Conclusion
There are many methods for drying flowers, and many flowers and herbs
suitable for drying. Don't believe any one if they say you can't dry
this, or that won't work. Try it any way. Some techniques may work for
you and no one else.
EDIBLE FLOWERS
Many flowers are edible. Flowers should be of best quality with no
bruises, spots, insects or insect damage. Fully opened or almost fully
opened flowers are best, rather than buds. Flowers should be picked with
a short stem (l" is OK) just to make them last longer in storage and
easier to handle. These are mostly used in salads and as garnishes. The
size is important. Flowers should be about 3/4" across, not too small
and not too large.
The following list is not exclusive, there are many more types that are edible.
- Alfalfa
- Bachelor Buttons
- Begonia
- Borage
- Calendula
- Carnation
- Dianthus
- Geranium
- Herb flowers
- Marigold
- Nasturtium leaves and flowers
- Pansy (very good)
- Peony
- Phlox
- Rose
- Schizanthus
- Snapdragons
- Stocks
- Sunflower petals or small flowers
- Sweet Rocket
- Sweet William
- Tulip
- Viola
Some flowers are definitely toxic, don't pick these:
- Monkshood
- Pyrethrum
- Solanum (potato family)
- Foxglove
- Lupine
- Morning Glory
Other flowers, while not toxic, just don't taste very good,Feverfew,
Poppies, or have poor texture, yarrow, globe thistle. Handle these
flowers with special care.
Pick best quality, clean flowers with no water on them. Pack in a
plastic bag or rigid plastic box like the ones at the bakery. Keep
hydrated with a moistened paper towel in the bottom of the box. Don't
store too long before using.
KEEPING GOURDS FRESH
Yes you can keep those nifty gourds looking good for years if you do
it right. Start with fresh, healthy, mature, gourds with good color and a
nice firm, skin. They need to cure in the warm sunshine for a few weeks
to really finish off. Pretend they are in a field far south of here,
maybe Minnesota, and they have an extra month to really do what they're
designed to do. The skin will harden up and protect the seeds inside
from marauding animals and pests of all kinds until spring when they
will grow again.
Wash the gourds carefully and don't scratch or damage the skin. Dry
them well and put them into a warm, sunny window so that there is good
air circulation around all the fruits. Best if they don't even touch
each other. If you were really nice to them you'd turn them every few
days to get a nice even tan.
Once they are really firm you can polish them with a clean, soft
cloth, just like polishing shoes. The skin contains a natural wax which
will buff up and give you a nice shiny gourd.
If you were really sure you had removed most of the water from the
gourd, you could spray it with a clean varnish, both a matte or shiny
surface would be interesting. We have sprayed them gold for Christmas
Eggs and pale blue and pink for Easter Eggs..
Never poke holes in the gourd. Don't break the skin. Our enemies are
the fungi and bacteria living all around us, don't let them at the
susceptible insides of the gourd. The plant has natural defenses that
will enable it to fight off most normal wear and tear, if the system is
intact and healthy.
This drying method will work with other thick skinned members of the
Cucurbit family, like pumpkins, and squash, but not soft types like
zucchini or cucumbers.
CULINARY HERBS - FRESH AND DRIED
It may be economically feasible to grow herbs year round in a green
house, but this requires some study, and careful management - something
to work towards. The simplest is fresh product during the summer, and
dried product the rest of the year.
There are also many plants grown for medicinal uses. We call these
botanicals. This would include such things as Raspberry leaves, Red
Clover Flowers, Birch leaves, plantain root, and so on.
Picking
Fresh herbs should be picked when the leaves are dry, without rain or
dew on them. Do not wash the plants. Pack loosely in clean plastic bags.
If you poke a few holes in the plastic bag, this will help the plants
to breathe and they will last longer in the fridge. A mulch around the
growing plants may reduce the amount of soil on the leaves and reduce
the need for washing. Mint is especially bad for holding soil on the
leaves.
Dried herbs are of most use if they are picked on whole stems and
bundled like flowers for drying. These can be tied into wreaths, used in
basket arrangements and several other decorator items. The longer the
stem, and the less processed the plant is, the more useful it will be.
Second grade leaves and stems can still be used in potpourri and for
making fire starters. Since all parts of the plants are fragrant, these
are very useful.
Cultivation
Many herbs are from the mint family, Labiatae. All of these will be easy
to propagate from cuttings, or layering. They will have square stems in
cross section, and labiate (like tiny snapdragons) flowers. Seeds are
produced freely and should be collected.
To be safe, grow the varieties you are familiar with, or that you
know will grow well in your area, and try only a few experiments at one
time. A large volume of one type is easier to handle than small volumes
of many types.
Many herbs do better if kept well watered, and in full sun. The
flavour comes from the aromatic oils in the leaves, and these will be
most developed in healthy, vigorous plants. Most herbs change flavour
once they go to flower, so try to collect the leaves before this
happens. Repeated shearing of plants like mint and oregano can delay
flowering until late in the summer. An application of nitrogen
fertilizer in mid summer can also help to keep the plants producing
leaves rather than flowers.
HERBS - FRESH AND DRIED
Anise Hyssop. Agastache foeniculum. Giant Blue Hyssop.
Perennial. Native Plant. Mint family. Direct seed. Could be fall
planted. Can be propagated from root divisions or stem cuttings.
Licorice scented leaves used in desserts and dried in tea and for
medicinal uses. Harvest leafy stems before flowering. Flower stalks are
attractive, blue, and can be collected for ornamental uses. Harvest when
they are firm and well filled and hang to dry. Seeds are valuable and
produced prolifically, collect these too. This plant is highly
recommended as it is a multi purpose plant.
Basil. Ocimum basilicum. Basil is a tender annual in the Mint
family. There are many varieties. You can direct seed in late May and
repeat plantings are recommended. Transplants are quicker starts but
they are susceptible to fungal stem rot (Fusarium) while still in the
seeding tray. For an organic fungicide, try mixing crushed stems of
Horsetail (Equisetum - a common weed) into the soil, or making a tea
from Horsetails and use this to water the basil weekly, while in the
seeding trays and after transplanting into the garden. Horsetails
contain a natural fungicide which will not affect the edible qualities
of the basil.
Basil likes warmer temperatures, medium moist, rich soil and
slightly dryer conditions to hold back the fungus. It needs protection
from the hottest mid-summer sun, and is also very frost sensitive. If
you direct seed into the garden, try covering the earliest plantings
with a row cover for a quicker start. The row cover will increase the
temperature around the plants, improving germination and growth. Later
in the season you can put a white sheet over the tunnel and use it to
shade the same rows. Sun scorched basil has a bronze sheen on the
leaves. Use the tunnel again at the end of the season to protect from
frost.
Use a mulch such as straw or newspaper around the bottoms of the
plants and between rows to keep the plants as clean as possible. You do
not want to have to wash the plants after harvesting.
Don't let the plants go to flower. They will stop producing useful
leaves, and the flavor is not as good. Fertilize every few weeks with a
light dose of nitrogen. Don't drought stress the plants. The fungal stem
rot can also create a stress that makes the plant flower too soon. You
can sometimes cut the flowering stems off and make the plant go back to
leafy growth, but this doesn't always work.
The standard variety is called Sweet Basil. Try Green Ruffles, and
Purple Ruffles, showy but less fragrant. Lettuce Leaf Basil is very
popular, as are purple leaved types. There is also Mammoth Basil,
Cinnamon Basil, Lemon Basil, and many more. It is worth experimenting
with new types. Look for interesting flavours, leaf shapes or colors.
For fresh herbs, pick leafy tops of stems every 2 - 3 weeks.
Alternatively, you can plant enough seed so that you can harvest the
whole plant from several rows each week. Plant enough area to give you
continuous yield. Don't wash the leaves. Pack loosely in a plastic bag
and store in a cool place, but not in the fridge.
Basil is not as good dried as fresh. For drying, pick small bundles
of 10 - 15 stems, tie tightly with a rubber band and hang to dry or lay
stems and leaves out on a cardboard flat or basket. Once dry, pack the
leaves and bundles away in a plastic bag so they stay dry.
Basil is a very high demand crop. It is a bit difficult to grow for
beginners, but we have had good results recently, so don't give up.
Borage. Borago officinalis. Annual. Direct seed. Repeat
plantings. Can be planted in late fall and again in early spring. Self
sows. Young leaves have a light cucumber flavor. Mature flowers used
fresh in salads. Easy.
Catnip. Nepeta cataria. Perennial. Very easy from direct
seeding, transplants or cuttings. Mint family. Used as a cat treat, and
sometimes for tea. For these herbal uses, collect leafy, non-flowering
stems in small bunches. Tie with a rubber band and hang to dry. Catnip
has attractive flower stalks/seed heads, too. When the flower stalks
develop a purple blush, pick 10 - 15 flowering stalks per bundle and
hang to dry. Produces seed prolifically, so collect this from more
mature stems. Catmint is not the same as catnip, choose the true catnip.
Chamomile. Matricaria chamomilla. Annual. Try direct seeding in late
fall or early spring. Self Sows. Fragrant flower heads are dried for
tea. Lay out to dry and pack in clean plastic bags when completely dry.
Chervil. Anthriscus. Umbelliferae. Dill family. Similar to parsley,
but more distinct flavor. Young leaves are used in soups and salads.
Collect leafy stems before flowers appear. Direct seed fall, early
spring and repeatedly through to July. Can save seed from over mature
plants.
Chives. Allium schoenoprasum. Perennial. Easy from seed, but usually
grown from divisions. Easy to harvest early in season before flower
stalks appear. Some flowers mixed with leaves is good because the
flowers are edible too. Cut whole plant low to ground and allow to grow
back fully before re-cutting. Can get 3 - 4 cuts through summer. Tie
handfuls with a rubber band for easier handling. Does not dry well,
unless cut into small pieces and quick dried in a worm spot.
Coriander. Cilantro. Coriandrum sativum. Unbelliferae. Dill family.
Direct seed. Try fall planting, then repeat sowings from early spring to
late July. Popular in Mexican and Chinese cooking often called Chinese
parsley. Cut leafy stems frequently before flowers set. Better fresh
than dried. Can save seed from over mature plants.
Epazote. Wormseed. Chenopodium ambrosioides. Related to Lamb's Quarters. Strong scented foliage used for Mexican cooking.
Dill. Anethum vulgare. Umbelliferae. Direct seed. Can be
planted in fall. Will self sow. Should be repeat planted every two weeks
from early spring until end of July or later. Best quality for herb use
is the leafy, young stems, 6 - 8" tall, before flowers appear. Pick
handfuls and tie loosely with a rubber band for easier handling. Aphids
can be a problem, but mostly on older plants. Try spraying with water
before harvesting. Try getting rid of ants near the garden to reduce
aphids. Also good dried. Save seed.
Fennel. Foeniculum vulgare dulce. Umbelliferae. Dill family. Annual.
Easy from seed. Harvest the bulbous crown of the plant. The leaf
petioles make a solid round base used in soups and salads. Fresh leaves
used as a herb also. Common one is green, but try Bronze or Florence
Fennel.
Garlic. Allium sativum. Very high volume. Very good if picked with
leaves still on for braiding. Plant individual cloves in broad bands 5 -
6 cloves wide, rather than single rows. Garlic needs to be cured in the
sun, or a warm place to harden off the bulb and prevent sprouting.
Braids can be dried and decorated with herbs, peppers, and flowers
later. Don't use Elephant garlic. Best to plant in the fall, September
or October, to get good growth before winter and large bulbs next year.
Can also be planted very early in the spring. Even small bulbs are
useful for ornamental purposes.
Garlic Chives. Allium tuberosum. Perennial. Popular with Chinese restaurants. Harvest leaves like chives. Propagate from divisions.
Horseradish. Armoracia rusticana. Perennial. Easy from seed or root
sections. Roots can be cut and crown replanted to maintain stock. Takes 2
- 3 years for large roots. Smaller, fine roots 1/2 - 3/4" diameter, are
better quality and higher demand. Roots must be washed and cut into
sections no more than 12", packed in plastic bags. Handle like a fresh
herb.
Juniper Berries. Juniperus spp. Used in cooking wild game. Collect
full, blue berries, from almost any type of juniper bush. Native types
are more authentic. Rinse and dry on a flat tray.
Lavender. Lavendula vera. Perennial. Mint family. Many types.
Try Munstead, English Lavender, Provence Lavender, Sweet Lavender,
Lavender Lady. Not very winter hardy, can dry out and freeze over
winter. Grow in protected sites, not subject to early spring thaws, east
facing rather than south facing. Mulch well and water in fall, and
don't cut the plant down too short. Easy from seed. Can propagate from
stem cuttings. Plants will increase in size over several years. Harvest
flower spikes, leaves and stems for use in potpourri and arrangements.
Clean, organic flowers can be used in cooking. Recommended.
Lemon Balm. Melissa officinalis. Mint family. Easy from seed. Can be
propagated from stem cuttings. Perennial. Fresh leaves strongly lemon
scented. Dried leaves good for tea. Fresh used in salad and soup.
Harvest fresh, leafy stems.
Mint. Mentha. Perennial. Many kinds of mint. Almost all are
useful for something. Spearmint (Mentha spicata) is the most commonly
used in cooking. It has a spear shaped, lanceolate leaf. Peppermint (M.
piperita vulgaris) is less popular, but it makes a very nice tea. It has
a round, often fuzzy leaf with a scalloped margin.
Fancy types of mint are in high demand; Orange mint (M. piperita
citrata), Apple mint, Ginger Mint, Pineapple Mint and so on. Not all of
these mints will be hardy in Alberta. Take cuttings or whole plants
inside for winter if you want to save them. Look for variegated foliage,
and different leaf shapes, but stay away from small leaved varieties
like pennyroyal.
Mint can be started from seed, but it cross pollinates freely, so if
you want a certain variety you must propagate from root divisions, root
sections and stem sections from a known variety.
The plants are very invasive, spreading by underground stolons.
Mints enjoy cooler soil and more soil moisture than most plants. Try
segregating an area just for mint, where it can fill the bed freely, and
you can cultivate around the edges only if you want to control it. Mint
will grow in low, moist areas where other plants will not.
Collect fresh leafy stems and pack loosely into a plastic bag. Mint
leaves are often carrying some soil on the tiny hairs on the undersides
of the leaves. You may need to wash mint. Use at least two rinses. Use a
good heavy mulch of straw or paper to avoid this problem.
For drying, tie handfuls into small bundles with a rubber band and
hang to dry. Loose leaves and small stems can be laid out to dry in a
flat pan or basket. Lower grades can be used in potpourri.
Spearmint is a high volume crop, both fresh and dried. If you have
an appropriate spot in the garden, we recommend you plant some mint.
Oregano. Origanum vulgare. Perennial. Standard herb. Many types of
oregano available in the seed catalogues. Greek Oregano (O.
heracleoticum) is the true oregano. Try Kalitera Oregano, Italian
oregano, or any others. Stay away from dwarf or small leafed varieties,
these are too much work for small yield. Look for variegated or fancy
varieties. Older plants will produce tall flower stalks, very good for
drying for decorative uses. High volume. Will start easily from seed,
but fine seed is difficult to work with. Transplants for first year is a
good way to start.
Marjoram, Sweet. Origanum majorana. Annual. Mint family. Very fine
seed, so transplants are more reliable. Very popular herb. Seed heads on
stems dry well in bundles for decorative uses. Very fragrant. Will do
better in rich soil and full sun for better flavor. High volume. Harvest
leafy stems before flowers appear. Try direct seeding in a finely
textured seed bed for taller, more bushy plants.
Parsley. Petroselinum crispum. Biennial. Umbelliferae. Dill family. Try
fancier varieties. Curled leaf types are good, and Italian Parsley is
also good. Easy from direct seed. Try repeat plantings.
Perilla/Shiso. Perilla frutescens. Decorative foliage, related to
Coleus. Mint family. Cinnamon scented leaves for Chinese cooking and
garnishes. Easy to grow. Direct seed or start indoors and transplant.
Rosemary. Rosmarinus officinalis. Standard type. Not hardy.
Woody. Similar to lavender. Look for winter hardy new varieties.
Sheltered location. Bring plants inside over winter. High demand. Leafy
stems can be dried in bundles for decorative uses. Not recommended for
Alberta growers but could be a candidate for greenhouse cultivation.
Sage. Salvia officinalis. Perennial. Mint family. Can be
direct seeded, but this is very slow. Use transplants or divisions for
faster establishment. Try also stem cuttings. Sage is a standard herb.
Try fancy varieties, especially pineapple sage, tricolor sage (for
garnishes), purple sage, golden sage (variegated). Some of these
specialty types may not be completely hardy.
All sage plants should be well mulched and watered for winter. Will
grow well in full sun, and will increase in size over time, spreading by
underground runners and side shoots. Will produce viable seed that can
also be collected. Can be planted in a large bed, rather than in rows.
Harvest leafy stems and pack loosely in a plastic bag. Do not wash.
Use mulch to keep leaves clean. Can be made into small bundles for
hanging to dry. Useful in garlic braids and herb wreaths. Very good
dried too.
Salad Burnet. Poterium sanguisorba. Annual. Direct Seed. Nut-cucumber flavored leaves used in salads, mayonnaise, soup, etc.
Savory. Summer Savory. Satureia hortensis. Annual. Easy from
seed. Will self sow. Can be fall planted. Can make several cuts from
tops of plants throughout season. Stems can be bundled for drying for
use later. Recommended.
Savory. Winter Savory. Satureia montana. Perennial. Strong flavor. Needs winter protection.
Sorrel, French. Rumex acetosa. Perennial. Direct seed in
early spring or fall. Seed heads look like Dock. Lemon flavored leaves
very good in salad and soups, and with fish. Collect young tender leaves
repeatedly through spring until flower stalks develop, and again in
late fall. Try Profusion, new from Richter's, said to be slow bolting.
Not suitable for drying.
Sweet Rocket. Hesperis matronalis. Biennial. Self sows. Easy from
seed. Can be fall planted. Young leaves used in salads. Early spring
flowers are edible. Collect seed too. Not good for drying.
Tarragon, French. Artemesia dracunculus. Perennial. (Sage family).
This is the true tarragon which does not reproduce from seed. Can
propagate from stem cuttings or layering. Identified by the strong
flavor, dark green leaves, and lack of seed production. Does not dry
well.
Tarragon, Russian. Artemesia dracunculus. Perennial. not
recommended. Not much flavour. Spreads easily. This is a taller plant,
with pale green leaves, which sets seeds freely. Easy to distinguish
from the true, French Tarragon.
Thyme. Thymus vulgaris. Perennial. Common garden thyme,
English thyme, all are good. Mother of Thyme is not very flavorful, but
could be used in potpourri. Lemon thyme is in high demand, as is
variegated thyme. Experiment with new varieties. Stay away from creeping
varieties, too hard to pick, and wooly thyme is not good either.
Individual plants can grow to very large size over several years but
they do not develop into something that can be divided. Propagate from
cuttings, layering or from seed. Transplants recommended in the first
year. Use a mulch to keep the stems and leaves clean. Collect leafy
stems into plastic bags. Good as a dried herb too.
