This year I grew lemon, cinnamon, globe, and the standard variety.
I am in the middle of the main harvest. I still have a good two months left in the growing season, so I'll probably get another good flush, but not as big as this one.

What about you? Are you harvesting your herbs?

I am! The butterfly cats devoured the dill and the flat leaf parsley but the latter is beginning to grow again.

The grasshoppers ate my parsley I've reseeded, though!

Ahhh- I love harvest time, and this year, I'll take whatever I can get!

How can you tell it's time? Do you have any pictures? (I'm waiting on about 6-7 or more varieties)

it's time to pinch off a harvest from any stem that has more than 1 or 2 pairs of leaves... the stem will then branch out, and you'll have more leaves to harvest!

I've been pinching back my herbs and either using them fresh or freezing them (minced in food processor with olive oil, they freeze well in ice cube trays) all summer... last month, I stopped pinching half the plants so they'd have a chance to make seed before fall.

marinara sauce with fresh basil... yummy!

I've been waiting for a thread like this!

Anybody here dry their herbs? I have an awful time trying to dry them...I always end up with moldy herbs right about when I need to use them during the winter. I've tried the olive oil-freezer thing but found that I don't like the olive oil

There will be a Part 2 to my article on herbs and it is about drying and preserving them. I think the articles are supposed to be a surprise but what can you do?

I was hoping there would be a part 2!!

Thanks, Lee Anne I hope more interest in herbs will be the result. I believe it will be published at the end of this month.

I hope more interest will result as well, Tee!

I dry my herbs, but it's pretty easy for me because outide is pretty much like an oven. I can hang in the garage, attic (that may work for you, Lee Anne), or outside even when there is no rain. I also use the dehydrator in a pinch.

This year, I harvested so much to sell at the market, then just kept pinching off flowers from about June till now. I'm harvesting huge basil plants now, and will get a smaller harvest again before frost. This isn't the ideal way for those basil aficionados who prefer only the tenderest of leaves, but the basil still has very good flavor, and (despite rumors), I can't co it all- so this worked out well.

That might be my problem, it's just way to cool and damp here all year long. I tried drying herbs in the oven one year and even in airtight containers everything eventually got moldy.

Mom bags hers and keeps them in the freezer to snip when she needs them. Just snips them off the plant right into baggies and straight into the freezer. I never seem to have enough room in my freezer...

I think I was asking about seeds?

I know basil can be harvested about any time after it's like 4" tall or so (providing there's many leaves) but harvesting for SEEDS seems trickier to me

For seeds, you just leave the bloom stalks alone... flowers will drop, seeds will mature, and the little green "pods" on the stalk will turn brown and crispy. Strip off the pods and rub them between your fingers, and you'll see round black basil seeds!

I dry a lot of herbs in my garden shed, I have screens in the rafters.
A good place to dry herbs is in a closed up car in the sun , just lay herbs on some newspaper or paper plates .
You can do it in the trunk if you have room , out of sunlight is best.
Great air freshener too.
Paper plates on top of the refrigerator will work for small amounts.

I hope you will post some of these ideas when the article runs so more people will see them.

This year I have Sweet Genovese, an Italian basil from Genoa, Hot & Spicy (from Critter) and Holy Basil that just popped up from last year. I had a setback this year so not as much as usual but I know that the basil can take the heat since it's been so hot this year!!! LOL

I am drying much of the Holy basil this year to use in teas - it's said to be a great diuretic and sometimes added to "diet" tea blends.

The others I just put directly into zip lock baggies, flatten and put in the freezer. This way, they don't take up too much room in the freezer. Also make a pesto and put in the little muffin tins, then freeze and they pop out easily, store in ziplocks or those little plastic containers in the freezer.

But have to say I dropped the ball this year and it is already going to seed.

I'm almost finished harvesting and drying. Just parley and sage left to dry, and waiting to collect seed from the lovage. Looking forward to your Part 2 article Song

threeg I had a hoot of a time drying herbs when I lived in the Toronto area due to the humidity. I found the best way was to oven dry them and then hang them where there was good air circulation. There was too much moisture to seal them in jars. The sage and rosemary I just froze in freezer bags. They lose some flavour and aroma but I just used more. Hope this helps