I love fresh herbs. There’s nothing like the flavour it infuses in your cooking and meals.  Being able to cut and use herbs from your own garden, just takes it to the next level. This was the first year I planted a herb garden and I have loved going out to pick and harvesting herbs as I need them. Grow with me and Wile’s Lake Farm – Harvesting Herbs.

One can get excited in the spring about planting herbs, but then do you know how to care for them and when they are ready to harvest? With a few tips and tricks you can be taking care of your herb plants to ensure the best quality and flavour throughout the season.

We should all be taking some time to prune our herbs.  Pruning helps to encourage growth and will also help give you a nice, fuller plant. Once your herbs start flowering and getting blossoms, it can begin to change the essential oils and flavours, so to stay true to the flavour, be sure to cut those blossoms off.  If you can, cut the blossoms off before they even begin to flower.

Keep in mind as you are pruning, to cut the small leaves at the top. The bigger leaves near the bottom can sometimes become bitter or lose some of their flavour, and they also act as a sturdy base for your plant.  Be sure to bring those small leaves you are pruning in and make use of them in your kitchen.  Mmmm. 🙂

For a basil plant, when they are only a few inches tall, you want to prune, or “pinch” off the newest leaves at the top from the stem. Then use those leaves in your next pasta dish, or on a toasted tomato sandwich…delicious! 🙂

For mint, you can also “pinch-off” the immature, small leaves, the bigger, woodier leaves might be a bit bitter.  Use those in muddled in a beverage or topping a nice dessert or bowl of ice cream.

Similar for rosemary, you will want to take off the soft growth, and then  just hold the stem and pull off the rosemary leaves. Nothing smells better than fresh rosemary on some chicken, roasted potatoes or on some meat or fish on the barbecue.

You can watch our Facebook Live where Elspeth gives a good demonstration of how to prune and harvest your herbs.

So be sure to take some time to prune your herb plants this season. It will encourage growth and give you some delicious fresh herbs to use in the process. Do you have a herb garden or any herbs planted this year? Have you been harvesting herbs and using them? I’d love to know! Leave a comment and let me know. 🙂

Grow with Me and Wile’s Lake Farm Market is sponsored by Wile’s Lake Farm Market located in Wileville, Nova Scotia. Wile’s Lake Farm Market still have some herbs available in their greenhouse for you to plant and enjoy. Their knowledgeable staff is also available to answer any questions you may have.