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A number of home-garden owners harvest their herbs abiding to the phases of the moon. It has been said that that more nutrients and flavor is retained when following the moon's calendar. Of course, you will harvesting your herb garden in the morning but check the best phase of the moon for best results.
Among the great advantage of growing your own garden is that no pesticides are needed so the herbs that you have picked can be eaten without having been washed. When planning to store herbs for a few days, you should avoid washing them before doing so.
If, however, you prefer washing them and you have a large quantity, add 2 tablespoons of salt to the water. Use a salad spinner to dry them off after having washed the herbs. Parsley is the exception and should be placed in cool water as soon as you have picked them.
When harvesting large quantities of herbs and getting them ready for much later use, like supplies for the winter, you will need to dry the harvested herbs and flowers. To do so, you will dry them in a dry, well ventilated area. The attic or a unused dark space in your home are good locations to do so. Tie small groups of unwashed herbs with tie-wraps elastics and hang them heads down so that the air dries them gently. The should be hanged a least 12 inches from the wall and leave 6 inches between groups.
The drying cycle is usually within 2 weeks. Once they are ready, the herbs will feel crackly when touched. The drying process renders these herbs more concentrated then fresh herbs. Store and identify the herbs in air-tight jars or plastic bags that seals tightly and place them in a dark place until needed.
Another effective method to keep herbs, and capture its full flavor, for later use is by freezing them. Cut the leaves in 1/4 inches pieces and place them on a baking sheet lined with wax paper for freezing, Once ready place them in individual bags and store. You can also use ice trays and make cubes filled with herbs. Identify the resulting cubes stored in plastic bags. When needed, the cubes will be great to add to a simmering pot of soup or a sauce.
You can also conserve herbs by using a medium such as vinegar or oil. An example would be to use chopped mint, tarragon or basil with vinegar. This will keep your herbs well preserved for months. Making flavored salt is quite simple too. Prepare layers of salt and alternate with herbs in a container. Once completely dried, separate the brown herbs from the now flavored salt and store the salt in an airtight container.
Properly harvesting your herb garden will permit you to enjoy the various array of services provided by them all year long even if you only grow them during the warm months. Always store them in air tight containers so that they don't lose any freshness and flavor and identify the containers for easy identification.