Today was a beautiful day! Sun was shining and temperature was delightfully cool. After so many days of clouds and rain, I couldn’t let the chance to work outside pass me by.
I spent a good bit of time cleaning the raised bed and container gardening areas. So glad to see the pepper plants are still going strong, as is the basil. As I moved about the garden, my arms brushed against the basil leaves on many occasions. The fragrance the leaves released was pure heaven.
Knowing the weather will turn before I’m ready, I began thinking of the different methods of storing those last basil leaves for the winter. I’d like to take this opportunity to share some tips I’ve learned over the past few years. These are just guidelines and by no means set in stone.
Basil leaves contain the most oil/flavor just before they begin to flower. If they have already flowered, no worries. They will still be good for drying.
Best time to harvest basil or any other herb for that matter is mid-morning. Just as the morning dew has evaporated and before the leaves are heated by the sun. Early evening also works in most areas.
Use a sharp knife or scissors to cut large stems or branches from mature plants.
Gently shake each branch to remove insects.
Remove old, damaged or diseased leaves.
Rinse each branch in cold water and dry with towels or paper towels to remove all visible water. Basil in particular are very high in moisture content. So it is very important to dry quickly to avoid mold forming and ruining the whole bunch.
Didn’t grow Basil this summer? No problem. I’m sure you have seen the *Live* Basil in many of the grocery stores. I’ve purchased these plants in the past and had great success with them not only staying fresh, but continuing to grow for several weeks.
Anytime you have extra basil cut basil, don’t throw it away. Want to use it in the next day or two, wrap the leaves in paper towels and place them in a plastic bag in refrigerator. Want to store them longer, simply place the stem in a glass of water, cover it with a plastic sandwich type of bag, and it should keep for a week.
Next time I’ll share some freezing and drying methods I’ve used.
Blessings,
Pamela
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