How to Store Fresh Herbs from Your Garden
I sometimes use affiliate links in content. This doesn’t cost you anything but I may make a commission payment from anything you buy through these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. All opinions remain my own.
Once you have learned the right herbs to plant in your garden, and have the basic care instructions down, you will then start drying herbs. The final step is to store those dried herbs since you won’t be using all of them right away. Here are some helpful tips for storing your herbs to ensure they last fresh as long as possible.
Know the Difference Based on the Herbs
One thing you should note about storing your herbs before you begin is that many of them are stored in a different way than others.
For example, with your long-stemmed herbs, like parsley, basil, and cilantro, you will treat them similar to if you had a bundle of fresh-cut flowers. You want to trim the ends of the herbs, then put them in a tall jar that has some water in it. Keep these at room temperature if you want them fresh, or follow directions for drying them.
Then there are herbs like thyme and rosemary that should be wrapped loosely. They should then be placed in the refrigerator like this unless you plan to dry them.
Make Sure They Are Rinsed Beforehand
For the most part, rinsing your herbs before you get them ready for storage is recommended, regardless of how you are going to store them. One of the easiest ways to wash herbs is by placing them in a salad spinner and rinsing them with cold water. Swirl them just a bit to remove any dirt or debris, then drain them when you are done rinsing.
Choose the Method of Storage
Wash them. Wash your herbs by filling your salad spinner with cold water. Swirl the herbs gently around in the water to loosen any debris. Drain the water, spin the herbs dry, lay them on a layer of paper towels and pat gently with more paper towels to blot away any excess moisture.
Store Hardy Herbs by arranging them lengthwise in a single layer on a slightly damp paper towel, rolling them up like a jelly roll, then transfer the bundle to a plastic zipper-lock bag or wrap it in plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator.
Store Tender Herbs by snipping off the bases of the stems and removing any discoloured or wilted leaves. Transfer them to a large mason jar with an inch of water in the bottom. Seal the jar with the lid (if it fits), or cover the top of the jar with an overturned plastic bag sealed with a rubber band. Store in the refrigerator.
Store Basil by snipping off the bases of the stems and placing the bunch in a vase or a mason jar with an inch or two of water at the bottom, just like a bouquet of flowers. Store at room temperature in a light area but out of direct sunlight.
| Herb | Herb Type | Average Lifespan |
|---|---|---|
| Parsley | Tender | 3 weeks |
| Cilantro | Tender | 3 weeks |
| Dill | Tender | 2 weeks |
| Mint | Tender | 2 weeks |
| Tarragon | Tender | 3 weeks |
| Chervil | Tender | 1 1/2 weeks |
| Basil | Special | 2 weeks |
| Rosemary | Hardy | 3 weeks |
| Thyme | Hardy | 2 weeks |
| Sage | Hardy | 2 weeks |
| Savoury | Hardy | 2 weeks |
| Chives | Hardy | 1 week |
The Enemies of Freshness
To test out the effects of various elements on my herbs, I bought single bunches of herbs (parsley, cilantro, basil, tarragon, chives, mint, and oregano) and divided them into multiple smaller bunches, storing each in a different part of my fridge or countertop, exposed to different levels of light, humidity, and temperature.
My testing showed that there are a number of factors that are likely to cause fresh herbs to decay or lose flavour.
- Excessive exposure to light can damage chlorophyll, causing herbs to turn yellow. This is especially true for thin, delicate herbs like parsley, chervil, or cilantro. Stored in a sunny spot, delicate herbs will start to yellow within days.
- Excessive exposure to oxygen can turn tender herbs like basil or mint brown, particularly if the leaves are in any way damaged or bruised. Herbs that were wrapped or covered lasted several times longer than those that were left completely exposed to the air in the fridge.
- Excess moisture promotes decay, turning leaves and stems slimy or mouldy. You’ve probably seen this when you leave your herbs inside the plastic bag from the supermarket and they quickly turn slimy.
- Not enough moisture can cause herbs to dry out, and as moisture leaves the herbs and takes to the air, it brings along some of the herbs’ flavour for the ride, reducing their potency.
- The wrong temperature will cause herbs to decay or lose flavour faster than they should. Almost all herbs are best stored in the refrigerator, with the exception of basil and very thin-leafed mint, which can both be damaged by the cold, causing them to brown and bruise faster. In my fridge, storing the herbs at the back of the top shelf caused them to actually freeze in some parts. Ice crystals will cause cell damage turning herbs mushy.
With that information, I had a basic guide for what I wanted: some exposure to air for moisture to escape but not too much, minimal exposure to light, and a temperature that is cold but not too cold.
How to Dry and Preserve Herbs
Once you have grown your delicious and good-smelling herbs, you will then harvest them and need to store them. However, it helps to dry them first, which will help the herbs last as long as possible. Take a look at these basic instructions for drying and preserving the herbs.
Harvesting and Preparing the Herbs
Before you get started with drying your herbs to preserve them, you need to prepare them a little bit. You don’t just cut herbs, then put them directly in the oven or hang them to dry.
First of all, make sure they are being harvested at the appropriate time. This often means pulling the herbs before the plants start flowering. Harvesting is best on a warm warning after the dew is gone. As you would with flowers, you want to remove damaged leaves.
Some herbs need to be kept on the stalks, like dill, while others need to be cut from the stalk, like mint and sage.
Consider Air Drying
Now it is time to discuss the different methods of drying herbs. Air drying is a popular option and one that is very simple to do. If you want to air dry your herbs, keep about 5 or so branches together in a bundle, securing them with a rubber band.
Keep in mind that smaller bundles are going to dry a little faster. Now take your herbs and put them in a paper bag, with the stem side up. Close the bag and tie it off, poking some holes in the bag carefully. Now hang it in a room with lots of rooms for proper ventilation. This shouldn’t take longer than a week.
Try Oven Drying the Herbs
Another popular way to dry your herbs before you preserve them is by using the oven. This is going to take a lot less time, so if you want to get your dried herbs into containers by tomorrow, using the oven is the ideal method to try out.
Start by turning on your oven and setting it to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Let it preheat while you prepare your herbs to be dried. Once it is preheated, you can put the herbs on a pan and then bake it at 180 for up to 4 hours, but at least 2 hours.
This does remove a little bit of their flavour, so keep that in mind when you decide to bake them.
Storing your fresh herbs successfully
Whether you want to store fresh herbs for a couple of days until you use them or store them for longer in a dried form, there are different options and a few things to watch for. Learn the type of herb and the best approach that will help you get the most from each plant you grow in your herb garden.
