The hard work of herb gardening has been completed. You tended your herbs and watched them grow into mature, useful plants. Now the fun begins as you get to use your herbs from your home herb garden. It is a little more complicated than buying a little jar off the supermarket shelf, but it is infinitely more satisfying as well.

You will need to harvest your herbs before you can actually use them. You have to be very carefull when you pick them to get the most from your herbs. You don’t want to damage and strip them of their essential oils. Make sure the weather conditions are correct. A dry and calm day on a midsummer morning will give you the highest concentration of essential oils. Fewer oils are produced on wet or humid days so choose your harvesting wisely. Pick only a portion of your plant approximately a third, you need to leave some of the plant to help it grow again. Always check your herbs incase they are damaged or infested with insects.

There are three ways to preserve herbs for future use:

1. Drying

2. Freezing

3. Preserving them in a salt or vinegar.

When drying herbs, bundle six to twelve stems together and remove any foliage near the base of the stems and secure the bundle with a string. Hang away from sunlight in a cool area. To dry individual leaves, place them on a screen or rack and turn them often so they dry properly. Some people claim appliances such as dehydrators and microwaves are a good way to dry herbs, but the results are not as good.

Freezing herbs is probably the easiest way to preserve herbs. First, cut the herbs into quarter-inch pieces and place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. After they are frozen, place the herbs in a bag and store in the freezer until you are ready to use them.

Preserving fresh herbs in a medium like salt, vinegar or oil is also a possibility. Once you have dried your herbs in salt, sift out the dry brown herbs and store that seasoned salt for later use. If you choose to pack the herbs in jars and cover them with vinegar, or oil, they will need to be refrigerated until you use them.

You will also use your herbs fresh from the garden. Be sure they are clean when you do. Place your herbs in a bowl or basin filled with cool water. Use two tablespoons of salt for about a gallon of water. Salt drives insects away but does not harm the plant for your use. Your salad spinner is the quickest way to quickly dry your freshly washed greens. Enjoy using your fresh herbs in all the traditional ways.

This articles touched on some main points about home herb gardening but the research you do will be key to your success with your new-found hobby. Because every herb is different and requires certain elements from you to thrive, it will be important to learn the specific needs and requirements for the types of herbs you plan to grow in your garden.

Learn more about Gardening Herb Tips. Stop by Tony Stevens’s site where you can find out all about Home Herb Garden and what it can do for you.

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