Notes from cook's of crocus hill class, harvesting herbs+

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These are notes from a fall of 1993 class at Cook's of Crocus Hill on Harvesting your Herbs.

At Halloween time put your perennial herb plants into the ground and mulch all your perennials at this time so that they can get good and cold but not too cold. You will take the mulch off in early spring.

Perennials that will winter.

Savory marjoram sage lavender thyme Creeping rosemary is a little harder to keep out.

In mid August cut back the perennials for drying.

Plants you keep inside will keep till March with a south or west exposure.

Mint-dig spreaders out in spring. Leave the mother plant. Then the spreading shouldn't get out of hand.

Grow French Tarragon from cuttings, this is the only true french tarragon.

Basil-clay soil is good for Basil.

Chives-cut them way back in the spring just as they are starting to bloom. To dry, just snip them onto a paper plate and let them air dry.

Basil-When you have a lot of basil, cut back, rinse carefully so as not to bruise the leaves and pat dry with a towel. Put them in small plastic bags, pressing out the air gently and put them in -10 degree freezer. This is the best way imaginable to keep basil. Frozen leaves will keep if frozen solidly, for 4 or 5 months. Another fine way to preserve basil is to puree the basil with garlic and olive oil and put in the freezer. No nuts or cheese.

Ornimental sage-You have to grow from cuttings. For rooting, use ½ perlite and ½ peat.

French Tarragon-in the spring, cut it back to its base.

Lovage-good in soups and stews and deviled eggs. It drys well.

Rosemary-make a paste with rosemary, walnuts and olive oil, split sausages, spread paste inside-tie and cook.

Rosemary and thyme-put foil on grill, place the herbs on it-put chicken or fish on tip of the herbs and grill.

Lemon Verbena-Very good with chicken or fish. You can dry the verbena and put in pot pourri.

Italian Oregano-This is very good but it's often pot marjoram which is not so good. Ask how it was grown, if from seed-bad. If from cutting-good.

Parsley-chop and dry.

Lemon balm-Put in pot with chicken and cook.

Marjoram is nice with meat.

Cilantro-Make a paste and freeze it.

To make a cutting-cut below the node-pinch off leaves-don't pull, a very small sprig is fine. Dip in rooting compound and put in a 6" clay pot. Use ½ perlite (not plastic) and ½ ½ peat. Keep at 75 degrees.

Seeds-Should germinate fast-but keep them warm. When germinating they need no sun but as soon as sprouts appear get them to sunlight.

Notes taken at class at Cook's by Mary Riemerman Submitted By MARY RIEMERMAN On 03-19-95

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