Stashing herbs for winter

This is it! The last couple of weeks before your herbal garden is asleep for the winter. If you haven't already, now is the time to gather the herbs to store for winter's use.

Chives are a versatile herb that belong in anyone's garden. The mild onion like flavor is perfect to compliment any dish that calls for onion, with an added benefit of adding a pretty burst of color. To use chives throughout the winter, you can cut down to the ground the last chive stems. Bring them in and separate any brown pieces that may be included. You can freeze the stems in a Ziploc baggie with great success or snip into minced pieces and then freeze-either way you will have fresh from the garden tasting chives all winter.

Rosemary stems should be cut. In most of the US, it is too cold to overwinter. I put an elastic band around any bunches I gather and the band stays tight as I remove stems for use. Save those woody stems! They make great skewers and can infuse a dish with flavor as well as the needles do. Be sure to remove the stem before serving of course. Rosemary can sometimes be brought in for the winter. It likes dry,sunny conditions so plan accordingly.

Sage, another trusty herb, can easily be dried in hanging bunches. You will need it soon for the classic Holiday feasts and it pairs well with the heartier tastes of the cold months. Band together Sages with different colors and create a pretty hanging decoration to your kitchen. Stored carefully, these bundles make wonderful gifts as well.

All Mints dry well. The nicest thing to use mints for is of course, teas. They are wonderful for hiding a lesser tasty herb-for instance, a catnip tea for a child. Because the leaves of the mints can shatter when dry, you may want to transfer the dried plants to a jar and store in a cool,dark area.

If you are really lucky, you can find some Red Raspberry bushes that still have their leaves. Pull the leaves from the stems and dry in a single layer on newspaper or in a dehydrator on the lowest setting. The leaves should be crisp to the touch when dry enough for storing. These are the foundation to any tasty herbal tea. The leaves provide many micro-nutrients and the taste is not unlike regular tea. Used alone or mixed with any other herb, Red Raspberry leaves are a number one must-have. Another little knows use for Red Raspberry leaves are to help speed the healing of canker sores in the mouth. When you first feel a sore, place a small pinch of dried leaves right on the spot. Hold there as long as you can. The tannins in the leaves will hurry along the healing process. Another great use of this wonderful plant.

You can easily see that it is not too late to make use of all the hard work you put into an herb garden! Get out there and bring in that bounty!