Harvest Your Own Herbs

Bypass the drug store and plant your own herbs.

By Lynda Liu
WebMD Feature

There's nothing you like better than a cup of herbal tea to begin each day. So you're thinking how much better it would be if you brewed it from fresh herbs, instead of dropping one of those prepackaged bags into boiling water. Or maybe you're tired of sifting through the aisles of herbal products in health food stores and want to know exactly where your remedies come from.

Whatever your reason, you've decided to take spade in hand and grow your own medicinal herbs.

You're certainly in for some fun. But before you become the Martha Stewart of botanicals, make sure you've researched and learned about the herbs you're growing -- and taking.

Is Geography on Your Side?

First, choose herbs that will grow in your climate. "Most seed companies will be able to tell you what can grow where," says Cris Bosted, R.N., L.M.P., a garden manager and third-year student at Bastyr University. Catalogs will usually tell you how much light and moisture a plant needs.

Seeds grown in your area are the most likely to agree with your climate and soil, so look for local sources. Bosted recommends organic ones, too, on the principle that you're better off not drinking pesticides, hormones, and other additives along with your tea. "The closer you get to being toxin-free, the better and the more comfortable you'll be putting that product in your body," she says.

The Harvest

Harvest time depends on which part of the plant you're using. Kara Dinda, Education Director at the American Botanical Council, recommends harvesting the leaves and stems before the plant blooms. "The medicinal constituents tend to be higher at that point," she says. "As soon as a plant begins to produce flowers, most of its energy goes to flower production."

With few exceptions, flowers can be harvested in full bloom and fruits should be picked when ripened, she says. Collect seeds in the early fall -- before they shatter when the pod cracks open.

Collect roots in the fall or winter, when the aboveground parts of the plant have died and the plant's energies are concentrated below. With many of the plants, such as echinacea, you can dig up the root ball, break it up, harvest what you need, and replant the rest.

Drying and Storage

To dry the herbs, use racks made with fine mesh cloth. (Avoid metal and plastic, as they can affect the herbs' flavor.) Place them in a dark, dry place. Leaves and flowers can be put on the drying racks as they are, says Bosted. Roots first should be cut into smaller pieces -- from one-eighth to one-fourth of an inch -- so they'll be easier to use. Leaves will require a few days to dry, flowers about two weeks, and roots up to a month. You can also use a food dehydrator.

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