How To Preserve Your Herbs

Learn when to pick herbs and how to harvest safely, covering leaves, flowers, roots, fruits, seeds, bark, and tools for clean harvesting. Avoid misidentification and poisonous look-alikes.

Learn methods to dry herbs using a dehydrator, oven, microwave, or air drying, then store them in sterile jars in a cool, dry place to last a year or more.

Create a herb balm by infusing beeswax with olive and almond oils and herbs to soothe grazes and sore muscles, using a water bath or slow cooker.

Preserve herbs by infusing honey to extract medicinal properties and keep for up to six months. Create sleep blends with lavender, lemon balm, and chamomile, or elderflower and yarrow.

Make tinctures from herbs using vodka or 40 percent alcohol to extract medicinal properties. Shake daily for a week, steep 3–4 weeks, then strain and store in a cool place.

Learn to preserve kitchen herbs by mixing softened butter or olive oil with equal parts chopped herbs, then freeze in silicone ice cube trays for use up to six months.

Infuse red wine vinegar with herbs in a sterile bottle, using one cup vinegar per quarter cup herbs; let flavors meld a week and store in a cool dark place.

Preserve herbs by blending them with salt or sugar in equal parts. Use Himalayan, sea, or kosher salt for thyme or rosemary, and basil, lavender, or mint for sugar.

Make elderberry and rose hip syrup to preserve herbs, boosting vitamin C and winter immunity. Simmer or slow-cook with spices, then add honey and store in sterilized jars.

Sterilize jars and bottles thoroughly using oven or microwave methods to prevent mold and preserve herbs year-round.

Discover 10 practical methods to preserve herbs, learn when to pick them, and how to sterilize bottles to keep your harvest clean, dry, and useful.