What Is Rosemary – Harvest Rosemary – When To Harvest Rosemary – Storing Fresh Rosemary – Preserve Rosemary – FAQ
Rosemary is one of the most widely grown culinary herbs in America. It has a very pleasant aroma to it on top of being a very simple plant to grow at home. It requires little work and will provide some pretty stable harvests throughout the year.
Below we talk about the best practices when it comes to harvesting the plant and maintaining the health of the plant. The rosemary can live on for many years so treating it right is very important.
What Is Rosemary
Like we mentioned, rosemary is a very common culinary herb that is grown in a lot of gardens. It has a very nice aroma of almost eucalyptus and citrus notes. It grows very slowly compared to basil for example, but you will instead have a herb that can live on for decades if treated right.
There are several varieties of rosemary out there that differ a little bit in the way they grow. Some will grow taller and skinnier while some other ones are instead growing more bushier and smaller. Because of this you can easily find the variety that will be right for you.
As planting the rosemary, try and have it in a very well draining soil where the water can easily escape. This way we can prevent the roots from drowning. Find a nice sunny spot as well for the plant to promote growth.
How To Harvest Rosemary
Harvesting rosemary is very easy. The herb is known to be one of the hardier varieties out there that can manage some pretty harsh cuttings and prunings. Below we share some of our tips and tricks.
Cutting Rosemary
Cutting rosemary should be done rather carefully. Not because the plant can’t handle it, but because it takes a long time to grow back. So having a pretty plant for as long as possible is at least important to us.
We therefore recommend that you try and remove smaller parts of sprigs to promote a bushier growth style. It’s basically that you cut off one sprig to then have two new ones grow out from there.
Cut the springs with a sharp scissor to get a clean cut and avoid bruising the open wound that comes with pruning. That way it’s easier for the plant to regrow and seal the affected area.
When To Harvest Rosemary
The best time to harvest rosemary will be during the time that it grows the most. That would be during the summer and especially byt the end of summer. At this point it has had many months for growth and development.
We often take some small cutting during the summer season before doing one large harvest by the end. That way we can enjoy the plant for longer and more. We also make sure we have a plant for what we will do with the harvest. Mostly it ends up just being dried and then stored in a cabinet to be used later on.
How To Store Fresh Rosemary
Storing fresh rosemary is very easy. We just need to eliminate the chance that some bacterias would begin growing on the herbs. To do this we need to keep moisture to a minimum.
After harvesting or buying fresh rosemary, take some paper and place it in the bottom of an air-tight container. Place the rosemary in there and then in the fridge. This way we are able to keep the rosemary nice and fresh for at least 1 – 2 weeks in total.
How To Preserve Rosemary
Preserving rosemary to be able to enjoy it at a later date is a big part for us when it comes to gardening. There are basically two ways to preserve rosemary, either freezing it or drying it. Both come with their own benefits and negatives.
How To Freeze Rosemary
Freezing rosemary is probably the least common way to store and preserve the herb. We often do iy by first removing all the leaves or needles from the sprigs. Store them in a container and then freeze them. Shake the box a little bit after taking it from the freezer to release the needles from each other.
How To Dry Rosemary
Drying rosemary is probably the most common practice for preserving the herb for the long term. Here there is more or less just one technique that we like to use. That’s one involving tying a bundle of the herb and then hanging that freely. It will take between 1 and 2 weeks to fully dry out. But the flavor and aroma of the herbs will stay persistent.
FAQ
How Do You Pick Rosemary Without Hurting The Plant
The best way of picking rosemary without hurting the plant is by not taking too large of amounts at a time. We recommend never taking more than ⅕ at a time. That way we can help the plant regrow even larger within a reasonable timeline.
How Do You Pick And Preserve Rosemary
We recommend taking small amounts of the rosemary at a time and then tying that in a bundle and air drying it. That way we can preserve small amounts at a time and still keep the plant very happy and thriving.
How To Dry Rosemary In Oven
It’s very simple to dry rosemary in the oven. Start off by picking the leaves of the sprigs and lay them flat on a tray. Dry them at the lowest temperature your oven can go to and then store them in an air-tight container.
Additional Information
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