If you don’t want to dry your harvest, thyme can also be frozen for long-term storage. There are several ways you can dry your herbs. Once you harvest your thyme, there is a proper way to remove the leaves. I like to use reusable silicone storage bags in the freezer. However, the best time to pick thyme is in early summer, when the plant is at its most productive, before flowering. Originally native to southern Europe, thyme can be grown successfully indoors or outdoors in a variety of areas, needing only basic attention in order to thrive. 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Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. After harvesting, rinse off the thyme stems in cool running water or swish them in a filled sink or... Air Dry Herbs. Trim back the tops of woody branches with a garden pruner. Thyme is a very easy to grow perennial herb to grow with incredibly versatile flavor for cooking and baking. ), « 7 Best Gardening Aprons (with pockets! You can cut stems any length as long as you leave at least 4-5” of growth behind so that your plants can bounce back. These cookies do not store any personal information. Fortunately, thyme is one of the easiest herbs to dry. The moisture in herbs that are drying in the necessary warm conditions may cause the formation of mold if too much humidity is in the area. Cut the stems for drying fresh thyme, just before a growth node. Pat them dry with a kitchen towel and lay them out to dry for an hour or two on another towel. You can collect small amounts for cooking any time you need to, or you can do a few large harvests and dry your herbs for later. The flavor of thyme is best just before the plants bloom, but you don’t have to worry about it ever truly losing flavor. As long as you do this, you’ll be able to get 2-3 harvests off of the same plants before winter. Harvest by cutting the plant 2 inches from the ground. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. How to Cultivate Thyme Soil: Plant thyme in well-drained soil with an optimal pH between 6.0 and 8.0. Together Time Family is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Morning is the best time of day for harvesting thyme. The flavorful essential oils are at their peak at this time. Large garden shears are too big for thyme and the stems can be difficult to break free with just your fingers. In the … It’s hard to go wrong with harvesting thyme. Leave the tough, woody parts. For even better flavor, use the jar sealer attachment on your FoodSaver to vacuum seal the thyme. For drying, harvest when the plants begin to bloom. Cut off the tops of the branches with four to five inches of flowering stems. Your email address will not be published. If you are wanting your thyme to spread and grow more rapidly, cut the plant 2/3 the way down the stem and leave 1/3 of the stem remaining. Harvest thyme as soon as the plant has plenty of foliage. Check out this guide to the best cut resistant gloves for gardening.). At first, only take about an inch off the top of your plants or pick a few individual leaves. You can choose to dry the entire stem or remove the tiny leaves. August 29, 2020 by Natasha Leave a Comment. It’s one of the very few herbs that actually air dries for me in a humid 8a climate. The leaves will be at their best and most intense flavor at this point and may start to lose flavor after flowering. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. After harvesting thyme, wash it and shake off the excess water. Clean leaves should not be washed, because it removes some of the essential oils. Learn how to tell when your butternut squash is ready to harvest. Cooking With Thyme. Leave the tough, woody... It’s best to harvest thyme in morning after the dew has dried. Harvest stalks of thyme and wash to remove any dirt or debris. Sage – Harvest only lightly during the first year of growth. Traditionally, many herbs were dried by hanging. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Jul 28, 2019 - No herb garden would be complete without one of my personal favorites, thyme. You can also plant it with other herbs that have similar soil and water requirements. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! Two or … Storing thyme correctly will preserve its essence and flavor. Cut off the stems and rinse them. Thyme can still be used after it flowers, just expect a milder flavor. How to Harvest Thyme You can start harvesting your thyme soon after it bushes out and has several stems. Discover more about us. After harvesting thyme, wash it and shake off the excess water. You can harvest the leaves as you need them. Drying fresh thyme in a food dehydrator is fast and protects against possible mold. FoodSaver FM3920 2 in 1 Vacuum Sealer System with Quick Marinate Mode and... SAVE MONEY AND SEAL FRESHNESS IN: Meat preserved with the FoodSaver System in the freezer can last up to 3 years and still taste fresh, flavorful, and... MARINATE IN MINUTES: Get optimum flavor infusion in the least amount of time! You can start harvesting from your thyme plants once they reach a height of about 6-8”. Attach a piece of twine or ribbon and hang from a dry cupboard or in a cool, dark room and let dry; it'll take about a week. Remove any of the peripheral twigs and proceed with drying fresh thyme. You don’t want to cut off the only leaves a plant has since that’s its source of making food. Just lay out the stems in a single layer on the dehydrator trays and use a low setting suitable for herbs. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The best way to store dry thyme is in a wide mouth mason jar. Light and moisture will degrade the herb’s flavor. Sprouting usually happens 2 to 3 weeks after sowing. Thyme has no notable disease problems. Harvesting Thyme while pruning and insulating the plants with dried leaves for winter. To harvest: Harvest thyme before its flowers open. To harvest thyme for drying, go through your plants with a pair of sharp scissors or garden clippers. Then, fill up the trays the rest of the way with water. Cut off the top 5-8” of growth, leaving tough and woody parts behind. After drying thyme, you can strip the leaves off the stems, but try to keep them whole. In early spring, you may fertilize with... Sun: Thyme needs a growing area with plenty of sunlight. Thyme is a wonderful and versatile herb—there are almost endless ways to use its fragrant leaves in everything from salad dressings and marinades to sauces and rubs. How to Dry Thyme. Harvest thyme just before the plant flowers by cutting off the top five to six inches of growth. For a larger harvest, the best time to cut thyme is right before the plants start to flower. Indoors, find a sunny window for your thyme. As they are evergreen, thyme can be picked all year round, but the leaves taste best during their natural growing season. ), Growing Mint Indoors: Must-Know Tips for Growing Mint Inside ». Knowing when and how to harvest thyme will garner the best results when drying. How to grow thyme – harvesting thyme leaves Thyme is an evergreen perennial, so leaves can be picked fresh all year round. Process Of Harvesting Rosemary. How to harvest thyme the right way. Thyme can be cut at any time during the spring and summer to harvest. Do you know when and how to harvest mint for the best flavor? At first, you’ll only want to trim them lightly or use a few stems for cooking. Around this height, it … Put the dried herb in an airtight container in a dim to dark area. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. I wasn’t kidding – you can see the coffee container in the photo below showing you where to snip off your time sprigs! Wait until after the dew has dried in the morning to cut the herb, snipping off the top two-thirds of each shoot. Please see our full Disclaimer & Disclosure page for more information. When you’re ready to use it, take out as many leaves as you need and crush them before adding to your recipe. Stored this way, your thyme can last for up to 2 years! How to harvest: Snip leaves with a garden snip or scissors. After that, sprinkle water over lightly to keep the substrate a bit moist. Thyme is ready to be harvested after just a few short weeks of growth. Use scissors to snip off sprigs, ensuring cuts are made carefully to avoid spoiling the shape of plants. Before You Harvest: Water your basil the night before you intend to harvest. Height is also a major factor in harvesting right. Wearing a pair of cut-resistant gardening gloves can be helpful, too, so you don’t snip yourself with your garden scissors. Experts say that the best time to do so is in the morning after the dew has dried. Or maybe you don't know what to do with your harvest bounty now that it's picked? Copyright © 2020 Together Time Family on the Foodie Pro Theme. 2 Take stems and bundle them together. After drying, crumble the thyme and put into tightly capped jars. Thyme is one of the most versatile herbs, with a variety of cultivars and flavors. Discover how to harvest basil for increased yields! Join us for family-friendly gardening tips so you can garden with your kids. Caraway Thyme (Thymus herba barona) Capable of growing to over 20 inches in size, a Caraway thyme will give you enough harvest to cook for weeks. After the first cut is made, more growth will begin to develop but do not harvest this second growth as the new growth increases the plant’s hardiness over the winter months. Enjoy growing it wherever you can also be frozen for long-term storage or.... Top portion of the leaves as you would use for a larger harvest, the best resistant... Tasty leaves with an optimal pH between 6.0 and 8.0 tiny leaves their cut ends few stems for drying go... Method of preserving the herb, snipping off the top 5-8 ” of growth can be,... 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