Harvesting in the Garden Today

This has been a great growing spring. Most of you know that I make teas and salves from the herbs in my own garden. I just wanted to show you this mornings harvest! Each morning I go out to harvest berries and herbs, along with my veggies. Harvesting when it is cool, like in the morning, is best for the plant. It is harder for them to recover in the day when it can be very hot, or in the evening when they have spent a long day in the heat.

The things I harvest are immediately rinsed with spring water and checked for any imperfections before they go in to my air dryers. Usually it takes about 24 hours for most to be sufficiently dried. Some things like mullein, which has a thicker leaf, takes a little longer. But I want to be sure they are dried thoroughly so that they will not mold later on in storage or in packages I sell. The method in which I use to dry my herbs assures that they retain as much of their nutrients as possible, as well as their beautiful color.

Calendula, Lavender, Prunella (Self-heal), Echinacea, lemon balm, spearmint, catnip and stevia!

One of the big mulleins! I think he is getting ready to shoot up a stalk with seeds! I harvested some leaves today. They are as long as my arm!

Echinacea is loving life!

Start small - in pots or with one or two herbs and before you know it, you will have your own apothacary of fresh and dried herbs!

For those interested, Herb class will be June 14th from 9 am - 11 am. Learn about the medicinal properties of herbs and make a tincture and infused oil of your choice and make other goodies to take home too! Register Here: https://www.joyfulsoulsnursery.com/event-details/herbs-ii-tinctures-oils-and-more-workshop