Herbs: How to Grow, Harvest and Dry Your Own

Fresh Herbs on the Kitchen Island at Windy Hill Farm.

Herbs and spices are so beneficial to our health and add fantastic flavor to our food but have you seen how much they cost right now? Check out the spice aisle the next time you’re at the grocery, it’s astounding. Just yesterday I went to buy 4 spices and dried herbs and I honestly asked customer service what was going on. The poor woman was unsure but mumbled something about Covid or possibly Ukraine. I don’t think she knew. So I bought what I needed, came home, and decided to dig up an old post about the herbs I grow and process here at Windy Hill and bring it back to life. I hope you enjoy.

An Herb Garden

Years ago we had this little enclosed garden built because, here in Pennsylvania, our deer problem is REAL. I love seeing them daily, but they come in nightly and decimate most of our flowers and plants. We commissioned a local carpenter to build this outer garden structure and raised bed. I found a vintage flower trellis, sawed off the legs, and hung it at the entrance to serve as my door. At first, I used it to grow flowers and some vegetables but in recent years it has become the home sweet home for my herb garden.

In this garden, I grow many of the standards we all love, Oregano, Parsley, Chives, Rosemary, Thyme, Eucalyptus, Catmint, Lemon Verbena, Bee Balm, Dill, Marjoram, Chamomile, and Basil. Every spring I try to add something new and different after I see what comes back. It’s a very pleasant plot that really comes in handy for cooking and even sometimes in flower arrangements.

Windy Hill’s gated garden in early spring.

Herbs for cooking and decor

It’s true, I use many of these fresh herbs when I cook but I also sell them to local bakeries where they use them to adorn their cakes or other desserts. When requested, I also use fresh herbs to create cake crowns or wreaths for special occasions.

Cake: One Sweet Baking Co.

Cake: One Sweet Baking Co.

Scatter the herbal Goodness

Because I also try to use all of Windy Hill Farm, I plant herbs all around the property. Like you, I’ve been warned about the hazards of mint but sometimes I just plant it anyway as it’s a better ground cover than nothing and it keeps our honey bees happy. Here is a little patch of mint that grows next to our cottage. It’s November, but it’s still going strong. Mint is great for tea, salad, bouquets, or just a snack.

There is a great big patch of lemon balm, a less-known member of the mint family, that was growing in our backyard for probably hundreds of years! In 2016 I added some apple mint to the patch because I wanted that sturdy and tall apple mint for my arrangements for Studio Sprig. My daughter then painted a wooden sign to say “Lemon Balm Lane”, which I hammered right into the ground. I use the abundant lemon balm to make pesto when I’m low on basil. It smells great in bouquets and salads and makes for a nice little jar of scent to give to a friend for their kitchen window. The apple mint is flourishing and it usually makes its appearance in vase arrangements as a beautiful filler.

Everyone’s Beloved lavender

Next to our barn at Windy Hill is a mini rock wall upon which I planted some lavender. Everyone knows how nice it is to have lavender that you can just cut whenever you want. Find a good spot and try planting some in the spring. This area by our barn has good drainage and stays pretty dry, so this Mediterranean herb seems to like it here. After some harsh Pennsylvania winters, I sometimes need to replenish some of the plants, but over the last few, the lovely perennial has been mighty and strong.

Windy Hill’s barn rock wall of lavender.

Enjoy drying herbs

When you harvest your lavender it’s really nice to hang it upside down and enjoy it for a little while before giving it away or cooking with it. It’s just so pretty to look at and you can use it to make so many unique things. Surprisingly, I’ve made shortbread cookies with lavender and they are delicious. I recommend you look around for your nearest lavender farm or better yet, just start grow your own.

The Windy Hill barn is a great place to hang lavender.

a surprising sunny Delight

Marigolds are another herb that I bet you weren’t thinking about. Here’s what I love about marigolds. I first bought them a few years ago to place around my garden to deter the rabbits. I enjoyed the vibrant flowers all season and in the fall the flowers began to dry up so I gathered them to harvest the seeds. I just popped the dried flower heads into a brown paper lunch bag and waited until I had time to pull them apart.

When I had a few minutes, I pulled each flower head apart and hundreds of seeds fell out. I saved them all winter in the paper bag, giving little bunches to friends so they could sprinkle them into their own gardens in the spring. You’ll be amazed at how many seeds each flower produces. I think I’ll have marigolds forever and I only had to buy them once.

This garden below is the result of a small sprinkling all along the edge of this building. As I said before, it’s November and they are still going strong. I can’t even harvest until they dry up. But this tremendous crop will yield tons of seeds that I can sprinkle everywhere next year. And the great thing is that Marigolds are edible. The flowers lend a dash of color to many recipes while adding a mild flavor to drinks, soups, and pesto. And I just learned that the food industry uses marigold as a natural dye to give cheese and butter a more appealing yellow. The dried flowers are also put in certain teas to make them look more attractive. So grow some marigolds, they couldn’t be easier.

Windy Hill’s Marigold Garden.

Pops of Herbal fun

Don’t worry if you don’t have a lot of land, instead make good use of pots and planters. I usually tuck little bits of lavender, basil, or thyme into all of my flower planters around the property. The bees really love it and I think the flowers benefit from the herbal good vibes. So if you have limited ground or garden space, just squish a few herbs in a window box, a vintage watering can, or a flower pot on your porch. The more the merrier.

Herb Harvesting

I usually begin to harvest my herbs in mid-summer. Like many cut flowers, herbs love a good cut. Always use a clean, sharp shear when cutting flowers, herbs, or any plant because you want to minimize the bacteria getting into the plant. Herbs seem to produce more readily once they are harvested the first time. It's best to harvest herbs in the morning while the leaves are still saturated with flavor. Bring everything in and give it a really good wash. Then lay them out on the counter for a few hours if you intend to dry and store them.

Herb drying

When I decided I wanted to begin drying lots of herbs, I created my own herb drying rack in our pantry because I couldn’t find one I thought was attractive. Most looked like giant butterfly habitats and I didn’t really want that hanging in my house. If you’re interested, you can read my post on how I created this stylish herb drying rack here.

After I harvest the herbs, I clean and drip dry them on the counter before I place the herbs into these baskets which I sometimes line with cheesecloth just so water isn’t dripping on the floor. Be sure to spread the herbs out so that air can circulate properly. That’s it. I just wait a few days or a week and let the air circulation do its thing.

DIY Herb Drying Rack for pantry or kitchen.

Herb Processing

After the herbs are fully dry, I strip the leaves with this little Joie Leaf Herb Stripper and place them into a mini coffee/herb grinder or if you have lots, use a food processor until well-chopped. I’ve linked the products I use here and at the end under shop this blog. And be sure to eliminate all stems before grinding. Another method is to just crinkle up the dried leaves in your hand. I find this works better for tea because the coffee grinder makes the leaves too fine for a tea ball. I learned that the hard way.

Processing and Chopping Fresh and Dried Herbs.

Herb Storing

Once dried and processed the way you like, scoop all the herbs into sweet little magnetized spice tins with air vents or some other storage container. Keep in mind a ball jar with a lid will not work because the herbs look pretty but they will eventually mold. I’ve also used brown kraft lunch bags which I label with a sharpie. Just don’t use plastic sandwich bags because of the moisture and the mold. I found these spice tins work well because they keep things well labeled and allow air to circulate. I have my magnetized tins neatly displayed on the side of my refrigerator where they are easily accessible and I store the overflow in lunch bags. I replenish as needed.

Stylish, Magnetic Herbal Tins with Labels.

Magnetized Spice and Herb Canisters with Labels.

HERB enjoying

That’s about it. Once you have them you can enjoy them in teas, on pizza, or in your homemade olive oil dip! Here I just scattered some herbs on homemade dough before we baked it. Delicious little snack with olive oil, some fruit, and a slice of hard cheese.

Homemade dough with dried, chopped herbs for olive oil dipping.

HERB sleeping

Take some time this winter to contemplate Your Herbal Adventure. I’ll provide some links to products for your holiday list so that you can use them this winter to plan and dream your perfect spring.

Windy Hill’s Gated Garden in winter.

Learn: A great handy book to learn about herbs: Herbs by Leslie Bremness
Create: Try growing a mini herb garden in your kitchen this winter with this Window Herb Garden
Inspire: Begin creating little bunches of herbs to give to friends and see how the love grows.

If you’d like to try your hand at processing and drying herbs, here is the list of supplies I used:
SHOP THIS BLOG:
Lime Green Joie Leaf Herb Stripper
Garden Shears
Herbal Tins with Labels
Mini coffee grinder
Shaker Pegs
Large Metal Baskets
Small Metal Baskets
Curtain Clips
Cheesecloth
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Buy on Amazon

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I’m always here to help you with your creative journey. Please sign up to receive blog post notifications and follow Studio Sprig on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. I look forward to connecting. If you’re a blogger, what’s your favorite SEO Tool? I’ve had much keyword success with RankIQ. Learn more here. - Kim

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DIY Herb Drying Rack: Herb Drying at Home

Studio Sprig by Kimberly Herb Drying Baskets

Are you interested in drying your own herbs? I just love fresh herbs and I grow many on my farm in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. If you are interested in how I do that, please read this blog post: Herbs, and how to grow, harvest, and dry your own.

I use lots of fresh herbs in everything, my floral designs, my cooking, and even my baking. Having a large herb garden is great in the summer, but I soon realized I needed to dry much of my harvest because they were growing so fast and I just couldn’t eat them fast enough. Drying is a great way to have plenty of herbs throughout the winter.

Herb Drying Racks

As I began searching for herb drying racks I came to discover I did not care for the many options out there because they reminded me of large, round, mesh butterfly cages and I knew they would not fit well in my rectangular pantry -where I wanted to dry the herbs. So instead of buying one, I created my own.

How I Created My Own

First, I started with an existing peg rack that was already hanging in my pantry. If you don’t have one, you can easily find stylish pegs or hooks to add to any wall with this link.

I then hung simple curtain ring clips on four of the pegs and attached these simple metal baskets to the clips. You can find metal baskets in all shapes and sizes depending on what works best for you.

Next, I removed the rings from the clips and used just the clips to connect basket to basket, creating a cascading effect. I hung two columns of baskets, two deep, but you can create any configuration that works in your space.

Lastly, I lined the baskets with a small cutting of cheesecloth in case the herbs were damp from washing and needed to drip.

Now, the aroma in my pantry is always wonderful and it’s also a pleasant sight when I walk in -as it takes up the entire back wall. The great thing about this herb drying rack is that I can add to it and go all the way down the wall if I wish. If you have a large wall to cover, you can always intersperse framed herbal artwork or framed herbal photos taken from a calendar. You can also use your own custom photos or paintings and design a unique “Herbal Wall”. To help, I have included a list with links below where you will find some of the materials I used.

Supplies you’ll need:
1. Shaker Pegs
2. Large Metal Baskets
3. Small Metal Baskets
4. Curtain Clips
5. Cheesecloth
6. Herbal Artwork
7. Herbal Photos

I’m always here to help you with your creative journey. Please sign up to receive blog post notifications and follow Studio Sprig on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. I look forward to connecting. If you’re a blogger, what’s your favorite SEO Tool? I’ve had much keyword success with RankIQ. Learn more here. Kim
This post contains affiliate links. As an amazon associate, I make a small commission at no further cost to you. Thank you.

Have you ever thought about creating a beautiful water feature?

Even if you haven’t, please allow me to introduce you to Gerard, the water feature superhero.

Gerard Touhey built his first backyard pond in Easton, Pennsylvania in 1995. Since then, Water Features by Gerard has installed and worked on water features in Disney World, Mexico, France, Ireland, and Chicago as well as Boston and his surrounding Lehigh Valley area. Last Sunday, I had the pleasure of meeting him and I’d like to share my experience. I’ve included a short video where Gerard beautifully tells his sentimental life story, referencing his journey from Ireland, and how he began creating all of these larger-than-life water features at the end of this blog. Please be sure to watch when you finish reading.

A Waterlust Life.

Last weekend I was invited to tour a backyard like no other. This is Gerard Touhey, the water feature superhero. This man SERIOUSLY redefines a backyard escape. On Sunday, I joined some of my beloved family for dinner in Easton, PA -thank you cousin Sharon, for making these arrangements. After dinner, we toured this magical oasis Gerard simply calls his “yard”. To say I was blown away would be an understatement. I had no idea what to expect and just thought we’d be seeing a few aquascapes and traditional ponds. I was wrong.

Gerard Touhey, owner Water Features by Gerard

IT’S ALWAYS those Victorians!

From the front of Gerard’s gorgeous blue Victorian property, you can see only a few carefully placed “hydro hints”, beautifully situated and trickling down toward the sidewalk. But wait….because as impressive as the front gardens were when I walked around to the right side of his home I found so much more. I found things like…

Gerard’s well-appointed victorian home in Easton, PA

Heron sculpture perched on water feature.

…Secret PEDESTAL Perches.

It’s here that I separated from the crowd to go off and discover a few Secret Pedestal Perches. These little moss-covered perches and rocks are tucked away everywhere, perfectly illuminated and peppered with small garden sculptures like this heron eyeing up a fresh, unsuspecting koi.

This sidetrack of tiny pathways was super enchanting and kind of reminded me of my favorite 1972 TV show, The Magic Garden. (Yep, if you click here you can hear the theme song)

Mini Glass Bridge and the Petite Beach.

With that song ringing in my head, I thought it couldn’t get much better, but then I stumbled upon a Mini Glass Bridge placed over a quiet stream. As you’re probably assuming, Gerard could have incorporated a typical wooden bridge here, but then he’d be just like every other “pond designer” you’ve ever met! Instead, Gerard incorporated this glass detail so that his many guests and tour groups could enter the side patio space with dry feet and a view of the colorful pond fishies. Since water surrounds 3 sides of Gerard’s home, it’s sort of like his castle has a moat.

After crossing the magical, mini glass bridge the entire glorious water ensemble unfolded before my eyes.

It’s there that I found what I decided to call The Petite Beach, one of many little “garden rooms” Gerard created to enchant his friends and family. Here, from your painted Adirondack, you can summon a Guinness, kick off your sandals, and actually put your feet in the sand.

Gerard and friend enjoy a toast on The Petite Beach.

Leaping Frogs Everywhere.

In perfect view from the sandy beach are several carefully positioned bronze statues. My favorites were the little children playing with Leaping Frogs. Everywhere you look Gerard has created the most vivid Naturescapes with splashing water, vibrant flowers, and grand illuminations that make each one distinct. We arrived just before dusk, so the lights literally came on while we were strolling around. The great thing is you can leap around for hours and still miss many of the interesting scenes hidden throughout.

Little girl garden statue taunting a leaping frog.

Little boy garden statue capturing a leaping frog.

Bronze boy holding his leaping frog.

Secret swimming hole.

pond or Pool?

It’s true, while most backyard ponds are designed for a few weary koi or just installed to provide pleasant splashing sounds, Gerard’s feels more like he and Tom Sawyer carved the earth with their bare-knuckle hands to create the world’s coolest swimming hole. That’s why he needed to build a beach, remember? So if petite beaches, canoe boating, and bronze froggies are your thing, you’d feel right at home with one of these bubbling babies in your backyard. Do not tell yourself it can’t be done. Unlike other “pond contractors” who come to your yard for a “dry & boring” consultation, Gerard brings you to his. Smart man, because while you're summoning your Guinness in bare feet and feeding his koi some kibble, I would bet you’d be in a better frame of mind to dream up some wonderlust-y features you’d like to have in your very own backyard fantasyland pond.

Swimming pond with canoe in blue.

Swimming pond with canoe in pink.

Gerard exhausted from a dig.

The long rest with canoe in green.

Concrete heads are cool.

I’ll leave you with one parting thought on design. As an Art Director, I lovingly gazed at this corner for a very long time. Sure, it may have been because of the perfectly cascading waterfall basin, but I think we all know that it was really because of the concrete head. You just can’t go wrong with a concrete head. In fact, I have one in the center of my family room. I picked her up at an estate sale. I love her. This one in Gerard’s corner waterscape garden proudly wears her spikey leaves just like the Victorian woman -who probably lived in this home over 100 years ago- would have flaunted her fashionable plume. This head was a very nice nod to our tour’s end. Below I have included Gerard’s social links so you can get to know him and his artful genius. Please remember to view his video.

The magic of moss.

After a long day with canoe in purple.

I hope you enjoyed this Inspiration. Please leave comments below. I’d love to hear about your backyard plans. If you’re interested in a Water Feature for your plot of paradise or you just want to connect with Gerard, please mention this blog and Kim from Studio Sprig as he’d love to hear how you found him.

Instagram: @waterfeatures_by_gerard
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gerard.touhey/photos
Pinterest: @gerrypond
Email: Waterfeaturesbygerard@msn.com

Please watch this wonderful video where Gerard beautifully shares how it all began. Video: Gerard’s story.

A few sound resources to soothe you while you build your dream.
1. Relaxing Zen Music with Water Sounds
2. Spa Music Hour
3. Shower Meditation
4. Rain Fruits ZZZ
5. Purifying Waters of Zen

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Learn: There’s a scientific reason why water is so calming. Learn about it.
Create: Gather items to implement a fountain, pond, pool, or new sculpture into your scape this spring.
Inspire: Invite friends over to just stare at your new ambiance. Offer them a Guinness.

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Slán go foill

I’m always here to help you with your creative journey. Please sign up to receive blog post notifications and follow Studio Sprig on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. I look forward to connecting. If you’re a blogger, what’s your favorite SEO Tool? I’ve had much keyword success with RankIQ. Learn more here. - Kim

Photo credits: Sharon Coe, Gerard Touhey & Kim Bensing

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