How to Harvest Herbs and Double Their Growth

You may have heard that herbs thrive on neglect. While it is true that growing these flavorful plants is pretty easy, you definitely want to pay attention to your herb garden. Once they are in the ground and growing, most herbs are quickly ready for harvesting, unlike most other vegetables that need time to ripen and mature.

The key to keeping herbs growing is to harvest often. Leaves are the parts of popular herbs most often used in cooking. Cutting them back a bit throughout the growing season encourages healthy growth and an attractive shape. It keeps most producing through the growing season.

When to Harvest Herbs

When it comes to herbs, harvesting equals pruning. It is often done to encourage growth, especially with fast-growing annual herbs like basil, dill and cilantro. Snipping new growth causes these plants to branch and produce more foliage. The same applies to slower-growing perennial herbs like thyme, sage and rosemary. There are several good practices to consider when choosing the best time to harvest.

Annual vs. Perennial

Just because an herb is an annual plant doesn’t mean you must take the entire herb to harvest the leaves. In fact, you should never remove a whole, healthy plant until the final harvest, right before a killing frost. Pinching or snipping stems and leaves stimulates the growth of more branches and leaves. So, as soon as annual herbs are mature enough to withstand a bit of cutting, it’s time to begin pruning for shape and harvesting the foliage you remove. Your first harvest may be small, but you will fill a basket before the season ends if you are consistent.

Perennial herbs tend to develop woody stems as they mature. Your harvesting efforts during the growing season should focus on the plant’s new, tender foliage, so avoid cutting into the woody parts. New shoots do not grow from wood and doing this will limit your harvest. You can begin harvesting taller stems when they leaf out with 2-3” inches of foliage.

Most herbs are harvested from the top or outsides of the plant. Dill, cilantro and parsley leaves and stems can also be gathered from the bottom of the central stem. Lower leaves on these plants tend to brown out as they age. Sometimes pinching out the top of the main stem delays bolting, going to flower and seed early. Remember that some herbs, especially annuals, prefer cooler weather and have a limited lifespan with summer’s arrival.

The perennial chive is harvested by cutting leaves at the base. This is one herb that won’t branch out. The chive is a bulb that multiplies rapidly beneath the soil. Harvest chives by snipping leaves outside the plant, leaving the center intact.

Insider Tip

Harvest herbs when they are dry. They are rich in essential oils and are most fragrant between mid-morning and early afternoon. Cutting wet foliage results in the loss of flavor and texture and can promote fungal diseases and rot.

Harvesting Stems with Leaves

Edible herbs harvested for their leaves include annuals and perennials like basil, oregano, sage, thyme, rosemary, dill, tarragon, savory, cilantro chives, parsley, mint and more.

Choose a Stem

1. Look for stems with several sets of lush green leaves and green stems.
2. Choosing a branch from anywhere on the plant is OK, as long as you don’t take more than a third of the entire plant at any cutting.
3. Remember, you are also pruning for growth, so consider how you want to shape the herb for the most pleasing look.

End of Season Harvesting

1. You may harvest an entire annual herb at the end of the growing season or before the first frost. The plant can be pulled up with roots or you can simply cut it down to ground level. Although some annual herbs reseed readily, none regrow from the same root next year.
2. Perennial herbs can benefit from a hard pruning of two-thirds of the plant after the first frost or in early spring. This is the time to cut back woody parts to reshape the plant. Pruning and harvesting immature plants in the fall will direct more energy into developing a solid root system. For mature perennials with established roots, hard pruning in spring stimulates growth.

Until next month, I’ll be helping gardeners grow better herbs here at Watters Garden Center. QCBN

Ken Lain can be found throughout the week at Watters Garden Center, 1815 Iron Springs Road in Prescott, or contacted through his website at WattersGardenCenter.com or Top10Herbs.com.