An herbal tea made with herbs from your yard is the last harvest of the year and one of the sweetest. There are a few days left to cut mint, lemon balm, and sage before the frost sets in.
Start simple: a single herb, or two that pair well. Here are three flavor families to guide you.
The sweet and floral
Lemon balm, chamomile, lavender. All-round, for late evenings in the living room.
Start with lemon balm and add a bit of chamomile. Lavender has character: a few flowers are enough.
The fresh
Peppermint, verbena. Lively and clear, for rainy afternoons.
Mint alone already makes a beautiful cup. Serve it hot, or let it cool down.
The warm
Thyme, sage, rosemary. Herbal and comforting.
Rosemary fears frost: it is picked in a pot and brought indoors.
Harvest well
The right time is in the morning when the stems are firm and the dew is gone. Harvest just before the flower buds open: that's when the leaves have the most flavor.
- Cut by stems rather than leaf by leaf. The plant keeps a nice appearance.
- For a perennial, the last harvest before frost can go up to two-thirds of the plant. Keep at least a third.
All the details are in our article How to properly harvest your herbs.
Dry and store
- Hang your herbs in small bunches, in a dry and airy place, away from direct light.
- Let dry until the leaves crumble easily.
- Store in a jar, in an airtight glass container, kept away from light and moisture.
- Label with the name of the blend and the harvest date.
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