fresh herb storage

[sionkali]

Hey everyone!!

I was wondering if there were any suggestions on optimum storing conditions for fresh herbs. I always seem to have a problem keeping mine fresh and ready to use; they tend to wilt and get icky sitting in my produce drawer. Part of my problem could be not using them quick enough. Is there a good way to preserve them other than drying them? I could keep them out on my counter so I remember to use them regularly (they usually get lost and squished among all my other fruits and veggies in the produce drawer), but I'm afraid they would die/wilt faster.

Any ideas?

Thanks!! :)

[rawpriestess]

What herbs are you trying to store?

some are very suseptable to cold or dryness.

BASIL can NOT be stored in the fridge, nor can Tarragon, you will ruin them,
basil specifically must be stored with the freshly cut stems in water, but no leaves should touch the water, or they will turn black. Fresh basil, will keep up to 3 weeks this way.

Rosemary and oregano, thyme, chives, arugula etc, can all be stored in the fridge in their respective containers, they don't need much water,

Basil is the most tricky, tarragon the second most tricky, it will last a little while in cool storage, but not cold.

Do, not freezer herbs unless they are immersed in water, or oil.

Chopped or minced herbs, can be placed in olive oil, and will last a very long time, almost indefinitely in UNDER the oil. in a glass jar in the fridge.Even basil will last this way, but you must have oil on all parts of the basil.

I suggest mincing first, then place in a glass jar, then cover with olive oil.

Actually all herbs will keep this "OIL" way, but not all hers will you want to use with oil. so if I haven't answered your question, just let me know what herbs you wish to keep.

spices are another matter

[Finding Me]

Storing Long-Stemmed Fresh Herbs

Place long-stemmed fresh herbs, such as parsley, cilantro and dill, in a tall glass with the stem ends down. Fill with about an inch of cold water. Cover the leaves with a plastic bag and refrigerate until ready to use, changing the water every 2 days. Herbs should stay vibrant and fresh for about 5 days.

Storing Hardy Herbs

Wrap hardy fresh herbs, such as sage, rosemary and thyme, in damp paper towels. Then, place in a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate up to 5 days.

***I've stored the long-stemmed herbs this way and they lasted longer than 5 days. That may have been due to the fact they were organic. Hope this helps.****

[sionkali]

Awesome!! Thanks so much rawpriestess and Finding Me for the great information!! Right now I have cilantro, basil, and parsley sitting in water on my counter. The cilantro and basil already had roots on them, so putting them right into water was a bit of a no-brainer (I've worked with basil before but never cilantro). I also put the parsley in water, even though it didn't really have any roots, and it looks like its doing pretty good so far. I think I might start growing my own and see what happens. I have very little viable windowsill space (and curious cats too) so it might be interesting to see where they end up. Is it possible to grow herbs from seeds in water? Or is soil the best way to go about growing herbs?

Thanks again!! :)

[rawpriestess]

You need to grow them in fertile soil, with lots of sun light, they need bright light.