subject: How to Harvest Home Grown Herbs [print this page] The essence of a plant becomes concentrated with each succeeding night. The herbs, therefore, are most potent when they're picked in the early hours of the morning well before the sun's heat and the light actually dissipate any essential oils in them. And, it's best to harvest the herbs on a morning that is clear and dry, just after the dew has evaporated from the leaves.
Frae, whose Web site is HomeGrownHerbs.info contends that just about all herbs should be harvested before they bloom. The active healing substances of these plants also lose their potency after the flowering process, for obvious reasons. They've just spent much of their energy on actually blooming and generating seeds.
When you do harvest herbs, be sure to use sharp pruning clippers. You don't want to tear the stems. If you don't cut too low on the stem, you'll discover that some herbs-basil is particularly noted for this-will produce more growth for harvest.
