Herbs make gardening easy. You can keep just as happy of an herb garden with a few mason jars and a kitchen window sill, as you can with a whole outdoor garden bed. Because these gardens are so low maintenance, you are often left with much more herbs than you need. We’ve put together some tips for making the most of your herb garden. With these preservation techniques, you’ll likely save some money, cut down on waste, have herbs throughout the year, and always have a diy project on hand.

Dry Your Herbs for Tea

One of the easiest ways to preserve your herbs is by drying them. Some great tea drying herbs are: lemon balm, chamomile, mint, and lavender. First take some clippings of your herbs. Rinse them to wash out any little bugs and dirt and then pat them to dry. Make sure you get as much moisture out as you can, you can even leave them to dry flat overnight. Next, bundle the herbs in bunches of four or five and secure with a tie. Hang the bunches upside down in a dry place. Depending on the temperature and humidity, your herbs will likely be dried out within a couple of weeks. Remove the leaves or flowers (depending on the herb) and gently crush. Keep them stored in a jar and steep in boiling water for a beautiful herbal tea any time of year!

Freeze Your Herbs

Do you have fresh herbs but aren’t planning on cooking with them every night of the week? A great tip is to freeze them! Start by harvesting and chopping up your herb. Some common fast-growing cooking herbs are chives (technically an allium), rosemary, or basil. Grab an ice cube tray and sprinkle your herbs into each cube. Pour either water or your favorite cooking oil over them and then store in the freezer. Now you have cubed herbs at your convenience. The water will keep them fresh and the oil will make cooking easy even easier-- just throw it in with your hot pasta!

Use as Bug Repellent

Insects, like mosquitoes and flies, tend to not like strong smelling herbs. While you might not want to rely on these herbs for any serious bug issues, they can certainly help you out and make summer a little more pleasant. Basil, catnip, and citronella are among some of the stronger bug offenders. Crush these leaves to get those oils out and rub them onto your skin. Or mix in with some water to create your own natural spray. If you’re sitting near a fire, try throwing in some sage. As long as you are within range of the fire’s smoke, you’ll be safe from any mosquitoes.

DIY Body Care Products

There are many ways you can add herbs to your self-care routine. Many herbs have both physical and mental healing properties. Lavender is already common to body products, its flowers are great for calming and sleep aid. Oil extracted from lemon balm leaves can be used to make a natural lip balm to help heal cold sores. Peppermint’s cool and refreshing scent can help relieve stress and nausea. Do a little research first, and find the herb that best fits you. A great way to make sure you always have a DIY project on hand is to create an infused oil. You can do this by soaking your herb in a neutral oil like sunflower, almond, or olive. This will set you up to make lotion, lip balms and salves. You can also dry your herbs and mix them into a sugar or salt scrub for some lovely exfoliation or add to your bath salts for a relaxing soak.

Add Some Flare to Common Cooking Ingredients

Oil, butter, and salt are likely your most commonly used cooking ingredients. While we can’t get enough of them, why not try adding something new to these beloved staples. Throw a sprig of rosemary in your olive oil for a beautiful infused cooking oil. Make an herb butter with rosemary, chives, thyme, oregano, or parsley. It will certainly add some flavor to a warm baguette or atop a steak. Or try your hand at a homemade herb finishing salt. Use rosemary, thyme, or basil and mix with coarse sea salt and citrus to season your vegetables or protein.

Get Ahead on your Spice Rack

Next time you run out of a spice or seasoning, skip a trip to the store, but save the canister. Harvest your herbs and then dry them out using the technique of your choosing: hang dry, a dehydrator, or give it a zap in the microwave. Once your herbs are dry and crunchy, crush them. Store them in one of your old canisters and you won’t have to spend any extra money on your spice cabinet in the winter. You can even get creative-- try mixing rosemary, thyme, basil, and oregano for your very own Italian seasoning!

Use as a Natural Pesticide in your Garden

Herbs can be used as companion plants for many vegetables in your garden. By planting certain herbs next to different vegetables or fruits, you can help assure optimal growth and even ward off pests. For example, gardeners often plant tomatoes and basil next to each other, this improves growth, flavor, and limits insects. Use a common herb as a natural insecticide for a safer and cleaner alternative-- and you get to enjoy the benefits of the herb! Before planting, find out which plants work well together. It’s also worth the research because some plants can be enemy neighbors.

Now that you’ve learned all about the herbs in your garden, it’s time to get harvesting! Or if you have yet to start your own herb garden, hopefully we’ve inspired you to head to your local nursery and grab a few starts of your own. There is no limit to what you can do with herbs-- from cooking, to body care, to preserving for year-round use. Our Clean Water GROW® All-Purpose blend will help your herbs grow fragrant and strong. Remember to add a tablespoon to your soil, and it will last you all season long.

How to Make the Most of your Herb Garden