Fall brings colors to your yard as gold, red and brown as well as to your home herb garden. You have been growing your own herbs and now is the time to dry them and prepare them for winter.

Your blooming plants will give you seeds for growing garden herbs in the spring. Capture the seeds by placing a paper bag over the flowers. Put your hand around the bag and grab the stem. Trim the stem to release the bag. To release the seeds from the pod, rub the bag. Remove the seeds and store for the next planting. I label an envelope and put all the envelopes in a shoebox.

Some people dry herbs by tying a few sprigs together and hanging them up to dry. Sun light will strip the taste and dry up the oils in herb that are drying, so find a good dry and dark location. Once the herbs are dry you can strip the leaves storing for your culinary needs. Look at the stems, if there is a nice looking one, put in a container of oil or vinegar. The jar of oil is a quick way to add essence to your cooking. You can find nice looking jars are most everywhere. Once I have the jars filled and rested for two weeks, I add a bow and give as gifts. Most of us will enjoy adding a little tarragon vinegar to our salads or vegetables.

Another drying method is to strip the herb leaves laying them out on paper or a screen. A sweater screen is perfect.When the leaves are dry, put them in your marked containers. Fall is the perfect for cleanup up the herbs in your herb garden by trimming. If you have cold winters, then bring the tender herbs inside for the winter’s rest.

Even through you have cut, dried and thinned the herb garden plants, there is plenty more to do. Autumn is the perfect time to plant. Garlic, chives, french tarragon and thyme are great autumn plants. Those of us in hot region can plant dill and parsley in the Fall. Two other herb garden plants for fall planting are shallots and saffron. Schedule their planting with the daffodils.

Autumn is a wonderful time of the year to be out in your home herb garden clipping, thinning and planting. Spending time in your home herb garden is so much fun in the Autumn. Mealtime is full of flavors from your home herb garden. Do share the recipes.