By Tamara Galbraith

Fall is the time to trim back perennials...and that includes herbs. Mid-October is a good time for gardeners in milder climates to collect and use or preserve valuable herb flowers and leaves, and here are some tips for doing just that.

Annual herbs can be harvested until frost, while perennial herbs can be clipped up until about one month before your first frost date, if you have one.

Freezing is one of the easiest methods to preserve herbs, and if you generally use herbs for soups and sauces, the ice cube method is great. Rinse your herbs in cold water, shake off the excess, chop, and place a teaspoon of herbs in each water-filled cube space and freeze. Pop the cubes out and put them in plastic bags; you can then take a cube from the freezer as you need it, and toss the whole thing into your soup or sauce. Another method for freezing herbs for later culinary use is to spread the herbs loosely onto a cookie sheet, freeze, then transfer the herbs into a large plastic bag and seal. Do not re-freeze herbs after thawing.

Drying is the traditional method of herb preservation. If the herbs are clean, do not wet them. Otherwise, rinse dust and dirt from the foliage, shake off the excess water, and spread the herbs out on paper towels until dry. Remove any dead or damaged foliage, then tie the stems into small bundles with twine, string or even decorative ribbon and hang them upside down in a warm, dry, airy place out of the sun. Be sure to make small, loose bundles and allow for good air circulation around each bunch.

You can zap your herbs in the microwave, too. Lay a single layer of clean, dry leaves between dry paper towels and place them in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes on high power, paying attention to your own microwave's wattage and tendencies. Let the leaves cool. If they are not brittle, reheat for 30 seconds and retest. Repeat as needed.

Herbs are sufficiently dry when they are brittle and crumble easily. When the leaves are dry, separate them from their stems and store in glass spice jars with tight-fitting lids, then keep the jars in a cool, dry place away from sunlight, moisture, and heat. To preserve full flavor, avoid crushing the leaves until you are ready to use them. Many herbs will retain their flavor for over a year...when it'll be time to harvest next year's herbs.