Grow Your Own Magazine

Dear All,

At what point in the 'summer' (ha! whenver that starts) should I chop back my oregano and dry and crush for use over the winter? If I start doing it now, will it send up new growth in the next few months?

I've planted it out in my garden - I hope it will overwinter well.

meant to say also, can I do the same with chives? Cut them back I mean and then hope they will grow back over the summer? and has anyone had any luck with drying chives? Or do you freeze them?

Never tried this myself as this is the first year I've managed to coax my chives into producing anything much at all - BUT I'm sure I read recently somewhere (useful, huh? - I think it was in a magazine, possibly an interview with Jekka whatsername?) that chives are usually freeze-dried commercially so not really practical to dry them for home use, but that they do freeze well. Chop them up and freeze in ice cubes?

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Warning: I have a dangerous tendency to act like I know what I'm talking about.

Queen of the cobs, I never dry my herbs - but freeze them.
Just prepare them for use, chop them up as you wish to use them, spread them out on a tray, put in the freezer for a couple of hours til frozen, then put them in labelled boxes for use. They keep wonderfully well with all the flavour of the real thing. Chives work well like this - and they will regrow - try stopping them.

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From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.