How to Harvest and Preserve Your Mint Crop

Drying Mint

• 1

  Cut mint once the plant reaches a height of at least 3 inches. Snip the stems from the plant to within 1 inch of the ground, using shears. Harvest the tender outside leaves throughout summer so the center of the plant can continue to produce. Harvest the entire plant before the first fall frost.

• 2

  Bundle the stems together in groups of six to eight stems. Wrap a rubber band around the stems of each bundle to hold them together.

• 3

  Hang the bundles upside down in a warm, dry location. The mint leaves dry completely in three to five days.

• 4

  Take down the bundles when the leaves feel brittle and crumble easily with light pressure. Strip the leaves from the stems. Discard the stems.

• 5

  Place the leaves in a tightly sealed container or bag. Store them in a cool, dry location for up to one year.

Freezing Mint

• 6

  Harvest the entire mint stems as you would for drying. Strip the tender leaves from the stems within two to three hours of harvest, before the leaves begin to wilt. Discard the stems.

• 7

  Chop the leaves into thin ribbons with a sharp knife.

• 8

  Fill an ice cube tray three-quarters full with the chopped mint. Add water to the tray until it's full and the mint is completely submerged.

• 9

  Place the ice cube trays in the freezer until the mint cubes are solid.

• 10

  Pop the cubes of frozen mint out of the trays. Store the cubes in a sealed freezer container or bag for up to one year.